“So, I wonder if this ‘ask’ stuff has anything to do with figuring out who the killer is,” Natalie said.
“All I can think of is ask who the killer is,” Ginny said.
“No, because why would anyone admit to being the murderer?” I said.
“Maybe it has something to do with killer. Like a trademark or an identity,” Rupert said.
“You know, that’s not a bad idea, ARRR” Ginny said.
“ARRR?” I said.
“That’s what my friends call me, because my full name is Rupert Ronald Rutter. I like it. It’s like I’m a pirate,” Rupert said.
“Oh. So, what names have ‘ask’ in them?” I said.
“I don’t know if any do,” Natalie said.
“How about Alaska?” Rupert said.
“Alaska? Who’d name their kid Alaska?” I asked.
“I know a girl named Alaska at school. And hey, I could think of worse names than that. What about Queenie, Prudence, and all the names of Miss Prudence’s cats?”
“True.”
“I can’t think of any other names that have ‘ask’ in them,” Ginny said.
“Maybe this person kills people for a company and the letters stand for the company,” Rupert said.
“What kind of company sends people to kill people except mafia and terrorists?” I said.
“Good point.”
“What about initials?” Natalie suggested.
“You think maybe someone here used a fake name?” Rupert asked.
“Well, if they’ve killed other people before, don’t you think they would change their name?”
I sighed. “Well, initials really limits things. It could be any combination of A, S, and K names. It would take us forever to figure it out. If we’re even right that they are initials. And we don’t even know if it stands for a guy name or a girl name.”
“Well, there are more girls than guys on this island, so there’s a better chance it’s a girl name,” said Natalie.
We listed all the A names we could think of. As far as I could tell, none of these names meant anything.
“A, S, K. A, S, K,” Natalie said.
“Maybe we should work on the last name and come back to the first name later. That could narrow it down a bit,” Ginny suggested.
After listing a bunch of K names, I felt no closer to figuring out what ASK meant until Rupert said, “What about Khan? Or Kensington?”
“Kensington! Arlene Smith-Kensington!” Natalie said.
“What?” Rupert asked.
“When I was 10, I testified against a woman named Arlene Smith-Kensington for killing her husband and son. It’s Caroline!” I said.
“Are you sure it’s her, Shayne?” Ginny said.
“I’m positive. Her hair is a different color now, and she’s wearing color contacts, but it’s the same face! I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before. If only I didn’t have this stupid bad memory!”
“But, Shayne, they sentenced her to life in prison. How could it be her?” Ginny said.
“I bet she escaped. Remember that talk Mom and Dad had, all quiet, and Mom said, ‘No, we shouldn’t tell Shayne. We don’t want her to worry’? That’s what they were talking about!”
“So, we’re here on this island with a convicted murderer who probably wants us dead?” Rupert said.
“Yes.”
“Maybe we should pray, then.”
“That’s a great idea. Would you like to, Rupert?” Natalie said.
“What, out loud? Well, I mean, I guess I could, but I’m not really good at it yet.” We bowed our heads and Rupert said, “Uh, okay. God, I think we’re all kind of scared right now, even me. Please keep us safe and get us off this island. Let the girls get back to their parents and please give me a good family one day. Please, don’t let Caroline come after us. Thanks for dying for me and becoming my Father. Amen.”
“Well, now, you don’t only have a Heavenly Father, but you also have sisters and brothers, because everyone who trusts Jesus is God’s child. So, we’re your sisters,” Natalie said.
“Yeah, welcome to the family, ARRR,” Ginny said.
A smile lit up Rupert’s face.
-Shayne
amazingly adollable 