Author's Note:- This is the final chapter of 'Up in the Hills'. I am glad that you all liked the twist. Though I wish the story could have gone on longer, I think it will be the perfect place to end it. I loved writing it and I hope you all enjoyed reading it!

Story So Far:- Nancy finally gets to know what had actually happened. It was Ariana Willin who had changed her name from Jennifer Willin. On learning that Michael was the 'criminal', Nancy is in a fix. She is unsure of her next decision. As her righteous self and her human self battle, read on to find out which one wins...


Chapter 12: Right? Or Wrong?

"...I can at least die in peace." These words bounced about inside my head for a few seconds.

Once Mr. Ropkins was going to hear his confession, Michael would no doubt be imprisoned along with John. They would spend hours in a lonely cell awaiting their sentences of life imprisonment, if not death.

But did they deserve it? Did Michael deserve it? He had lost his parents. His parents weren't at fault. They just happened to be on the flight. The hijackers had just happened to choose them. It was just the circumstances. It wasn't their fault. Most importantly, it wasn't Michael's fault and certainly not John's.

Michael. I looked at him. He was still staring at his lap. He was just a few years older than me at most, yet sorrow and the pain of losing loved ones had hardened him and he looked much, much older. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve any of it.

It was true that he had decided to take up the law in his own hands, but suppose he hadn't. Suppose he appointed a lawyer, gathered all the evidence, and fought a case for justice. Having a lawyer for a father, I know quite well what would have happened. Such a case would go on for years indefinitely. Countless appeals, multiple summons and also, knowing the Lincer sisters, bribery. Who knows, maybe with accomplices like Aren, who could burn a mansion to ashes, Michael could even have disappeared one day...

But still, he did murder someone, a contract killer no doubt, but it is...it is still a murder. I was confused. Two parts of my being were battling with each other. I felt agitated, What was I supposed to do now?

I chose what I knew to be the best course of action in such situations. I placed myself in Michael's place. My dad had once told me, "Though I work for the law and I have to abide by all the rules laid down, more than once I have come across cases when the guilty didn't deserve the fate got. There might be countless evidence, maybe they had even confessed to the crime, but there is still an undeniable feeling that the verdict was wrong.

Nancy, you don't work for any government organisation as of now. Unlike me, your hands are not bound. So whenever you are even in the slightest of doubt that the situation is unfair, remember a very valuable piece of advice: Place yourself in that person's shoes. Yes Nancy, I am asking you to think what you would have done in such a situation under the same circumstances. Then you will see you will always make the right, unbiased decision. Remember this, whenever you are in doubt."

So I did just that. I imagined losing Dad and Hannah, the only family I had left, and that too just because they happened to be at a particular place at a particular time. I had to watch on the TV as complete strangers mercilessly slit open their throats.

After the initial shock, trauma and numbness, I was confronted by two options: One, I could sit by and wait helplessly for years while the lawyer swallowed fat sums of money. I would have needed a really experienced and expensive lawyer to keep on fighting such a case. And two, I could carry out my personal vendetta against the criminals. I could get my vengeance, so what if I became a criminal? What if I had to live in a cell for the rest of my life?

My blood began to boil. The heat started rising around my neck and ears. Michael, and to some extent, John, were criminals, no doubt. Michael was a murderer and John was his partner-in-crime, no doubt. But had they started this? Had Michael's parents wanted any of this? All they had done was boarded a flight. Nothing but destiny had caused this situation.

My decision was made.

"Michael...," I started in a low but clear voice carefully choosing my next words.

"Call me Mike," Michael said, "I have always admired you Nancy," he looked up straight at me, "You were just like all the private investigators I have read about. Although I had a gut feeling that it might be hazardous for me, I had always wanted to befriend you," he grinned and added absent-mindedly, "I had always been afraid of being exposed, that's why I had to kill Jennifer Lincer's sister, but strangely, now that I am going to be handcuffed, I am not at all stressed or worried. Who knows, maybe I am going mad..."

"Mike! Listen to me," my voice took on a strange intensity, I didn't even know I had. Maybe there was something in my voice but Mike, who was again staring at the ground, bolted his head up and widened his eyes. John was also giving me his undivided attention.

I continued in my firm-set voice, "Mike, you are not going to be hand-cuffed."

Mike and John exchanged a glance.

"But Nancy, once word gets out...," Mike started.

"It won't. I assure you," I cut in mid-way.

"Nancy, there's no point being ultra-optimistic," John said quietly.

"I am not being ultra-optimistic. Listen Mike, when you murdered you didn't do it just like that. A powerful sense of revenge was pushing you," I paused before continuing, "See, I am not justifying what you did. No, I don't say that murdering is right. What I meant was that the Lincers were infinitely more at fault than you are." Mike didn't look entirely convinced. He had obviously taken to considering himself guilty, which he sure was, but I was trying to prove a different point.

"Think about it this way, both the Lincer sisters were murderers. They murdered for money and that too, money for pleasure. As for you Mike, you did it to avenge your parents' death. If the Lincer sisters were to be sentenced for their crimes, they would probably have been in the same state as they are now. Don't you see? Nobody would gain anything if their murderer was exposed and neither did anybody lose anything at their death."

Mike finally seemed to take my words seriously. John asked, "So, you are not going to turn us in?"

"I can't see how that would benefit anybody. Can you?" I asked. John shook his head.

"Just one question," I said, "Any idea what Jennifer's sisters initials-BL-stand for?"

"You want to know that, ask me, not them," we heard a voice coming from the front of the tent.

Astounded, I whipped around and who should I see? Mr. Gordon.

Mr. Gordon gave the three of us a tentative smile. My blood went cold in a second. How much of our conversation had he heard?

Mr. Gordon walked over to us. Unlike the rest of the week, he wasn't wearing his three-piece suit anymore instead he had donned a shirt and trousers. He looked younger than what I had thought.

Mike suddenly said, "Are you going to turn us in?"

Mr. Gordon shook his head. Mike looked slightly relieved, but I wasn't convinced. Mr. Gordon said, "BL is for Barbara Lincer." That reminded me of what we had been talking about. It seemed that Mr. Gordon knew the finer details about the family.

I was saved the necessity of asking when Mr. Gordon continued saying, "Yes, you are right. The Lincer sisters did change their names. Jennifer Lincer changed hers to Ariana Willin and when Barbara came over to stay here, she was forced to change her name to Jenny Willin. Actually 'Willin' was their mother's maiden surname."

"Umm...Can I ask a question?" I asked a little hesitatingly.

"Sure you can, this is no longer the 'Lincer' Estate," he said, "You were clever enough to see through their ploy. You have every right to ask as many questions as you want."

"Uh...is there really anybody here called Mrs. Clara Lincer?" I had suddenly remembered the name. Mr. Gordon had told us on the very first day that she was the sisters' grandmother who was an invalid. I had thought her to be their maternal grandmother but I had spotted no sign of her existence over the last week.

I saw that Mr. Gordon stifled a grin at this, "No, there isn't. It's just another trick as a support to the claim. You see, it would be another reason to say that the estate was their maternal inheritance where their grandmother lived. None of their grandmothers has lived here for quite a few years. Jennifer has been here for 2 years and she spent most of her time coordinating various murders, so-called accidents and occasionally a hijack or two. She had a gang of infamous criminals who would give their life for her. It was just around a year ago that Barbara moved here as well. Tempers have been high between the two sisters since then. Jennifer was terrorising Barbara to no end, making her do whatever she wanted," he sighed, "It's a pity. They were so close. Money-lust drove Jennifer up the wall."

"Why did the two of them go on rock-climbing together?" I asked. If the two sisters had drifted apart, then it was certainly odd that they were taking part in sports activities together.

"Another of Jennifer's sadistic blackmailing," Mr. Gordon grimaced. "She would often make her sister do things against her will. Even petty things. Things which were humiliating with her plump figure. This rock-climbing was just another form of mockery," he said with a grim face.

That was horrible. I couldn't imagine making anybody, much less my own sister, do such things. Of course, I couldn't imagine blackmailing anybody either. I still had a question left for Mr. Gordon, though, "Uh...do you know of anybody called Aren?"

Mr. Gordon said, "Aren is just one of the countless sidekicks and followers Jennifer Lincer, and to some extent Barbara as well, had picked up through their lifetime of criminal activities. It's just that Aren was the most reliable an devoted, not to mention daring and reckless person whom they could find at a short notice," he smiled, "Don't worry, he will be in custody in a couple of hours. I just gave my testimony to the police and I will shortly set out to start a new life," he inhaled deeply, as if bracing himself for the future. He let out a deep breath and said, "I was just taking a last stroll through the woods when I saw you," he looked at me, "entering the tent with a set determination. I had always expected you to get to the bottom of this, so I couldn't help eavesdropping. You really were right about all the details, you know," he smiled genially.

"So you really aren't going to turn us in?" John asked not appearing to be very convinced.

Mr. Gordon laughed, "You really think I will pretend to be sad about the sisters' death? Like this young girl rightly said, who will gain anything by this case?"


As the early evening light fell over the campsite, we were all ready to say goodbye to this place. Rucksacks were packed. Last minute checking was done.

The dismantled tent was little more than a piece of cloth and as Bess combed her hair and George typed on, I wandered about the campsite. I found myself next to Amelia. She was ecstatic for some reason. On asking, she replied, "You know, Dad was worried if he would be permitted to leave this place, but one of the inspectors assured him that he was about as much a suspect as...," she looked around, wondering whom to compare with, "...as Michael. I mean who's suspecting someone who has lost his memory, right?"

"Hmm...," I said. Nice comparison, I thought.

"By the way we just got to know that a cousin of the Willin sisters, a certain Mr. Derek Lincer will be inheriting this estate," Amelia's face lit up, "He lost his own house sometime ago due to some fire, and he will live here from now on, and guess what...," she smiled, "He invited Dad to camp here next year as well."

"Oh, that's great," I said, "It is a lovely place to camp in." Lovely and deadly at times, I thought.

"Yes, it is a great privilege," she said, "You know what, I should probably go and look into the arrangements," she went off towards the bus.

I wandered around aimlessly for some more time, when I noticed James. As usual, his arrogance was back in place. He didn't even bother to help as the rest of his tent-mates dismantled the tent.

"Oh boy, Michael hasn't yet forgotten how to handle a tent," James mocked. He plugged in his earphones and glued his eyes to the screen without even noticing where he was stepping. I noticed Mike and John exchange a discreet glance. Mike crouched down on the ground and held a side of the tent, now a tame piece of cloth with a firm grasp in both of his hands.

My eyes went wide in amusement when I realised what Mike was planning to do. John met my eye and winked. I went closer so as to not miss any of the fun.

James, too preoccupied with his phone was still walking unawares. He neared the tent gradually. His right foot had barely touched the tent fabric when Mike gave an almighty pull from the other end and there went James as he slipped and unable to maintain his balance fell on the ground on his back. As if that wasn't enough, his face fell in a muddy puddle.

John whistled loudly and everybody nearby couldn't help turning around. James looked shocked and horrified. Mike, whom he had been annoying all the week, had made him look foolish.

When John fell down, his phone had shot out of his hand and was lying at my feet. There was a message from 'Dad': Mr. Jones told me that you were proving to be a huge nuisance at the camp. So, you remember the conditions, I had promised that you would go on a world tour, if and only if, you do your part at the camp, which you haven't. So, world tour cancelled. I burst out laughing. So, this was why he was so desperate to scale the cliff fast.


The bus was ready to roll out. It was just waiting to be boarded. We were chatting casually when I noticed that a car had come for Mr. Malcolm. He waved at me and I went over. After exchanging pleasantries, he said, "I have been offered the post of a coach at a sports club," he smiled.

"That's great news," I said.

"I know, I thought about it. What if I can't compete myself, maybe I will make a new life out of shaping young talents," he added, "What about your detective work?"

"It will surely continue," I said. That was what I had told everyone.

"Nancy! We are about to board," Bess called out. I went over to the bus after wishing Mr. Malcolm the very best for his future prospects.

Just when we were about to climb onto the bus, John and Mike came over to us. John cast a cautionary glance at me before telling Bess and George, "Hey guys! There's a good news, Mike is going to undergo a therapeutically treatment for a few months. We hope that it will revive his memories."

"Wow, that's good for you," Bess said.

"We will hope for the best," Gorge said.

I just smiled. It will be good for everyone; I though as I settled down in my seat, thoroughly ignoring Bess and George's concerned look.

They were probably wondering if I had gone senile when I was looking cheerful even after a 'failed' investigation. You see, they didn't know the whole story yet and neither did my Dad. Maybe I will tell them later. Or maybe not. Who knows...?


Author's Note:- So...Nancy's human self won the battle. I am not sure whether everyone will be ok with Nancy's decision but I couldn't bear the idea of Michael, who has such a tragic past, getting imprisoned. Nancy is not an FBI agent after all...

I also hope that I was able to tie up all the odds and ends and make the story complete. Tell me what you think about what happened to James.

Also, I am leaving it for you to decide whether Nancy confides in Bess or George about what she has found. I am ok with whatever you want to believe!

Yay! My first 'Completed' story! More will follow in the course of time. Maybe in October. Let's see...

Typing Courtesy:- Anjuna

My greatest thank you to Drumboy100, Elizabeth Joan-hbnd girl, Nan girl and NotesAndScribbles for their reviews, follows and favourites. You all motivated me to keep on posting. Thank you!

The End