Into My Heart

LXXXI

A/N, STORY NEWS: I think the story will end around the 90th-100th part, and I got the end figured out through a dream... So, BUCKLE THE FUCK UP because your minds are gonna be BLOWN (at least mine was) 

KRISTIE

I was out of my mind - truly, this time. 

This whole situation got so much more complicated: I didn't know who to trust, except from my sisters and their girlfriends (because, let's face it, those two couples were goals), as well as Mallory because she rocks. But right now, this whole story with Alex maybe helping Kelley out was truly stressing me out, although I wasn't showing it: I placed my trust into the brunette with clear blue eyes, all that for what? For opening up to someone and then this person maybe betraying me?

This evening, I had launched an in-depth investigation within the Dragons: I mean, what other reason to own a gang than if they can help you with stuffs? Without telling them that this actually was about Alex, but more about Ali Krieger, I asked Tobin, Hailie, Lucy and Jill to investigate on Kelley O'Hara and Ali Krieger, because they felt so shady to me - while I, on the other hand, would do my own little investigation on Alex. So, while Jill was handling the computer stuffs with Sam's help, the three other Dragons were out in the hunt of precious informations. 

My stomach was hurting with anxiety, as I was pretty scared of what I might find out. I parked my car right outside Alex's apartment, taking a deep breath: of course Mallory wasn't wrong about what she said yesterday, I really did have feelings for Alex. But as for now, I needed to put those aside and concentrate on finding the truth out. 

As I walk up the stairs, I hear low voices coming from Alex's open door, and I recognise Julie Johnston's. I try to be as quiet as possible and position myself right under where they are talking, listening in:

"... we can't pretend nothing happened, Julie" Alex was saying, and I could feel the distress in her voice. Soon, I understand that it isn't only about their relationship, as she continues: "You arrested Kelley without strong enough evidence, and now everybody think she's guilty, especially her business partners."

"But you gave her the box, right?" the sheriff insists, distressed.

"Yes, I did: I ain't stupid" the brunette continues, visibly troubled, "It took me a lot of guts to go behind Kristie's back, and I won't do it again because it jeopardised our partnership, and our friendship along the way. So, we need to find a way to pin this on the real killer's back, and then find out who paid them and it might get us to The Patriarch, whoever that is."

There is a small pause.

"I am just worried about Krieger" Julie goes on, lowering her voice a little. I only hear words from now on: "... Kristie... what if... and Christen?... Something shady... FBI...?"

Frustrated not to hear more, I walk up a few stairs, still without a single noise, and the voices become clear again, as Alex says:

"Listen, we need to call Lia and ask her to re-run the tests on Ali Krieger's gun, I am sure she missed something..."

"Lia never misses anything... Rather, it means that Krieger has been very careful, and so should we: she is planning something, that's for sure."

"Maybe we should let Press Corporation in the know, don't you think?" Julie asks, confused.

Another silence marks a small suspense pause, before the brunette answers:

"If we do that, all of them will be in danger, and we cannot afford that" and, after a quick pause, she adds: "They've lost so much already, and some of them are finally happy... They don't deserve that."

"And you don't want to lose Kristie, right?" Julie asks, visibly sarcastic.

I could sense Alex rolling her eyes, as she hisses:

"Listen, I care about her in a way even I don't understand, but hers and her family's safety are more important to me than what she might think about me, so... Yeah, that's settled."

"Alright."

I chose this moment to go back to my care and drive away, deeply confused but now sure of myself: Alex Morgan isn't a traitor.

*  

I sigh.

Ever since the Dragons - at least the 20 people or so that are left from the attack - have been reimplanted in the offices of the grand manor hosting Press Corporation in full, I haven't felt like a rightful leader anymore ; especially without her.

As I am trying to figure out who set Kelley O'Hara up - because that person for sure is The Patriarch, or at least at the head of it - I hear the door of my office opening up, and none other than Christen Press makes her entrance.

Rolling my eyes at her - old habit - I just ask:

"What is it, Pressy?"

But the dark-haired smirks: she knows by now that my defence mechanism involves trash talk and silly behaviour. So, instead of responding like in the beginning when I called her by wrong names, she just sits down in front of me, in the vacant chair.

I look up from my screen, raising my eyebrow, as she finally declares:

"Abby told me what happened this afternoon."

"Yeah, whatever" I immediately says, on the defensive.

But the dark-haired knows me way better now, so she doesn't hesitate to carry on with her thinking:

"You need to know this: Mallory was given an USB-card from Kelley O'Hara right before she was arrested. I really believe that she isn't as guilty as she seems, and that she is being framed. We gave the card to Sam, so hopefully it will prove her and Alex's innocence. But, in the meantime, maybe you should talk to her."

I roll my eyes.

"I highly doubt I am the one she wants to talk to" I say, looking down.

Christen puts her hand on my shoulder without any warning, before staring at me right in the eyes and saying:

"You know, I've waited too long to hear Abby's version after she killed my father, but you were right: she had good reasons. I am sure Alex does, too."

Nodding my head, I watch as the dark-haired stares at her phone, before exiting the room, telling me she had businesses to attend.

Meanwhile, I was totally lost: I didn't know who to trust anymore.