Unveil Mercury [#Wattys2017]

i n t e n s e

CHAPTER ELEVEN

27 July

Thursday night, Noah had sneaked into Sutton's room. Allan was asleep in his room downstairs and the pair didn't make a noise as they just laid together on Sutton's bed. For the first time in a long time, they only talked about themselves. Sutton told him all about her mother as Noah stroked a hand through her hair, untangling the knots and he told her about his childhood while she watched his lips move in the moonlight shining through her window. She wished she had met Noah on different circumstances where her mother wasn't dead and she didn't need to find a missing sister. She also didn't have to drink pills to keep the night terrors or panic attacks at bay. She'd have a normal, mystery-free life.

Noah had agreed to go with her to Izzy's lake house. He was bringing Alex and Tanner with him to the house. Allan had no problem whatsoever with her going off with strangers for two weeks. He encouraged her to enjoy it. She wanted to drive down with Noah and his friends but she had already promised Lola that she would make the trip down with her. She also really needed to speak with Lola. She hadn't spoken much to her but she knew that Lola was part of the snake clique that separated the girls from one another. Ava wanted them against one another so that they would never betray her. She was the one who was making up all the lies and hurting her own friends. What had she to gain? She disappeared and there was no news of her. Nothing was filed out yet. Her parents probably thought she ran off to Paris or Italy. 'Rich people problems,' she thought.

Sutton also didn't know what to make out of the two dead bodies. One being her mother and the other being Detective Roger, the one instructed on her mother's case. She had to put her personal feelings aside and figure out why Alice wanted her mother dead. Obviously she killed the detective to keep the report confidential and buried but why was her mother murdered? There had to be a motive. Alice had to have some personal vengeance and as soon as Sutton got close to someone, Alice pulled in Noah. But, Alice used Ava, Eli and Lola. They were accessories to murder. It could give them a lengthy prison sentence if the truth was ever discoverd. What Sutton didn't really get was that Alice gave her the police report like she was some justifiable person uncovering the truth when Sutton was pretty sure Alice buried everything.

Why now?

"You need to stop thinking about it," he said, fingering the lines that furrowed between Sutton's eyes. She was worried.

She frowned, "I know but I can't. It's just so much." She didn't know how to describe it. She also noticed there were no photos of her mother's body in the report. Alice must have kept it. Sutton felt relieved that she didn't have to see any of the pictures. It would send her spiraling or forcing a psychotic break. She couldn't afford either of them right now.

"I know, baby girl. But you're going to make yourself sick with this. Alice can't have all the control."

Sutton sighed and cuddled closer to his side, "But the thing is she does. She knows we know everything except who she is."

"But we don't have to give her all the power?" he questioned more than he stated.

"It's too early to decide that. She's in charge for now."

Noah nodded and kissed her forehead tiredly, "For now."

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28 July 2017

Sutton was nervous about going to the lake house. She was afraid of what Alice would do. They were alone in the middle of nowhere with no adult in sight. It was just miraculous how they were going to survive. Okay, that was a bit dramatic, she'd admit. They were going to be okay. They certainly had to be okay. Sutton pulled on her suitcase, she was one of those girls who packed everything, her entire room, just because she knew she was going to need it. It was heavy and barely wanted to budge but it was a suitcase and Sutton was its boss, so it had to do whatever she wanted. She pulled at it again, the wheels turning slowly on her carpeted floor. She sighed in relief and picked up her carry on as well. She'd get the rest of her things as soon as she hauled the bag downstairs.