Golden (Book 1 of the Golden Series)

Chapter 67

"Elle, maybe don't-"

Too late.

I see it peeking out from a corner immediately; the floral pattern of the curtains a dead give away to what the picture is. 

My heart pounds as I slide it out from under the rest of the papers, my fingers shaking as they pinch the edge of it, like I'm scared it's going to shatter. 

I hadn't been in it in weeks but I could still close my eyes and smell the scent of hot brewing tea and freshly lit candles. I could still hear the soft jazz music and her laughter echoing through the memories. 

"Why do you have this?" I whisper, my heart already plummeting before he speaks. 

There was only one reason that he had this. 

Trent is silent. 

Too silent.

I finally look at him and I see the pain etched into the lines of his eyes, I can sense the reluctance to explain like it's my own. 

"Trent. Why is there a picture of Mrs Grenway's house in your evidence."

He still doesn't look at me, instead, his hands unravel from around my body to beside him. His hesitance doesn't go unnoticed.

From one of the drawers, Trent pulls out more papers - this time choosing not to hide them from me as he places them down, on full display. 

Bile rises in my throat as I see her splayed body, my memories of the feeling of her unbreathing figure still fresh in my mind and my own screams echo in my ears. 

Past that, I see the photos of the rest of the house. Of the smashed up hallway that I had ran through, of her bedroom where I found her. 

This was the place that I had opened Christmas presents, that I had played hide and seek in with Obi and helped clean during the summer. 

It just didn't look the same.

There are also photos of rooms that I didn't go in to - ones of the living room that show it in a state of disarray, books ripped off of shelves and ornaments smashed. Then one of her kitchen that shows all the cupboards open, no drawer left unscathed. 

Someone had been there before I arrived. 

"Why would someone do this?" I choke out, seeing her most prized possessions scattered across the floor of the home I had grown to love so much, "What did they want?"

"We think they were looking for something," Trent explains carefully, his words lined with caution like he was waiting for me to break, "They seemed to hit every room but we're not sure if they found it or not."

I could feel myself beginning to spiral, I could taste the metallic drip of anxiety crawling up from my throat but I had to do this - I couldn't just pretend this didn't happen. I refuse to be a damsel in distress.

"What could she possibly of had that they wanted?"

Trent's eyes flicker to my neck. 

To the necklace.

'Maybe you should ask Trent where he got it.'

"Trent," I say softly, already afraid of his answer, "You got this necklace from Mrs Grenway, didn't you?"

He looks even more troubled now, his brows pulled together so tightly that I wonder if he's getting a headache.

"She gave it to me after we first met. Even then she knew I was going to make a mistake somewhere down the line and would rely on that necklace to make sure you were okay."