It was a little disappointing that Grace didn't answer the phone when I dialed her as we headed that way over. I knew Kole wasn't too fond of the idea of us going over there after everything that's happened, but deep down I felt an extreme amount of guilt for what my family has put hers through. I can't say I wouldn't have tried to clear my dads name if the roles were flipped. Knowing the new info that I know now, its obvious my dad was a lot different than who I thought.
"Still no answer?" Kole asked as I checked my phone for the 3rd time.
"Not yet, but we can still go over there. I want to apologize to her and talk to her about everything. Plus she might know more about my dad and what was going on" I replied
"You don't need to apologize for anything, you have every right to feel how you felt. Just because certain rolls were reversed with Greg and your dad doesn't mean you are at fault for anything. Your the only innocent person in all this" he reassured me.
I gave him a smile and reached for his hand giving it a squeeze. The sun was radiating off his skin giving him a glow, on top of his perfect jaw line. He was absolutely beautiful, inside and out. With everything going on I haven't got to really sit and enjoy his company lately.
During the small moments my head isn't spinning my feelings are more than clear for him, at least to myself. He was the spark in my life, a protector, a sweet heart, genuine and has proven time and time again how much I mean to him. I would be dumb not too tell him how I feel, I just don't want everything going on to ruin it or put him in more danger. I still haven't told him about Tommy's creepy promise and his actions while we were on the plane. I didn't want him to retaliate and then possibly get hurt or worse. Tommy and Pete were sneaky, and didn't face things head on unless absolutely necessary. In reality I was just ready to forget about them, even though I know its not possible until all of this is over and the truth comes out.
"You ok?" Kole asked pulling me back to reality.
"Uh yeah just thinking" I replied smiling as I realized we were parked down the street from Graces house.
"Ready?" he asked taking his seatbelt off after he released my hand.
I nodded my head doing the same before opening my door and getting out. The butterflies in my stomach turning to nervousness as we approached her house. I don't even know what I'm going to say, its clear her and her family are scared of mine so that doesn't really help.
As we approached the door I noticed the front door was cracked.
"Thats weird" I mumbled to myself stopping in front of the door, giving Kole a look.
He nodded stepping in front of me before pushing the door open with the back of his hand.
"Hello?" I said down the main hall waiting on an answer but there wasn't one. Kole looked back at me to make sure we were on the same page before taking a step in.
I followed behind him while we slowly walked toward the living area, the suddenly Kole stopped causing me to run straight into his back.
"Whats going on?" I asked trying to look over his tall figure. Instead of answering he did a 180 cupping my face in his hands.
"You don't want to see this" he said calmly staring into my eyes.
"What do you mean? What is it?" I asked as my heart began to race, my feet getting ahead of my brain as I tried to move passed him. But he stepped in my way this time placing his hands softly on my shoulders,
"Lexi, please just trust me. We need to go outside" he said a little more sternly this time.
I needed to trust him, so I nodded my head and I slowly turned around walking out of the door. Kole cracked it back to where it was then wiped his prints off afterward with the bottom of his shirt. I raised my eyebrow at him when he turned around to look at me.
"We need to call the cops" He said slowly taking a step down toward me.
"And say what??" I asked as my emotions started to get the best of me and panic surfaced in my tone. What more could go wrong.
"Tell them it looks like a home invasion, and 3 people are dead" he finished
"What?! Grace is dead?" I practically screamed as I pulled my phone out dialing 911.
Kole slowly nodded his head.
Immediately my eyes filled with tears, I took a deep breath holding in my cry as I held the phone to my ear.
"911 what's your emergency"
"I need an ambulance at 3112 hold lane, my friend and her family... They've been hurt bad" I said as the words rushed out, I glanced up at Kole to see he was staring at the ground.
"Okay I'm sending out a police unit as well, where are you currently?" the lady asked
"I'm standing in her driveway" I answered.
"Alright stay outside until officers arrive and check it out"
"Okay" I replied before hanging up.
Almost right away the tears slid down my face, but it was different this time. I felt hurt, but at the same time I felt absolutely nothing. Maybe it was the shock, or the fact I had already lost the two most important people in my life so this kind of pain isn't new.
"What did you see?" I asked Kole as I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand.
"It looked like someone was looking for something, or maybe a fight happened during it all I'm not sure. But they were all shot and tied up in the middle of the room" he said directly as he pulled me into him rubbing the back of my head.
"I'm so tired of the people around me all dying" I said into his chest.
"I know baby" he said soothingly "But it also means our guards need to stay high, we both know who did this" he finished
I knew he was right, it was probably Pete coming back to clean up the rest of the mess to protect Tommy. Which could only mean I'm next, unless they didn't want to risk a war with Kole and his dad. At this point I have no idea, and it could go either way.
The police and ambulance sirens rung in the air as they got closer to us,
"Should you be here?" I asked kole looking up at him
"I'm not going to let you deal with this alone." he replied genuinely
"I'll be okay, you don't need to be anywhere around this all things considered. Go wait in the car so your name isn't on any police reports" I said standing my ground. The whole reason his family moved here was to avoid any issues with the police, I know this would raise a lot of red flags toward them. This is how I'm able to protect them like they do me.
He didn't say anything for a moment, I could tell he was thinking it over.
The sirens getting closer meant they were in the neighborhood now,
"Common its okay, go" I urged him
"Stay right here and call me as soon as your good to go" he said kissing me on the head before running down the sidewalk.
I can do this, I have too.
The police car showed up first, then the ambulance right behind them. As the officers walked up, one headed toward me and one toward the front door.
"Is anyone else in the home aside from the victims?" the officer asked.
"Not that I know of, I ran out as soon as I seen them" I said in a shaky voice.
"Okay stay right here" the man said as he followed his partner in the house. Two paramedics also followed inside after them.
After a couple minutes went by I heard a guy yell "We got a heart beat, get a stretcher in here!"
I clutched my heart with my hand as the anticipation washed over me while more paramedics ran into the house. I didn't take my eyes off the door as I waited for them to bring whoever it was out.
The seconds felt like hours until finally they came out,
Grace. I could tell from her frame and hair that it was her, thank God. She doesn't deserve this at all, especially at the faults of my fathers stupid business choices.
My heart ached for her that she lost her parents, and probably doesn't even know it yet. That right there cause the tears to fill my eyes again, I started to walk toward the ambulance to get in with her so she isn't alone but an office ran up stopping me.
"Ma'am we need to take your statement" he said
"But that's my friend I need to be by her side" I argued back
"I understand but there's nothing you can do for her now. You need to let the paramedics focus and get her to the hospital safely." he explained
I didn't say anything back, I just wanted to make sure she didn't go through it alone. I don't know what I wouldve done if I went through my moms death without Kole and his family by myside. I might not have made it through.
Even though I lost both my parents too, it wasn't at the same exact time or anything like this.
"We can go to the station or you can just tell me here" the officer said gaining my attention.
"I really didn't see anything, I talked to Grace in school earlier and we were supposed to meet up today. I didn't hear from her so I came over and walked in and seen them. It scared me so I ran back out to call 911. I didn't know if whoever did it was still inside so I didn't even check to see if anyone was alive." I explained as he wrote everything down. I also gave him my name, address and phone number for reference incase they needed anything else form me.
By the time I was done talking to the officer, even more police cars pulled up and they started taping off the yard. Once they told me I was good to go they asked me if I needed a ride. I explained how close I lived and they let me walk off down the sidewalk.
I couldn't get Grace out of my mind, I wouldn't wish the pain of losing a parent on my worst enemy. Its a hole that can never be filled no matter what you do or say.
Determination took over as I focused my mind on the real issue,
Tommy.