"I'm here!" Candice shouted, pushing the heavy double French doors of her home and bursting in. Despite only walking up the few stairs from the driveway to the door, she was breathing hard. Benson smoothly glided out from the living room door and nodded curtly at her.

"Miss White. The party has been waiting for you," he announced. Candice had always found him too formal but for once, his tone felt oddly fitting. She was so close to putting all these behind her that her entire body was shaking. It all felt oddly surreal as she trailed after Benson into the living room.

But the entourage that greeted her was not what she expected.

The team of lawyers was in various shades of grey suit, spread across the sofa on a laptop or cell phone. Next to them were David, Eric, and Eva.

Candice should be overjoyed that they are all here. She was worried about Eric and Eva. But something felt off. Eric was looking anywhere but her, David was tapping his foot impatiently, and Eva was smirking in a way that was unlike the girl she came to know.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice coming out only marginally less afraid than she felt. One of the lawyers looked up and gave her a nod of acknowledgment and the rest just continued like she wasn't in the room.

She turned to Benson, who retreated to a corner of the room just like he used to. His expression offered no clue whatsoever. She looked at Eric, trying to catch his eyes as he leaned forward and kept his eyes pointed at his feet. Ok, no problem, she'll get to it after she secured her inheritance.

Before she had a chance to open her mouth, the lawyer pushed a document towards Eva. "Sign here and everything is done."

Candice froze as she watched Eva took the document and picked up a pen. This couldn't be happening. No way. "What is happening? Are you..."

Eva finished signing the paper with a flourish and stood up abruptly. She handed the paper back to the lawyer and walked around the coffee table between them until they were face to face, only a few inches apart. Candice wanted to rip the paper out of the lawyer's hand, but Eva's gaze made her hesitate. It was like she was possessed, the way she was twitching and the maniacal look on her face.

"David?" Candice called. Her cousin looked up, his jaw clutched tight and he was wringing his hands nervously. She didn't like the look of pity he gave her. "Can someone just tell me what is going on. I'm here now, can I just get my inheritance?"

The lawyer slid the paper neatly into a briefcase and stood up. "The matter is concluded. Miss Eva Goodman here is now the heiress to everything. Have a good day."

Have a good day?

Candice watched as the lawyers all got up and leave. Have a good day? Was he serious? He just handed her inheritance, her legacy, to another person. She wanted to scream, to call after them and tell them there was a mistake. But it wouldn't make a difference. They had played her.

"I can't believe you'd do this. Is this your plan the whole time? Stealing this from me?" Candice exploded the moment she heard the front door click. David shuffled back uncomfortably at her anger while Eric continued to act like he wasn't even in the room. She turned to Eva, who gave her a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Candice, Candice, Candice," she sang, her tone so condescending that Candice wanted to hurl. "You have no idea, do you? How did you even get here anyway?"

Footsteps echoed behind her and she turned to find Detective Wallace strolling in. He frowned as he studied the scene, then looked back at the door. "The lawyers just left. Is everything sorted?"

"No," Candice replied, staring at Eva. "It is not."

                                                                                             5 hours ago

Candice sat in the front seat, staring out at the main road and trying to think of a way to escape. Eric and Eva must be wondering where she was now. Detective Wallace might have been a great escape plan at that moment, but she had essentially changed from one captor to another. Legal law enforcement might even be harder to wiggle out of.

"Candice?" he called, making a smooth turn into downtown traffic. Just great. "What were you doing walking in the middle of the highway?"

She shrugged, keeping quiet. She needed to come up with a feasible story, one that would get her out before whoever was after her figure out she was in police custody. She had have enough of being kidnapped. On second thought, what grounds did he had to keep her?

"You can drop me off there," she said breezily, spying a bus stop and pointed at it. Detective Wallace gave her an amused look and continued on.

He drummed his fingers and the steering wheel and shook his head. "I'm trying to help you, Candice. But I can't if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Candice grimaced. Police? Help? How? He wasn't much help when she came to him for information, and apart from doggedly pursuing her parent's company and their employees, and now her, there was no evidence that Detective Wallace was able to help.

"If you really want to help, then drop me off," she retorted, glaring at him with her head turned up. Detective Wallace chuckled but his expression changed as he studied her face.

Suddenly, the car made a sharp right turn that made the seatbelt dug into Candice's shoulder and she yelped as they pulled into a random parking lot. "What are you doing?" she yelled, glaring at Detective Wallace as they lurched to a stop.

Detective Wallace ran a hand over his hair and took a deep breath. He turned to Candice with so much seriousness that she found it hard to breathe for a second.

"Look, Candice, I don't know what's going on but I can tell that something is going on. You came to me asking about your parents, then was filed as missing. There's a report that someone matching your description being chased in downtown LA the night your parents died. Now I find you dressed and looked completely different when you should be home or at college. If you know anything about your parent's death you need to tell us, otherwise it's an obstruction to justice."

Candice sucked in a huge breath. Detective Wallace suspected that she had something to do with her parents' death? Was he serious?

Anger flamed inside her and she turned towards him, "if you have been doing your job, you'd know that I have nothing to do with my parents' death. In fact, someone is messing with my entire family. I'm trying to get home but I can't and if I don't, I'll lose my entire inheritance. So if you want to help, help me get back to White Falls and find out why my family is being targeted!"

Her face was only an inch from his when she finished. She could see her reflection in his eyes and how he was accessing her every word. They stared at each other and the moment stretched, neither willing to back down.

"What about your inheritance?" Detective Wallace asked and Candice deflated, sinking back to her seat. Her outburst had drained all her energy and she regretted telling the detective too much.

"Forget about it," she said, trying the door of the car but finding it still locked. Well, it was worth a try.

Detective Wallace didn't say anything until Candice turned to him again. "Why can't you get home?"

Candice suddenly became acutely aware of the piece of paper she picked up on the floor of the van that was now tucked inside her shirt.that might be able to shine some light on the situation, but probably not. Could she trust Detective Wallace? Maybe. Probably not. But maybe he could be her way home.

"My parents left a weird stipulation in their Will that makes me a target," she explained. "Words got out and now there are people trying to take advantage of it through me."

Detective Wallace saw right through Candice's mind. "I'm not taking you to White Falls unless you tell me everything you know."

It was a gamble and Candice knew it. Detective Wallace could be working for someone who wants her fortune but he was also her best chance right now. She could wait until the 24 hours is up and he had to let her go, however, the longer she waited the more variables came into play.

"Only if you start driving there now. I'll tell you on the way," she bargained. Detective Wallace opened his mouth to say something but stopped. Instead, he quickly typed something into his phone and started the car.

"There's a stop we need to make first and it's non-negotiable."

Candice wanted to argue but Detective Wallace had turned his attention to driving. She huffed and stared out the window, knowing that he was pushing her but she was out of options.They drove in silence. Candice's mind was a roaring mess and all she could focus on was the all-consuming need to get this over with. This wasn't her life and the sooner she gets back what's rightfully hers, the sooner she can go back to college.

Detective Wallace randomly pulled over along a street and Candice jolted when someone rapped on the window. The detective rolled down the window and nodded hello to a man dressed in street clothes clutching a manila envelope. He gave Candice a curious once over but it lacked the hostility from her pursuers.

"Here you go. What's this about?" The man asked as Wallace grabbed the thick envelope.

Detective Wallace gave him a look and he backed off. Candice eyed the envelope but he tucked it by his side. She could reach it if she just stretches a little...

"How much do you really know about your family?" Detective Wallace asked as Candice reached for the envelope. She paused, her fingers brushing against the envelope that felt less enticing by the minute.

There is always more below the surface, her father's words echoed in her mind as she tried to think of a response. Daddy had always told her to be critical of everyone and everything, could he be right about himself? She never knew that he had brothers, for starters, was there more to the story?

"What game are you trying to play, detective?" Candice finally replied with a question. The corner of his lips twitched and jerked his head for her to take the envelope.

Candice did what he suggested. Her hands shook as she pulled out the several thick folders. Case files. On the top was her parents' murder. She sucked in a breath and flipped it open and almost threw the whole thing on the car floor. It showed her parents' bodies on the floor of the hotel, a pool of blood around them.

Detective Wallace glanced over and grimaced. "Flip to the next page and start there."She did and it was a huge spreadsheet with giant red numbers. It was the company's account, showing money being taken out monthly leaving it in financial shambles. Just like what David had said.

"What does this has to do with anything?" Candice asked off-handedly. She had no interest in running a company, it might even be better if she could just sell it or close it down. Her inheritance would see that she lives comfortably for the rest of her life.

He chuckled and reached to flip over another page. "Your parents are funneling money into a private account. It was difficult to trace it but the trail ends in Mexico."

Mexico? Candice recalled Eva mentioning that her parents had spent a lot of time there, and there was something else too. "So?"

"To a known cartel. They are funding them," Detective Wallace said with a sign. "I know you are not involved, but the investigation is not over and whatever you think you know about your family, there are so much more. I want you to be prepared when the truth comes because they might not be who they seem."

The conversation had lingered in Candice's mind since. But it did not prepare her for what Eva said next.

"You are not Candice White. I am."

--------------

And I'm back, sorry for dropping off (again. I know it gets old, but life also gets in the way of everything. Anywho, I'm back and keen to finish LWL so I can edit it and iron out the plot points. Who's shocked by the twist?