A long, sleep deprived night is relieved lightly by streams of sunlight appearing on the horizon and reflecting off the water on the bay. Once Riley sees the day arise, she can breathe a little easier. 

In the safety of the daylight, she allows herself to step outside, and spends the rest of the morning sitting on the little dock down by the waterside. Hours of staring into the half frozen harbor, adjusting to the recent developments in her life, leaves her in low spirits, but calm at least. As horrifying as last night's experience was, it proves once more that she's only trying to avoid her worst nightmare. Losing her sister. It also confirms that giving up is no longer an option. She's unsafe either way. 

The coat suddenly being dropped on her shoulders comes as no shock to her. Footsteps behind her alerted her early on. As Aaron lands on the worn floorboards next to her, Riley's eyes don't wander. Even when she feels him observe her, she refuses to abandon the spot in the water she's been monitoring. 

'Bryn called your mother, informed her we're heading back to the city. Sofia and Alice are almost done packing up the car and cleaning up the house. We can leave when you're ready.' 

Riley pulls her black and white plaid coat tightly around her neck as she only blinks in response. Wishing to connect with her, to understand how she is feeling, he tries to catch her line of sight. But her big green eyes remain adamant, gazing into the distance. Those eyes always entranced him, wide open as they are, nothing could ever get past them. But eternally unable to hide how she's feeling, like a gateway to her soul. 

His hand wavers in between them for a moment, wanting to reach out and hold her, comfort her somehow. But that border drawn between them two years ago is something he doesn't dare cross. He had hoped he could break it down, be the one to help and support her through this. 

Instead he is now forced to watch her be aided by Milo's brother, who he doesn't trust for a minute. A wave of anger hits, brought on by obvious jealousy, but also by knowing there's someone out there who wants to hurt her, who already has. Feeling so powerless, he would prefer to just throw her in his car and drive her to Seattle, away from everything.

'What are you going to do when we get to the city?' He finally asks, suppressing his frustration.

'The only thing I can do, I'm going to pick up where I left off, keep trying to find the truth. Unmask whoever... drugged me last night. With Gray's help, I'm getting close, soon this'll all be over.'

'Gray, huh?' It isn't until Aaron points it out that she realizes she said Gray, instead of Grayson.

'Do you really trust him?'

'I do. I can't explain it, there's no logic behind it. I just feel like I can trust him.' She finally looks at Aaron, only to see now not the concern she'd been expecting but anger.

'I just don't want to drag you into it,' Riley rationalizes. 'Or Bryn, or Sofia. I don't want you guys to get hurt. Grayson can handle himself, he's been surviving on his own for a while now. I think he can keep me alive too.' 

In turn, Aaron won't grant her eye contact now. She realizes he must think her trusting Grayson means she doesn't trust him, and is about to tell him otherwise when she spots Alice behind them. 

'Riley, can I talk to you for a minute?' Alice requests. As Riley raises herself onto her lace-up red boots Aaron rises as well, instantly departing as he mutters 'I'll wait at the house'. Alice's face signals urgency.

'What is it, Alice?'

'I have to tell you something. Something that's been in the back of my mind ever since Ivy Ross was killed. A connection I made early on, but I wasn't sure, so I didn't say anything. I'm sorry, Riley, I should have.'

'Alice, just spit it out.'

'The drug that was used on you, that gave you those glowing green eyes, I know it.'

'Are you serious? How?'

'It's called Glow, or that's the street name at least. It's this new drug that showed up at my club a while back. My dealer's been selling it. It gives your eyes that green glow when you're on it, hence the name. Other than that, as far as I know, it just makes you forget everything. But only for a little while, not permanently like with Carrie.'

'But if you're dealer's selling it, then we can find out where it came from. Thank you, Alice, this is really going to help.'

∾

As Riley pulls up next to a little suburban house in Brooklyn she glances at her phone. The information Aaron texted her an hour earlier is this address. Plus a name; Joanna Brenning. With his hacking skills it was easy to find Amber Brenning's next of kin. 

Exiting her car, she walks up to the black iron fence, viewing the house for a moment. The faded white vinyl siding on the outside, the broken cement steps to the front door, this place has seen better days. 

The gate creaks as she pushes it open. She ends up simply knocking on the door after being unable to detect a doorbell. It takes a few minutes, but finally she sees movement through the tiny window. The door is opened a couple of inches as a middle-aged woman with graying light brown hair peeks through. The bags under her eyes imply she hasn't slept much lately, her hair is messy and her clothes stained. 'Yes?'

'Joanna Brenning?'

'That's me, can I help you?'

'I hope so. You don't know me, but I was hoping I could ask you a few questions about your daughter, Amber?'

'Are you a reporter?'

'No, my name is Riley... Riley Clemens.' 

At the mention of Riley's name Joanna's eyes widen. The information seems to change her attitude a little and she decides to invite Riley in. As she leads her through the dusty little hallway and into the living room she clears the old newspapers and dirty clothing from the couch and tells her to sit down. 

She insists on making tea, after which she finally settles down herself. As Riley cradles the cup of tea in her hands she carefully chooses her words.

'I understand your daughter passed away, I'm very sorry for your loss.'

'Thank you. You said you have some questions?'

'Yes, I...' Not entirely sure how to proceed, Riley's sense of guilt for prying into this poor woman's life grows. 

She finally decides to tell Joanna about Carrie, and how she ended up learning about Amber Brenning. Joanna listens carefully, not interrupting once until Riley's finished. Then she puts her cup down and looks at Riley sharply. 

'What happened to your sister is terrible. She's such a nice girl, she doesn't deserve this.' 

'Wait, you know Carrie?' 

Joanna nods slowly. 'She came to visit me shortly after Amber died, before she was kidnapped.'

Bewildered by this development Riley places her tea cup on the coffee table and moves to the edge of her seat. 'Why did my sister visit you? Did she know Amber?' 

'She came because she found out something. Something your family would never admit, but I told her the truth.' 

Joanna stands up and walks over to a bookcase, rummaging through the mess of novels and photo albums until she appears to have found what she was looking for. Holding a single photo she returns to her seat and hands it to Riley. The picture shows a younger Joanna, in a fancy dress at a party, posing intimately with Jack Clemens. 

'You knew my father?' 

'I was his mistress, for quite a few years. That is until I became pregnant with Amber.' 

Still staring at the picture, slowly being overcome by shock, Riley gazes up at Joanna. 'You mean...' 

'Amber was your half-sister.'

After taking fifteen minutes to slowly sip away another cup of tea, trying to come to terms with this revelation, Riley finally brings herself to speak. 'So, Carrie knew?'

'Yes, and I fear this knowledge is what got her in the trouble she's in. Just like it did Amber.'

'Wait, you're saying Amber's death had to do with her being my family?'

'When Amber found out that Jack Clemens was her father she... made a bad decision. You see, we're not exactly well off. And Amber had just graduated, she wanted to go to a good college. But I couldn't afford it. So she began to blackmail your father, trying to get money in return for her silence. Not long after she was found in that alley, shot.'

'You think my father had her killed?'

'Your father has always been a ruthless man. And with the police avoiding my daughter's case like the plague, I quickly drew my conclusions.'

Riley had always considered her father to be a less than moral man. But having his own daughter murdered... it's hard for her to grasp. 'Did you ever try to do anything about this? Did you try to talk to my father?' 

Joanna seems somber as she mulls it over. 'There was never any point. He won't see me or speak to me, he hasn't for a long time. Besides, even if he did, he could confess to the whole thing and it still wouldn't make a difference. He's the financial backbone of this city, that makes him immune to justice.'

∾

Fresh snowflakes fall on her olive skin as Riley looks up at one of the highest skyscrapers in the city. Clear glass filling a steel skeleton, airing cold, lifeless power. The building offers a perfect vantage point over the city, ideal for a company with the sole purpose of watching everyone and everything. Raw, bitter hatred fills her up as she takes it all in. 

Finally, she pushes herself and marches through the large entrance. Ignoring every security guard she heads straight for the elevator. As she's being lifted to the top floor she can feel the adrenaline rising. The idea that everything she and Carrie have been through the last few weeks could possibly have been caused by her own father, it not only makes her sick to her stomach but also raging mad. In that moment she swears to herself that if this turns out to be true, she will do everything she can, move heaven and earth if necessary, to take her father down. 

The elevator doors open and she paces past her father's secretary, straight for the shining chrome double doors leading to her father's office. When finding them locked, she begins slamming her fists against the smooth surface. 

The secretary runs over. 'Miss Clemens, please calm down. Your father is out right now.' 

'Don't give me that crap. I know you're in there! Show yourself!' 

Within a few seconds the door is opened abruptly and she finds herself staring in the stern face she remembers. It has been months since last she saw him. 

'Riley, what in god's name...?' 

She won't let him finish, barging past him into the obscenely big office. As she stops in front of the windows, looking out over the skyline, painted red by the sunset, she can hear her father shut the doors. 

'Riley, what the hell is going on? Why are you here?' 

Clenching her hands into fists she turns around to look at the man she could never call dad. 

'Who was Amber Brenning?'

Expecting to spy a reaction in him, she's surprised by how unaffected he remains. 'Don't even think about lying. I know the truth.' Riley sneers. 

In a calm, orderly fashion he takes a seat behind his desk. 'If you already know, then why do you ask?' 

'Because she was my sister! How could you keep that from me?!' 

'To protect this family.' His voice raises just a little, enough to hint emotion. 

'You weren't protecting us, you were protecting yourself! Stop using me as an excuse for your faults!' As she breathes quickly she tries to maintain her rising anger, knowing if she doesn't she'll soon start throwing things around the room. Nothing gets to her like her father does. 

'Did you have her killed?' 

The look on his face when hearing this question almost appears to be pain, but she doubts the sincerity. 'I refuse to stand here and be accused by you.' He asserts. 

Glaring at him in disbelief, she feels the anger boiling inside. 'You're really going to keep up this charade?' 

'There is no point in speaking of this. She's dead, that's all there is to it.' 

'There really is nothing left inside of you, is there?' 

'Riley, please...' 

She can barely stand the sound of his voice, physically incapable of being in his presence. Broken she backs away, towards to the door, not wanting to spend another second in this building. 'If anyone here is dead, it's you.'