A/N: Sorry for the long wait.  Things have been hectic. However I would like to give a special shoutout to two dedicated readers and followers of mine, @LaurenLove18x and the_dark_dweller. Oh yeah, and happy Canada Day!

Ambrielle (Seraphina)

#

Last night was oddly quiet. Ryan and Melanie didn't get in until after midnight. I was awoken as they came inside. They sounded like they were arguing so I headed to the top of the stairs to listen. This way I could make a quick get away if needed.

All I could make out was "They're getting too close."

To which Melanie replied, "Kirkland said he would take care of it."

What would Kirkland "take care of"?

"Yeah, well we need to fix this and fast. None of this can be traced back to us."

"Don't worry, it won't be. I'll make sure of it."

"No more people. The more people know, the higher the chance of this being exposed. We can't risk it. Okay?"

"Fine. I'll find a way. For now, let's go to bed and we'll continue this conversation tomorrow."

With that, I ran as quickly and quietly as the floor would allow to my room, jumped in my bed and pretended to be asleep.

Just in time for me to feel the prescience of someone in my doorway before they shut the door. As soon as the door shut, I let out a quiet sigh of  relief, before dozing off to sleep.

Leticia

#

Two days have passed since Austin last visited and he's supposed to comes today along with my sister.

"Letty! Letty!" I looked up at the voice to see Ambrielle.

"What is it Ambrielle? What's wrong?"

"Your dad and Melanie were having the weirdest conver..."

I cut her off quickly and pointed to my ears then around the room.

"Bugged?" She mouthed to which I nodded my head.

"One second. Did you see Nurse Jackie on your way here?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Can you please go get her?"

"Sure." Then she headed off in search of Jackie.

I got up and began searching through my notebook collection.

Waiting for them to come back, I began drawing a graph of how everyone was related to this case. Uncle Brian is dad's brother of course. Melanie is dad's new wife and former mistress. I added her ex husband just to be thorough. Kirkland knew them through high school as did Jakob Tuller. Tuller was also allegedly obsessed with my mom. Then there was his son and former girlfriend, Aiden's mother.

Not all of these people are directly related to this case but it doesn't hurt to be thorough.

My head rose at the sound of footsteps. Relief flooded through me and I saw it was only Ambrielle and Jackie.

'Hey Jackie."

"Hey girl. I was headed on my way when I bumped into Ambrielle here. I was just delivering some of the patients mail. Here's yours, by the way." She handed me two envelopes and a package.

Not knowing what to open first, I decided to open the package. Inside was a Parkdale High School yearbook, the same year as the one my sister showed me. Flipping through the pages, I came across a dog eared page. On that page, it had my dad's picture circled in what looked like red permanent marker. I flipped through the rest of the pages and every time I found a dog eared page, someone's picture was circled in the same red marker.

Dad. Melanie. Kirkland. Those were the three circled pictures.

Flipping all the way to the last page, inside there was a note.

By the time you read this, I may already be dead, but I thought you and your sister deserved to know the truth about your mother's murder.

Your uncle is innocent. The killer is much closer to you than you may realize.I can't say much else because as I write this letter, I am preparing to flee, in fear for my and my family's safety.

Please take this information and be careful with whom you entrust it to. There are many you can't trust, some you may be too late to realize. Remember this, always be careful and trust no one but each other. This goes deeper than anybody even realizes.

My eyes had to be bulging as I took in everything.

"What? What is it?" Jackie questioned.

"I don't know. Someone sent me this yearbook with dad, Melanie and Kirkland's pictures circled in it. I think they're trying to tell me these are the people involved," I told them in a hushed tone.

Jackie looked around. "You know what? Let's find somewhere else for us to talk."

I looked to Ambrielle and we both nodded. The only question is; where?

She gestured for us to follow her and we did.

"The key is to look like you're up to nothing. That way other people just seem nosey when asking what you're doing." I laughed at the last part. She halted as we reached a room. Looking at it, I realized she had led us to the kitchen. "Melanie gave you permission before and I never heard her say you couldn't come down here as long as you're supervised. Well, meet your supervisor." She spread her arms out.

This is perfect. It may be on a technicality but it's perfect.

"I've already texted Austin and your sister to meet us here. They should be here any minute now."

"Perfect. That will give me time to get this all together."

"Get what together?" I heard behind me. At first, I freaked out but then I recognized the voice as Austin's.

I held my chest. "Don't do that," I told him, turning around to face him. "I got some mail and was going to wait for you and my sister to come, but I didn't know how long you'd be so I opened it."

"What was inside?"

"Shouldn't we wait for my sister?" Just then a ping rang through the room.

"We should go ahead and get started. Your sister just tested me band told me she may be a while. She's following up on something."

"Okay." I shrugged. "Well, I guess we might as well." I opened up my main notebook to show them the chart I drew. "I drew this this morning on how everyone is related to this case because I thought it would give a better idea of how everyone is connected."

"That's a great idea. What have you got so far?" Austin asked.

"Well, I began with my dad and uncle since they're brothers and added their wives, including my mom as well as Melanie's ex-husband. Next, I drew lines between all of them and made a little side note that they knew each other from high school. That's where I also added Jakob Tuller and a line down for his son, Aiden. I don't know Aiden's mom's name, but I doubt it's relevant. If I find it later, I'll add it."

"Okay. So we have a big central connection around high school. Most if not all of these people went to the same high school, correct?" I nodded my head. "Well, maybe that's the key."

"What? The high school?" I asked him.

"Not exactly. But we know that they all knew each for a long time and they all seem to be somehow connected to this case. Obviously your uncle is your uncle, your dad's brother. Kirkland is the lead detective. Tuller was allegedly obsessed with your mother and may have been stalking her before her death. Melanie married your dad after your mother's passing and we are aware they had a relationship prior to your mother's death, which resulted in the birth of their daughter, Sylvia. It's no coincidence that they all knew each other and are now seeming connected to your mother's murder. The big question is, who stood to gain the most from her death?"

"We narrow down the motives and hopefully find the killer." I finished, summing up everything I'd heard.

"Pretty much." Austin gestured to the notebook. "May I?" I handed it to him."Did your mother have a life insurance policy?" I shook my head. "No? Then it probably wasn't financially motivated. Did she ever mention that she feared for her life of give you any reason to believe she knew the man or men that were following you?" Again I shook my head. "Then that may still be on the table. We don't know enough about him of the situation itself."

"My sister did tell me she tracked down some of their old classmates and they all agreed that Tuller was obsessed with our mom."

"That's a great start. Now, I remember reading somewhere that Kirkland is married to a prominent politician's daughter; Mary Lane James. May I?" I handed him my pencil and he added her name next to Kirkland's. It was almost beginning to resemble a family tree, only not everyone on here is biologically related or in laws. "I'm not saying she had anything to do with your mom's death, but what if her simply being around does?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've dealt with your father first hand and I know how he loves to bribe people. Maybe he had something on Kirkland and threatened to expose him. It could be the same thing with any of the others." Now that I think of it, my mom never actually seemed scared when I told her I thought they were following us. I never fully understood why but now it makes much more sense. A lot of things do. "Tuller and his son haven't been heard from or seen since your mother's death. Your father either knew something about them and was threatening them or they are protecting something or someone." He looked at my hand. "I meant to ask. What's that?"

"Oh. These are just pieces of mail I haven't opened yet." He looked at me expectantly. "What? Open them now?" He nodded as if it were obvious. "Okay."

I put one letter in the counter behind me and opened the first one. As soon as I looked at it, I noticed it was written in familiar handwriting. It was the same writing as the writing in the back of the yearbook. Putting that aside for a moment, I skimmed through the letter.

You should have minded your own business. None of this would have happened if you'd just left the case alone.Your boyfriend wouldn't have ended up in the hospital. Nobody would have been hurt. If you would stop messing in grown folks business then your life would be far less complicated then it is. Remember, you brought it on yourself. Now others will suffer for your actions. This is all your fault and now everyone must pay the price.

I don't understand. In one letter they say they want to help us, but in this letter, they're threatening us. Which one is it? Threaten us or help us?

I voiced my confusion. "This makes no sense. The same person wrote both notes. One helpful and the other menacing. They seem almost confused on how they feel about helping or hurting us?""Hurting you? What do you mean, hurting you?" Austin asked, his voice slightly raised."Calm down, it's okay. There's something off about it. It doesn't seem like they actually want to threaten or harm me. Almost like they were made to."

"So you think someone made the same person write this letter?"

"Yes. In the first letter, they were fearful of someone. They said by the time I received that letter, they may already be dead and that they were getting ready to flee in for fear for their and their family's safety. I think the person was unaware of the first letter on the yearbook when they forced them to write the threatening letter. For all we know, someone could have been watching this person write this and telling them what to write. Kind of doing the dirty work for them so the letter couldn't be tracked to the actual person. Covering their tracks."

"You've got a point. Maybe they wrote the menacing note first and then wrote the one in the yearbook because they feared something was going to happen to them. Then they sent it in hopes you'd receive it before they may have been killed. Right?"

"Maybe. I don't know for sure, but like I said, I don't think they want to threaten or harm me. I think they're like a double agent. Pretending to help the enemy but really they're helping the good guys. You know what I mean?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I do. Unfortunately."

"If only we could find out who wrote the letters."

"Maybe we can." He turned to Ambrielle. "Is there any way you could get your hands on a sample of your parent's handwriting?" He realized his mistake. "I mean, Ryan and Melanie's handwriting?"

Ambrielle grimaced at the sound of his correction. Clearly he was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that her whole life was a lie.

Finally she nodded before looking into her purse. "Maybe I have something here. I haven't gotten around to cleaning it out and I used to use it as a backpack for school. So there should be something in here with their handwriting on it."

She continued digging through her purse before she finally pulled out a few pieces of paper.

"Sorry. It's a bit crumpled." She handed them to Austin.

"It's okay," he told her, unfolding the papers. "It's still legible." He looked at the first page. "Whose writing is this?"

Ambrielle glanced at it. "That is Ryan's writing."

"Okay. Well it clearly wasn't him who wrote the note," Austin said, comparing both sets of handwriting. "Not that I expected it to be."

I shrugged. "Yeah."

He looked at another piece of paper. "Is this Melanie's?"

Ambrielle peeked before nodding.

"This doesn't match either," he compared Melanie's handwriting to the note.

"Okay. So we know my dad and Melanie didn't write the note for sure now. Not that they'd want to help us after we accused them of kidnapping Ambrielle here." I paused, looking at Ambrielle. 

"Sorry. But the important thing is that we find out everything." I rested my hand on her shoulder. 

" If it's any consolation, my sister told me that our uncle is really excited you've been found and he can't wait to meet you. After he gets out of prison of course."

She simply nodded, seeming at a loss for words.

"Maybe we should change the subject..." Jackie suggested.

Austin nodded. "Yeah. Maybe."

"I could feel the tension cutting through the room like a knife.

Opening the second letter, two things fell out onto the floor.

Bending down, I picked them up and placed whatever it was on the counter top behind me.

It was yet another letter, in the same handwriting.

You should really be aware of what your boyfriend does behind your back. Look at the first picture.

Quickly I put the letter down and grabbed one of the things that had dropped. It was a picture... of Austin and Lila kissing.

Looking at Austin, I asked," What is this?" I held up the picture.

His faced paled almost instantly. "Letty. It isn't what it looks like, I swear." He held his hands up in a defensive manner.

"What do you mean it isn't what it looks like? It looks like your kissing another girl. More specifically my stepsister."

"I know it seems bad, but I swear I was set up. I didn't kiss her back. I promise."

I looked into his eyes and I couldn't see any indication he was lying. Besides, he's never given me any reason not to trust him before.

"She kissed you?" He nodded. "And you didn't kiss back?" He shook his head. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes. Okay. I believe you. At least I will until you give me a reason not to."

I heard a sigh of relief. Turning around, I heard it had come from Jackie.

"Oh thank goodness." She said.

"What?" Austin and I asked in unison.

"I may have forgot to tell you but when we were getting those file, I overheard Lila talking to your dad about how she wants to be with Austin. I think that's another reason your dad is trying to marry you off to Blake."

"Because Lila wants him?" She nodded and that's when I realized I hadn't finished reading the letter. "Oh. I just remembered I didn't finish reading the last letter." Picking it up, I continued reading.

Just how much can you trust your boyfriend? Especially after seeing that picture of him kissing your stepsister. Do you believe he actually loves you? Would he take a bribe to leave you? What's more important; his charity or you? Look at the next picture and you shall find your answers. Only then you will know who you should trust."

Picking up the second photo, it was of Austin and my dad. Why would they be meeting up? They hate each other, or rather my dad really seems to hate Austin.

My dad appeared to be handing Austin something. Pulling the picture closer, I realized it looked like a check.

Scrunching my eyebrows, I looked to Austin. "Why was my dad handing you a check?"

He looked at the picture. "Someone is setting me up. I didn't take the money from your father. I ripped it up. Look." He then pulled out pieces of ripped paper from his pants pocket, some of it falling on the floor.

Looking at it, I could see that it had my dad's name on it as well as the name and logo of his bank.

He really did rip it up.

"Good."

"Austin let out a sigh of relief. " Good." I nodded. "Okay. Good. Do you really think I would choose money over you? No way. Money has no meaning to me. You mean everything to me. Nothing could ever matter as much as you have since the moment I laid eyes on you." He grabbed my hand. "No matter what or who tries to tear us apart, know I will always be there for you."

I smiled before beginning to chuckle, causing everyone to look at me as if I had actually turned crazy. "What?"

"Why are you laughing? I just poured my heart out to you."

"It's not that. What you said was lovely. Truly. I've never had anyone treat me as amazing as you have in the short time we've been together. But, I was laughing because I thought of the best idea." He gestured for me to continue. "Oh. Right. I was thinking maybe we could stage a fight and pretend to break up."

"What? Why?"

"Well, if they think we've broken up, then maybe they won't be as suspicious of you and may let their guard down. They won't be as careful, meaning they may slip up and say something they would never say in front of me or any of us. If they are hiding something.

"So we're going to pretend to break up in front of them in hopes that they reveal something they may be covering up?"

"Exactly. Now I just hope it works. But for now if Lila flirts or tries anything with you, you will have to play along." I paused. "Ugh."

"What is it?"

"As much as I want to dislike the girl, I do still kind of feel bad playing with her emotions like this." I turned to Austin. "Darn you for your guilt tripping ways."

He was the one who felt like this the first time I convinced him to play along with Lila's advances.

He chuckled. "Sorry." He said, his tone full of sarcasm.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever," I told him, trying to hide the smile that threatened to appear on my face. "Okay. We know that my dad and Lila are conspiring to break us up so she can have Austin. Now, I think it's time to put our plan into action."

"Plan?" Austin asked.

"Fake a fight so they think we're broken up, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Alright. Let's go."

"Wait." Jackie said, causing us to halt in our steps.

"What is it?" I asked.

"My phone just sent me an alert that someone was just in your room."

"Wait, what? Why is there a sensor on my room?"

"It's a new thing we're trying out to keep track of patients and staff. Basically, who's who of whose going in and out of rooms. Don't worry, I'm the only one who watches your room, besides Damien. That's beside the point. We need to find out who..." She stopped, looking down at her phone.

"What? What is it?"

"Letty, do you know this person?" She turned the phone to me and I couldn't believe who I saw.

"That's Jakob Tuller." Why was he in my room?

"Your mom's 'stalker'?""Yes. But, what is he doing in my room much less this hospital?"

"I don't think he's here anymore. The video showed him exiting your room. He's probably long gone."

"Well we still need to find out why he was in my room. He still hasn't been completely crossed off as a suspect just yet."

Picking up everything, I stuffed it back into the envelope it came in and we all headed upstairs.

"I don't get why he was in my room. What could he possibly want with anything in there?" We got into the elevator.

"Like you said, he hasn't been ruled out as a suspect. He could have been in there looking for something he's convinced you have."

My eyes widened and I quickened my pace, until I was nearly running.

Everyone had to jog after me to keep up.

When we reached my room, it was empty as suspected. Only I felt different as I walked in. Something didn't feel right. It felt like something had been moved.

Scanning the room, my eyes stopped on my collection of books on my bookshelf in the corner of my room.

One of the books had been moved. My complete collection of Edgar Allan Poe works.

Advancing towards it, I picked it up and was surprised to find an envelope behind it. A manila envelope.

Obviously that wasn't there before. But seriously, how many envelopes am I going to have to open today?

"What is it?" I heard Austin ask.

"Another envelope."

"What, from the same person?"

"Maybe. All I know is that it wasn't there before today." Could Tuller have put this here? Is that why he was in my room?

"Well, open it." Ambrielle gestured.

Doing as she said, I almost dropped something as I turned over the envelope. Catching it just before it hit the floor, I realized it was a USB.

"Is that a USB?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah. I don't know what's on it and I don't have anything to check."

"Well, luckily today is the day that I decided to bring my laptop to work."

She left and was back in two minutes.

Placing it on my bed, we all huddled around her as she turned it on.

Once it was powered up, she reached her hand out for the USB.

Right before she put it in, I yelled, "Wait!" which cause her to jump.

"What?! Jesus Christ. Are you trying to give a pregnant woman a heart attack?"

"Sorry. But what if it has a virus or something? I don't want to mess up your laptop."

"But what if it doesn't? Life is full of 50/50 odds. Sometimes you've just got to risk being 50% wrong to be 50% right. Besides, I know you. Do you want to regret not looking at this and never knowing if this had something to with your mom's case?"

Looking down, I realized she's right. I don't think I could forgive myself if this had something to do with my mom's case and could help prove my uncle's innocence and I didn't look at it.

"Fine. I'm sorry in advance if it does mess up your computer." I ran a hand through my hair. 

"Honestly, I've been in over my head the whole time. Thinking I could actually do this by myself. Maybe it's time to stop being so stubborn and call the Innocence Project like my uncle asked."

"It's okay. Let's just look at whatever's on this USB and then you can decide." Austin said. "Maybe we can gather evidence and then present it to the people of the Innocence Project."I nodded and Jackie plugged in the USB.

Clicking on it as it popped up, we were met by a list of video and photo files as well as a document.

The video was labelled "07-19-2013." The night of my mother's murder.

"Click on the video file. I think it's from the night my mom was murdered."

Opening the video file, I quickly realized it was a video of our house. There was a time stamp in the corner; 11:57:32.

Suddenly someone emerged from the house. Looking closer, I could see that it was my uncle.

I knew it. My uncle couldn't have done it and here's the proof. He said he left just before midnight and now we have proof that he was telling the truth.

"This proves that my uncle didn't do it. He had already left."

We watched as he hopped into a cab and it drove off.

Not long after, another car pulled into the driveway. Only this car I didn't recognize.

Two figures exited. One female. One male.

Glancing at the time stamp it read; 12:04:39.

"Who is that?" Jackie asked.

"Is that..." Austin and I began.

"Melanie."