Chapter 204
“What do you mean by home?” Silas asked. Despite the frown on his face, his heart was thudding.
“Are you ready for this?” David asked. The concern in his voice intensified the panic in Silas’s chest.
“Tell me,” Silas said, mentally bracing himself.
David paused for a moment before speaking. “I started the investigation from your mother, since it all began with her account. But then I stumbled on some inconsistencies.
“The detectives in charge were wrong about the place of death. The car was… how do I explain it?”
Silas held the railings as he propped himself upstairs. “Just explain.”
“Okay,” David sighed. “When a car gets into an accident, there are signs; ripped airbags, uneven seams, frame misalignment, all that. But your parents‘ car didn’t show any of that.”
Silas’s stomach tightened as his mind trailed off to his parents. Their faces–though he couldn’t entirely remember–had been beautiful.
They were kind. Caring. He could faintly remember riding a horse with his father… or was it his mother?
“I… saw the news. I read the article afterward. It was an accident…” His voice dropped, filled with pain.
This was far from what he expected. Far from what he had planned. He was supposed to be in a nicely decorated restaurant, spending time with Ivy –not holding back tears, alone and sad.
“That’s where the media got it wrong,” David said gently. “Evidence showed that the airbag was triggered manually. Even the dents in the car were made by a weapon, not from an impact like the police first thought.”
“Oh,” Silas gasped, crumpling to the floor.
“I met with some of the detectives in the San Francisco Police Department, and we’ve concluded that the case should be reopened, if it’s okay with
you.”
Silas rubbed his temple, letting everything settle in his mind. He shook his fingers, trying to shake off the emotions.
David didn’t say anything. He just kept breathing on the other end.
“So,” Silas said after some time, “how did you know they were killed at home?”
“Are… you ready?”
“Yes,” Silas replied, standing up and making his way to the room. Just as he entered and sat on the bed, David continued.
“When I found those inconsistencies, I spoke to an old colleague of mine. He double–checked everything and confirmed I was right.
“We contacted one of the detectives in charge of the case back then. One of them is dead. The other’s alive, retired and battling cancer.”
Silas listened intently. “Okay.”
“The detective’s name is George Fitch. I was able to speak to him myself. He… mentioned that your parents had gone out that night. There was a very famous ball, and multiple people saw them there.”
Silas clenched his fists as his stomach sank. Something awful was coming. He could feel it.
“Fitch said he thought the timeline didn’t add up. They left the party around 7pm, but were found in the car around 9pm. Two hours were unaccounted for. And when Fitch and his partner stopped by the house, he said something felt… off. Something bad smelled there.”
Silas stood up, his discomfort intensifying. “Why didn’t they go in? Why lie to the public and say it was an accident? Why lie to us?”
Anger simmered beneath the discomfort, and he was ready to snap.
“They tried to get a warrant but couldn’t,” David said.
Silas blinked. “What do you mean, couldn’t?”
“They weren’t issued a warrant,” David explained. “They were threatened. When Fitch’s partner insisted on pursuing the case, he was murdered. Fitch said he had a lot to lose back then, plus with little forensic support at the time, he dropped it and went with the obvious.”
Silas paced around the room, anxiety tightening his chest. “Threatened? Who could have done that?”
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Chapter 204
“No idea. That’s why we want to reopen the case.”
Silas stopped at the window, letting his nerves race through him.
“Is this… okay by you?” David asked.
“Yes,” Silas said bitterly. “I want this solved secretly.”
“Alright,” David replied. “My condolences, Silas.”
“Thank you,” he said firmly.
“I’ll let you know how it goes. Bye.”
“Bye Silas ended the call.
He dropped the phone on Ivy’s table and walked around the room. He couldn’t believe any of it.
There had been threats. Lies. Media manipulation.
Who the fuck wanted his parents dead? Why threaten an officer of the law?
His stomach clenched at the question. Awful things were about to unfold, and he wasn’t sure he was ready.
He needed answers first. Maybe Thomas could help.
He picked up his phone and dialed his brother’s number. It rang twice before it was answered.
“What? I’m busy,” Thomas said, a trace of annoyance in his tone.
Silas ignored it. “How did our parents die?”
“What are you talking about?” Thomas asked. “Is it their anniversary today?”
“No,” Silas replied, moving to the bed. “I want to know.”
Thomas sighed, then his voice went soft. “It was a car accident.”
Silas racked his brain. How was he going to proceed? “Who threatened the officer?”
Thomas’s voice turned sharp with curiosity. “What officer? What are you talking about?”
“I heard they died at home, Silas blurted out.
“Jesus Christ! That’s impossible,” Thomas snapped. “I was home… they… that’s impossible… I would… no…”
Silas shut his eyes to the realization. Thomas didn’t know either. And that just made it a thousand times worse.
“How did you know this?” Thomas asked. “It could be a lie.”
“It’s not,” Silas said firmly. He trusted David; he was very good at his job.
Thomas paused for a moment before speaking again. “I don’t believe it, Silas. Our parents had a car accident.”
Silas sighed, realizing Thomas was hurting. “Alright then.”
“Fine. Let’s go back to not talking,” Thomas said and ended the call.
Silas blinked in disbelief, annoyance uprooting all the sentimental feelings he had just started to feel for Thomas.
He called him back.
“What?” Thomas snapped.
“I wasn’t done,” Silas said.
“Well, I was,” Thomas replied harshly. “I’m busy.”
“Oh yeah? With Rosie again?” Silas’s voice rose with rage,
“How dare you!” Thomas growled.
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“She’s terrorizing the family! She almost killed Ivy and released Aria’s sex tape! y
eep fucking with her!”
“It was once! Fuck off, Silas! I have better things to do!” Thomas yelled and ended the call
Silas groaned, stomping his feet. He couldn’t believe they had gone from soft conversation
He exhaled, trying to ease the tension, just as there was a knock on the door.
He counted to ten before saying, “Come in.”
The door opened and Theresa walked in. “Hey, you good?”
“Yes,” he said with a small smile. “How is she?”
again.
to
shouting
at each other in seconds.
“Stable now,” Theresa replied, moving to the bed. “I can’t believe Rosie would do such a horrible thing.”
“Well, she did worse,” he said, then told her about Ivy.
Theresa’s eyes widened. “Oh my God! Is she okay?”
His heart tightened as he remembered Ivy. Fresh pain swam through his chest. “Yes.”
I should go call her,” Theresa said.
I need
“Let’s get together, I need air.”
They both left the room and went to the living room.
“So a lawsuit?” Silas asked.
Theresa bit her lip, her cheeks flushing pink. “Yes. For battery, assault… all that. I’m thinking of settling outside court. I am guilty, after all.”
Silas reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. “We’ll all get through this.”
“I hope so, Silas,” Theresa said sadly. “I really hope so. Our family is on the verge of ruin. It’s crazy.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, dropping her hand. “It is.”
“How are we going to help Aria?” she asked.
Silas racked his brain. “I don’t know yet. We have to debunk it.”
“And get it deleted off the internet,” she added. “See who you can call for help. I think I know the people Dad used to call for stuff like this.”
“Alright.”
“I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“Yeah,” Silas replied.
As Theresa walked down the hallway, he took out his phone. He was just about to call Tyler when the front door opened.
“Ivy?” he gasped when he saw her walk inside, his heart pounding fast.
“Hey, baby,” she said with a soft smile. “I missed you.”
Then she walked over to him and kissed him.
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