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“Yes! That’s how I know that name. Shit, so she lives with them now? Maybe that’s how she got in here.”
“Well, he suddenly died well over a year ago. They say natural causes. Left everything to his wife, Julie. She still had contact with some of the people on the board, used it to get Phoenix in the academy.” He clicks a few more things on his screen.
His setup is quite impressive. The clear panels allow you to see into the computer tower, which glows. Lights and lit-up fans blast color from inside the machine. This is nerd central. It’s a command center.
“Okay, but then where are her parents?” I cock my head to the side, trying to make sense of everything.
“Dead.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “What? How?”
“Well, that’s where this gets messy. And I’m going to need you to keep a cool head with everything I’m about to tell you.” He turns to me, but then his eyes flit over my shoulder for a moment.
“Hey, assholes, what are we talking about?” Mason interrupts, appearing beside me.
“Colt figured out some stuff about our little princess. Both parents are dead, and her aunt was married to Ronald Trivits,” I catch Mase up on the information I have.
“That’s the software guy. He had a lot of small businesses around here.” He pauses for a moment. “And you said her parents are dead?” He looks between Colt and me, trying to gather everything we have so far.
Colt nods. “I was just about to tell Dax here why. But here’s the thing,”—he looks towards me—“I don’t know how this wasn’t all over the news, or how this was hidden from reports that were put out, but it’s fucked six ways to Sunday.”
“Spill it, Colt.” I glare at him. I’m on pins and needles waiting for him to spit out whatever it seems to be that has him looking pale.
“They both died from suicide.” He pauses and looks at Mase and then me. “Her mom killed herself at the beginning of this year. Which police assume was because her husband killed himself a little over a couple years ago.”
I shrug. “Okay, so both her parents were selfish and left her to fend for herself. I’m still not following what would have me so upset.”
Colt flits his eyes between Mason and me, his leg bouncing rapidly. He finally breaks the silence. “Trevor Hayes was killed in a vehicle accident when he ran himself off a cliff. No tire marks, nothing to suggest that someone hit him. Witness state that he just turned his car and careened over the cliff. That was on January 25th.”
That date sends shivers down my spine.
“Okay. So, he killed himself the same day my mom ran out on us. So what?” I’m connecting the dots in my head, but I’m not liking the results that it’s coming up with. My heart is ready to beat out my chest, and I start to feel extremely hot.
Colt looks to Mason and then back at me, taking a deep breath. “He wasn’t alone in the car.”
“Wait, I thought you said it was a suicide? Why would there be someone else in the car? Then that would be murder-suicide.” Mason steps forward and sits on the bench at the end of Colts bed.
“Well, that’s where I can’t connect the pieces. There were definitely two bodies in that car, but the second body found was covered up to make it look like it was only Trevor in the car.” Colt takes off his glasses and runs a hand down his face. “I’m sorry, man.”
“Sorry for what?” I furrow my brows together and beg the heavens above that he isn’t going to say what I think he is. But I can already see it in his eyes, and I know the answer.
“Trevor Hayes and Beverley Emerson were found in Trevor’s car on January 25th. That’s why she never came home. I’m sorry, Dax,” he says quietly.
“Wait … what? No. She left. Why would she be in his car?” My breaths come out heavy, and there’s a weight on my chest pushing down on me, making it hard to breathe. “There’s no fucking way she was in that car with that piece of shit! My dad would’ve told me. He would’ve said something!”
“Are you sure, Colt?” Mason asks.
Every muscle in me tightens, and I clench my teeth so hard, there are lightning bolts of pain inside my mouth. This can’t fucking be true.
“Yeah. Positive. I’m not sure how she got in that car, but it was her. And the reports on the car show there was no tampering of the car either. So, whatever happened, Trevor did commit suicide in that car—”
“Killing my mother in the process,” I growl.
“Here’s what I don’t get. Why cover it up?” Mason turns towards me.
“My dad told me that Phoenix was a problem. A problem that could destroy our family. That’s why she needed to be taken out of this school and ruined. Maybe my mother was cheating on my father with Trevor.” I run my hand through my hair, unsure of what to make of everything I just heard.
“Okay, but then why kill her? Why kill himself in the process?” Mason questions.