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Shit.
I sift through the box a bit and pull out a jump drive attached to a keychain that says “pictures”. I place it back in the box and find newspaper clippings of her dad’s accident. They are just the general news of the accident. Nothing like what Colt found. Things were definitely covered up, and it seems like Phoenix’s mom knew that they were keeping things from her.
I sift through a folder called “emails” and see they are printed emails from an account that looks like it was Trevor Hayes’s email. They are emails to a BTrighton.
My mouth drops open. Fuck.
Trighton.
Beverly Emerson’s maiden name was Trighton.
What the fuck is going on here? Why does Phoenix have these? What was her mom doing with these? This has to be some of the reason Emerson wants her gone. Her family is tied to Daxon’s somehow.
I find a picture inside the box and pull it out. Turning it over, I see it labeled “Phoenix, age 12.” Flipping it back, I study it. It’s of her and who I can definitely tell is her mom. They share the same vibrant red hair. The same facial features. And smiling next to them has to be her dad. They are all smiling. Happy. Unaware of the tragedy that was waiting for them in the future.
Fuck, I need to get to practice.
I quickly pack everything back up and place it back in the hole. The guys will need to know what I found. Somehow, we need to dig through what she has hiding in here. I’m not sure when that will happen, but it needs to be on our to-do list.
Grabbing the blanket I originally came in here for, I leave her closet and throw it on top of her, tucking her in. Looking over at her desk, I spot a pad of paper and some pens.
I had promised her I would be here when she wakes up, but I didn’t expect her to be out this long, and I have to get to practice or the coach will have my ass.
Picking up the paper and marker, I leave her a little note.
Red,
Sorry. I know I told you I would stay, but I have practice. The guys and I will stop by after with dinner. Get some rest.
-Mason.
I take the note and leave it on her pillow for her to find when she wakes up. Standing over her, I take her in one last time before I leave.
She’s fucking perfection. And from here, she looks like she’s at peace. Not constantly fighting to just exist. She’s beautiful.
I lean in and kiss her forehead before I leave her room and head out of her dorm. Her roommate will probably be back soon, so she won’t be alone for long.
Though, I honestly didn’t want to leave her. I’d rather still be curled up next to her. Listening to her moan and her little snores.
Fuck.
* * *
“Hey.” Dax strolls up to me as I throw my practice uniform on. “You okay? How’s Phoenix?”
I shake my head. “I don’t even know where to start with how I’m doing. But she was passed out when I left her.” I run my hands through my hair.
“Talk to me. What’s wrong? Something happen?” he asks as he adjusts his pads.
“Man, I found some shit. And I don’t even know how to explain it.” I let out a frustrated groan.
“What did you find?”
“I went to go find another blanket for her, in her closet. I stumbled upon a shoe box she has hidden in a floorboard of the closet.”
Dax crosses his arms over his chest. “All right, so what was in the shoe box?”
“Letters from her mom, pictures, a jump drive of pictures, and … emails.”