Chapter Thirteen: Collision

(Lauren's POV)

.

.

.

Lewis' Household—7:21 a.m.

We are only as sick as our secrets,

I heard that somewhere once, maybe in school. It was an interesting statement at the time, then again at the time I heard it I had the perfect family. A loving father and uncle, sure I missed my mother, but I was never one of those kids who turned bitter for not having a mother around. I never had that massive void everyone else seems to have. It's not that I didn't miss her, not that I didn't care—I just didn't have that void within me.

I had two brothers and a sister—though the sister part was slightly complicated for a while. I still had a good family, a solid foundation.

I was a happy child, a happy teen, even a happy young woman.

I thought I knew who I was, who I would be.

This is not it.

I lean against my seat, the car door open as I stare at the house I grew up in. So many memories, so many happy memories.

I remember every day rushing home, and every day would be similar. Always happy, always a memory, always safe.

I think that's why I find myself here now, I want so desperately to feel safe.

I felt safe with Bo-until this morning.

The longer I stare at this house though, the more I realize that it's not the house itself that makes me feel safe, but the people that were inside. Two brothers who would never let anything touch me, two fathers really that would never let anything touch me, and well whatever category Karina fit, she would never let anything touch me.

I want those back so desperately.

I want my family back so desperately.

I want to be able to play God and change these past few years.

I want so much.

I step from the car, taking a look around my foggy surroundings searching for something, but there's nothing. No person hidden in the shadows. No car parked up or down the street following me. No boogyman lurking around any corners.

The shame about real life is that boogymen are actually just real men-or women. They're fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters, people walking down the street, the seemingly helpful neighbor, even the person staring back at you when you look into a mirror.

I shut the door and walk up to the door, the slight creek the door has always made as I push it open.

It looks the same, just doesn't feel the same.

I kick the door shut with my foot, slipping from my jacket before tossing it on the stairs.

Why am I here?

Where else would I go, I guess is the better question.

I hardly have a job anymore. My apartment is a crime scene again. Evony's apartment is still a crime scene. Sitting in the hospital room with Evony isn't ideal considering here emotional, brick wall she's thrown up. I can't exactly show up at Karina's, and Andre is M.I.A.

Last resort I guess is a good enough reason to be here.

I move through the house to the kitchen, if memory serves right there should still be a beer or two. My mind drifting back to when I had Bo here.

Shaking off the memory I pull the fridge open, well I was right. I grab the last beer, and twist the cap off, the pain in my palm not enough to phase me.

Leaning against the counter I take a long drink, and then another. I stupidly wait for the pain to dull, but it's not. I'd need something a lot stronger to dull this quickly, honestly I'm sure I could find something around here somewhere, but I'm just not sure I want to rush toward alcoholism so soon.

I take another drink, turning to place on the counter just as I hear a creak back by the door. I find myself frozen, then laugh under my breath. I probably didn't close it completely. I walk back up to the door, but it's already closed, and locked.

Did I lock it?

I spin around toward the stairs, another creak coming from the second floor.

Then there's nothing.

I wait and wait and wait, but there is nothing.

Turning back around I look out the window next to the door, but still nothing. The street is as silent as the sidewalks. The driveway only cluttered by my car.

It's an old house Lauren, it's an old house.

I just stand by the door for a minute, maybe two waiting, but there is simply nothing.

Paranoia-or recently sharpened instinct?

I walk cautiously toward the garage door, my hand reaching for the handle once in arm's reach. My heart picking up with every step forward, fingertips touching the cool brass.

I jump, a loud pounding on the front door—then a creak.

I rush back to the door, freezing in place just ten feet from it.

"Bo."

"Relax," She says pushing the door closed. "I'm unarmed." She pulls off her jacket and tosses it atop of mine. "Frisk me if you don't believe me." She hold her arms up half way, gradually turning in a circle, my eyes running over her.

"How'd you find me?"

"I'm a detective and you aren't exactly a criminal mastermind."

"Thank you for that." I say softly, walking toward her. She reaches for my arm as go to passed, but I jerk away on reflex.

"Thanks for that."

"It wasn't intentional."

"I'm sure."

"It wasn't." I glare over my shoulder walking to the couch.

"Are we going to discuss this?"

"Discuss what?"

"Don't play this game Lauren, you bolted this morning. Went and picked up your car then vanished, before coming to hide here."

"Horrible hiding spot as it turns out."

"Again, not really a criminal mastermind."

"But you are?" I raise an eyebrow, staring up as her as she lingers in the doorway.

"They do say the best cops think like criminals." She smirks. "I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong."

"I'm not thinking anything."

"Bullshit." She takes a single step forward. "I saw the look in your eyes, the way you pulled away from me."

"I'm emotional damaged."

"Well that would be the understatement of the year, but not why you ran."

"Fine, you got me." I nod, forcing a smile as I look down to her shoes.

"It's not me Lauren."

"Well," I clap my hands together, looking back up to her. "That solves it then."

"Lauren," She says my name, demanding my attention as she walks over and takes a seat beside me. "I didn't do what you're thinking." I just stare into her eyes, heart pounding within my chest, but I stay perfectly still. "It would be an easy answer, something to wrap it all up neatly. It makes perfect sense, I have just as much motive as you."

"If this is your case to convince me I'm wrong, you're doing a horrible job."

"Lauren, it's not me." She sighs, reaching out and resting her hand on my knee. "I fell in love with you, I felt—feel responsible for you. I've dedicated my life to helping people. All this has done is drag good people down. All this has done is put you in harms way, hurt you. You're the one suffering the most. Why would I do it?"

"You said, before that you had done things you weren't proud of. That you went to a dark place."

"Jesus Lauren, that's what has you," She stops herself, shaking her head. "I mentioned to you, you knew-I made stupid decisions. Like experimenting and sleeping around and shutting people out. Not plotting a whole conspiracy."

"If it's not you-"

"It's not."

"IF it's not, then I'm out of ideas Bo." I sigh, eyes moving down to her hand. A slight wave of comfort coming over me.

"I'll talk to Hale, he mentioned combing back through the list of people that were in the bank. Taking a closer look at families, seeing if anyone would jump out."

"I've been over the list a dozen times with Dyson, no one ever rose a red flag."

"People can surprise you." She pulls her hand back, the other running through her hair. "I know you're drinking the Wallace Kool-Aid, but, my money is still on him."

"Bo."

"I know, I know you believe him, but I don't. The psycho shoe fits, plus there is means and motive. Not to mention he went to medical school."

"He didn't, at least he told me he didn't."

"Do you believe everything a psycho-narcissistic-murder tells you?" Her brow raising, this slight smirk tugging on her lips.

"Law school." Both me and Bo jump slightly, attention shooting up to the arch way, Lachlan leaning against the frame right at the bottom of the staircase. "It was law school Jason dabbled in, not medical school."

"Isn't he supposed to be in rehab?" Bo whispers, leaning against me.

"He apparently can come and go as he pleases." I sigh. "What are you doing here?"

"It is my house too."

"Lets not get into this, you know why I'm asking. If they find out you've been leaving, they're going to put you in jail."

"Lauren." Bo says.

"Evony won't be able to help you this time, and Dyson sure as hell won't be able to."

"Lauren." Bo repeats, this time I glance over at her.

"What?"

"It's amazing how she can be so smart, yet utterly stupid at the same time isn't it?" He laughs, eyes locked with Bo's. "She's always been this way. Our father would baby her, Andre too, she never learned."

"What am I missing?" I ask feeling stupid, looking between the two.

"You shouldn't have come."

"Lachlan?" I look over to my brother. "Why are you here?"

"It wasn't rocket science to figure out you'd come back here. You're a creature of habit, a hopeless romantic. Desperate for our past."

"It was you?" I can't help but to laugh. "Wow." I nod.

"Check." He smirks, hands going inside his pockets. "You never could win against me."

"How long?" I chuckle again, eyebrow raising. "Bryan?"

"Oh come on, give me a little more credit." He shifts his attention to Bo. "No, no. Sit back and relax, after me and my sister finish you can try and be the hero."

"This family is way too fucking competitive." Bo mumbles, but relaxes into her seat as I reach out and touch her leg.

"So, lets do it Lachlan. One last time, one last game."

"Oh Dearest Doctor, you still don't get it. We've been playing our last game, jury is in and you've lost."

"Well, at the risk of sounding cliché, what was the point? Just to outdo me? Punish me for putting you in rehab?"

"Wrong. Wrong. Wrong." He shakes his head. "Rehab was my play."

"You wanted to be put in rehab?" Bo snorts.

"Two weeks before I nearly overdosed. When I woke up, covered in my own filth, I swore I'd get clean and I did. Once the shit was out of my body, I saw things in a whole new light. I had a new purpose, one that trumped my need for a high." He smirks again. "I knew how you'd play it. Beg Dyson, beg Evony and off I'd go to rehab. Perfect deniability, perfect alibi, perfect way to vanish."

I let my eyes drop to his shoes, his words bouncing around my mind. I still don't get it. I don't get the point. Had he just lost his mind? Was this simply about showing me up in some form? Was it about hurting me? It made no sense. This wasn't the action of rage, when enraged you can't make plans that last months.

"Jason was a stupid fuck, been obsessed with you since he saw you on my phone back in law school. He wanted to play his little stalking game, his little notes and fetish deal. Almost killed him a few times myself with some of his choice words for what he wanted to do to you, but like most spoiled brats-they grow tired of their toys. When he did, I picked up for him. Needed the notes to keep coming, appear as if he was still stalking."

"It was you last night, following me?"

"Mmhm. I figured you act irrationally and head straight for him. Have another situation like Bryan or Taylor, but—"

"I took your knight."

"Oh yeah, for a minute I thought you had actually had me in risk of a check-mate. Then you gave me the perfect opportunity. I knew the pictures would push you into a corner, again was a little disappointed when you still didn't kill him, but I was prepared this time around. Even without killing him, I took your queen." He nods over to Bo. "I honestly predicted this," He waves his hand gesturing to both of us. "But again still worked out."

"So I guess the big question is, was I just a pawn to help you act out this-revenge plan?"

"Revenge?" He laughs. "Well see the thing is, the revenge plan as you chose to call it, isn't directed at who you think."

"It's about money." Bo chirps in.

"Money?" I look over at her, confused.

"It's always about the money, if not about love."

"There's no money."

"Actually gutter trash over there is right." He laughs. "It's always about the money."

"What money?" I start to finally pull my hand off of Bo's leg, but she grabs my wrist holding it in place.

"You remember when your beloved uncle died, dad got all of that money to take care of Andre and Karina."

"No—I guess." I remember them moving in, I remember money for the burial.

"When dad died, I got all of the paperwork, turns out that all of uncle's money was divided between Andre and Karina, but also you and me. Me being the oldest receiving the least, but you getting an equal share. Then I started looking closer at dad's paperwork and his estate was dissolved the exact same way. Now imagine my anger with trying to understand why my father and uncle would cheat me out of an equal share-but then this other thought dawned on me. Why would they dissolve their estates to include two children that weren't theirs?"

"Oh." Bo lets out, earning my confused look meant for my brother.

"See they may have loved me less, but they fucked up. I'm the oldest, I'm the lawyer. I see all the paperwork first, I know all the fine print."

"Dad and-" I trail off, looking back over to him.

"Keep up. End game was supposed to be me and you. I had it set up perfectly, Jason and all his friends would have paid for killing our father and traumatizing you because let's be honest, backdoor-pirate or not, still our father."

"I'm still-"

"Your father and uncle were partners in more ways than one." Bo says gently, but her eyes stay locked on him, grip firm on my wrist.

"I offered you help, several times Lauren. You shot me down every time and at the time I thought you had just jumped off the deep end, after all-Bryan?" He laughs, for a moment. "But then you go to see Andre. I see you two hanging all over each other, showing him to your knew slut of the month. Well, let me just say I snapped."

"Where is he?" I felt my heart fall to my stomach. "Lachlan, where is he?" My voice raising.

"See, what happened here was a tragic accident. Bo here was so fucked up over what happened she snapped, and you realizing it-rejecting her pushed her over the edge. Andre, needing to be the hero came rushing in to protect you and Bo kills him. You apparently being no stranger to self-defense react, there's this huge, huge fight, but sadly it still has a tragic end. Both of you dead."

"You'll still have to share the money with Karina, or is she magically popping up into this scenario too?"

"I told you Lauren, I was prepared to split the money two ways-swap your name with hers, doesn't matter. Liquidate that house, this house, yours and Andre's shares. Besides, I could always just marry her or kill her at a later date."

"You're out of your fucking mind." Bo laughs, I feel her leg moving as she lifts her foot so only the ball of her foot is pressing against the ground.

"Bet you wish you weren't so eager to prove you weren't the killer." His smirk grows, reaching behind his back and pulling out a silver plated, nine-millimeter.

"You think we're just gonna let you pose us? Play into your little murder fantasy?" I ask through a clenched jaw, tears filling my eyes.

"Lauren, I was a lawyer. A son of cop, and a brother to doctor who left her books everywhere. I've had months to read. I know how to stage a crime scene." He raises the gun at Bo.

Maybe if I lunge for him I'll get hit and she can tackle him.

"Lauren, I lied to you." She says, but I barely hear her. My eyes watching his finger starting to pull the trigger. "I'm not unarmed."

I hear her words and then her grip release my wrist.

I feel her throw herself behind me, hands on my waist as she does.

My own hand dropping to her ankle a pulling the six-shot revolver.

His own shot hitting couch before I do.

He goes for a second, but I manage to get one off.

I didn't think it would hit anything, but I get his left leg right above the knee.

He falls to his left knee, a scream of pain-but he brings his gun back up toward me and I don't think.

I fire twice into his shoulder, his gun falling from his hand to the floor as he falls over.

Not thinking I drop the gun, praying that Bo will take over for me just I had done for her.

"Andre?!" I yell jumping over Lachlan. "Andre?!" I run toward the garage pushing the door open. Darkness and Lachlan's car. I run down the four steps, pulling the driver's side door open. Nothing. I glance into the back seat. Nothing. Popping the trunk I move to the back, but nothing. "Andre?!" I call for him running back into the house.

"Anything?" Bo asks, kneeling over Lachlan, applying pressure to his shoulder.

"Andre?!" I call again and again, running up the stairs.

I push open door after door, to find nothing.

Then I push open the bathroom door and feel my heart stop.

"I found him!" I yell down to Bo, rushing beside the bathtub where he's stuffed into. His head on the ledge, blood dripping from his temple, down the porcelain to the floor. His hands and feet bound with torn pieces of sheet. "Dre." I cry his name, hands holding his face. "Wake up." I feel for a pulse, it's there, but weak. "Wake up. Please wake up." I beg, shaking him with my left hand as the right holds his face.

I can't lose him too.

I can't.