Into My Heart

LX (PART 1)

ABBY

When I opened the door, I was pretty surprised to see Becky Sauerbrunn, with a gun in her hand and avenging eyes.

Putting my hands in the air, I carefully step back, thanking whatever higher force exists that nobody else but me was there. The woman in front of me closes the door, before starting to nervously look around the room, as if she was looking for something in particular. I didn't dare to move, just staring at her with my heart beating against my chest.

After about a whole minute spent in silence, Becky starts looking under the lamps and such, until she finally asks:

"Did the FBI mic'ed up this room or any other room in this apartment?"

Frowning, I shake my head no.

Obviously, she wouldn't believe me: rather, I felt like her pointing the gun at me wasn't the most important thing now. Indeed, she started looking around more intensively, before leading me to the bathroom and locking the door behind us.

After an extensive research resulting in the discovery of absolutely no wires whatsoever, she finally looks at me and starts in an assured voice:

"Listen very carefully kid: none of this is about hurting you, you must believe me about that. I was searching for wires because I really needed to find you and talk to you one on one. Nod if you understand and want to cooperate - because I'd rather not use this on you (as she stares at the gun, I immediately nod my head yes, before getting my arms down). Good. Now, I know you're a clever girl, and that you wouldn't risk your sisters' or your lover's lives for anything in the world. So this is how it's about to go down: you will listen to me without interrupting me and let me explain myself about the reason why I am here talking to you right now. Say yes if you understand."

"Y-yes" I nervously stammer, and the woman seems troubled that I am scared by her. 

She puts the gun down, and sighs in relief. She then begins her speech, which felt more like a dialogue after some time:

"As you know, I have been faithful to the Press family and Press Corporation since I was 22 - per say, most of my life. Stacey Press has been my boss and somehow friend for 19 or those years, and she accompanied me during hard times - when Rachel was born and her dad left, when I lost her to him because she had to go to the USA, when she died months ago (her voice breaks)... Stacey was more than a boss: she was my friend. Before she died, I could swear that the woman knew what was coming, as if she knew who the Patriarch was and where they would strike next: she warned me, sort of - I mean, she made me swear to look after Christen if she was to get killed any time soon."

"Only Christen?" I ask, confused.

Becky nods her head yes.

"I found that weird, too, but I didn't ask too many questions: rather, I let Stacey talk, and I was right to do so... But before I tell you, you gotta promise me that you won't tell a soul, at least for now."

"Why would I trust you?" I ask, quite surprised that she had the guts to ask me this.

She smirks. 

"Oh, Abigail, as usual you managed to miss the whole point: do you really believe that I would be there talking to you if I really wanted to get revenge for my daughter's death? Or Cody Press' death? I don't care about them: it is Christen I am talking to you about, and from my understanding you two have grown quite close, quite... intimate, if I might say."

I blush.

"I care about her, that's for sure" I only say, realising that there was no point in denying it.

"See? You and I both want the same thing: for Christen to not get killed. So, would you please give me your word on your much-needed silence? It is a matter of life or death."

"You have my word, then" I concede, unsure about what I was getting myself into. 

Becky takes a deep breath, before starting her speech, that actually left me speechless...:

"We have reasons to believe that the Patriarch is a woman, and that she is closer in your circle than you think"

"Why would you assume that?" I ask, truly confused. 

The older woman rolls her eyes, before taking her phone out of her pocket and handing it to me. My eyes go wide, as I see Mallory dressed with a black hoodie and holding a gun. 

As my breath is taken away, Becky explains:

"This picture was taken only minutes before Stacey, Tyler and Channing Press died: since nobody else was shown on the cameras, she is the only suspect. Furthermore, I have reason to believe that the whole wheelchair thing was just a cover..."

"How? How could it be Mallory?" I ask, feeling the earth falling apart under my feet. As Becky seems as confused and sad as I am, I just whisper: "That would explain why Christen was spared by the shooter..."

"Think about it" Becky continues, insisting, "How could someone murder three people and get away with it? How could someone be manipulating their whole family all at once and never get caught? Because nobody would suspect the younger one of the family to be a mastermind."

"I don't believe it" I let out, freaked out. As the older woman was shaking her head slowly, I continue on the same tone: "It just cannot be, there must be some better explanation..."

"Sometimes there aren't better explanations, Abby, that's just how it is."

With that said, she puts her gun back into her purse, before closing all windows and curtains, and finally facing me with a very serious face on.

As I hardly swallow my saliva, she then concedes:

"I know it is hard to believe, but I know just the way to know if Mallory really is the Patriarch for sure - but you'll have to trust me."

Can I trust her?

More importantly, is Mallory really the Patriarch?