"Why do you have a bruise on the corner of your face?

I rolled my eyes as I walked past him to get to the dining room, "I fell Grayson."

He stepped in front of me, "I have heard that one too many times. Where were you last night?"

"Taking down the Russian mafia," I say sarcastically while glaring at him. I wasn't lying for once. I actually just walked into a door last night while I was cleaning the kitchen.

"Annabelle, would you please tell me your location and why you only got home early this morning," Grayson asked, somehow making his voice sound sweet. His eyes stayed locked on mine giving me his cold glare.

"I'm not the one you should be asking about today, Grayson." He stared at me confused. I nudged him over to look at Avery who just flinched when pick up a tray. She had a slight cut on her face that was seemingly covered up with makeup and based on the way she flinched the stitches she had to get were on her collarbone.

"What happened to Avery?" He asked, staring back at me.

"Not sure. I guess we will have to ask." I shrugged as I let him walk past me to talk to Avery. He then indicated me to follow them into the next room.

"You're injured." Grayson looks right at Avery. "You will tell me what happened."

"Oh, I will, will I?" She gave him a look back clearly annoyed by the phrasing.

"Please." He said the words with such distaste in his voice.

"I was shot." She paused for a blink, "Shot at."

"Bark got flung into your collarbone and grazed your cheek. You should be more wary if you want to hide the injury." I say to Avery eyeing the spot on the corner of her face that the makeup was covering.

"I'll try harder next time." She says voice dripping in sarcasm.

"When were you shot at," Grayson spat out.

"Last night," Oren replied curtly.

Grayson swivelled his head towards the bruise on the side of my face before asking, "And where were you?" His comment was demanded at Oren. It was a little confusing how he even let anyone pass the gate.

"Not nearly as close as I'll be from now on," Oren promised, staring Grayson down.

"Remember me?" Avery stated while raising her hand. "Subject of your conversation and capable individual in her own right?"

"No, let them keep going, this is hilarious." Say to her with a smile. Grayson gives me a stone cold glare before looking at Avery.

"You'll let Oren do his job," he ordered softly like it was going to make this situation any better.

"And who do you think he's protecting me from?" She gestures to the door where the rest of the Hawthorne's and libby were eating.

"I doubt anyone in there shot you, Avery." I look to her reading the concern and small traces of anger and fear on her face, "They may of paid someone to do though."

I see a little part of her brain tick on as she now runs through the new possible suspect of this shooting.

"If anything happens to her, I will hold you personally responsible." Grayson says as he glares coldly at Oren.

"Mr. Personal Responsibility." Jameson announced his presence and ambled toward his brother. "Charming."

Grayson gritted his teeth, then realised something. "The three of you were in the Black Wood last night." He stared at Jameson. "Whoever shot at her could have hit one of you."

"And what a travesty it would be, if anything happened to me." Jameson replied circling around Grayson, "Though it was just me and Avery. Annabelle was missing."

Grayson ten turned to me his eyes landing right on mine, "So where were you?"

"I was in the Blackwood. It was a perfect night to test my new handgun." I watch as Avery's face goes a little horrified and Jameson smirks.

Before anyone else could get word in about my joke Oren interjected to calm Avery, "Annabelle has a sufficient alibi there is no way she would have been in the Blackwood last night." I Give them a daunting smile and Grayson decides to grace us all with his voice.

"What is this alibi?"

"The alibi is none of your business." I replied swiftly.

"Hope I'm not interrupting." Nash joined the party. He flashed a lazy, dangerous smile at us. "Jamie, Annabelle, you're not skipping school today. You both have five minutes to put on your uniforms and get in my truck, or there will be a hog-tying in your future." He waited for Jameson to get a move on, then turned. "Gray, our mother has requested an audience."

"Give me ten minutes and I won't complain." Bartering with Nash did not usually turn out my way but I have a feeling this time it might work.

He flashed me a Grin, "Eight and you get the front seat of the car."

"Deal, have fun finding your attempted murderer Avery."

—----------------------------------------

I flung around to face Jameson who was sitting behind me in the truck, "Stop pulling my hair."

"I need to talk to you about finding the davenport." He told me. I could see that he had his mystery solving face on.

"Sorry I'm not particularly interested in finding a stupid number for a puzzle that does not concern me."

He rolled his eyes. Jameson was trying to pull me back in to help him. It was stupid to even get anywhere close to this in the first place.

"Please after school will you help me find it." He gave me a sort of hidden desperate look, "I need your help Anna."

"Fine, but it's not just a game Jameson. This is real life with real people. You need to realise that." Jameson has been dedicated to solving mysteries since I met him. Every win gave him a thrill. They gave him a reason to prove that he was better. That he was special. That he was worth something. I wish he actually realised that he didn't need any game or win to be worthy of anything. 

"Okay I get it's not a game." He didn't mean those words and that scared me the most. He was the only person i felt sort of understood me. I could trust him with things and he didn't need to think he was worth something because I knew he was. I knew that since the first time I met him. 

Its scary to admit but I need him. I need him to stay. We keep each other grounded. We forgive and forget our fights pretending like they never happened. We talk about stupid things and he never pushes back when I lie to his face. he understands. 

Without Jameson I think I would have given up on everything. 

"Put your seatbelts on you two." Nash told us as he jumped in the truck beside me, "Time to get you kids to school."

"And we have to go." I say looking ahead. Something about today is feeling off. I knew it the second I got home. Today was not going to be a good one.

"The both of you have missed enough school already, so yes."

"It's better than getting shot at, I guess." I shrug.

"Those jokes are seriously getting a little concerning Anna." Jameson pipes up from behind me.

"Too bad you didn't get shot."

"Shut up you too and let's go." And with that Nash turned on the engine and exited the gates of the Hawthorne house.

Today would be fine. Right?

A/n

Hey guys I am so sorry I haven't been active. my laptop broke and wouldn't turn on and then I moved back to my home country so things have been a little hectic. I am now going to try my best to get a lot more updates. 

Thank you xx