Not Who You Say You Are

Chapter Twelve

To think it was only this morning we were opening gifts and I was worried about Miles not wanting to marry me.

Now, I stand frozen in Vernon's room for the second time today. The first time, when we realized he was dead, and now because I realized he was murdered. I continue to study the marking on his face and the messed up pillow next to him. If I am right, and someone really did kill him, they were angry. Suffocating someone to death isn't easy, I'm sure. It's not like pulling a trigger. It takes time. During that the victim is most likely fighting back. Well maybe not, in this case, seeing as Vernon could barely move. 

Whoever killed him wanted him dead. This was aggravated. They had a motive. Vernon being who he is, there are most likely three main motives someone could have for killing him. One is money. Two is family afflictions. Three is business conflict. Whoever did it may have had these in mind. Or maybe something completely different. And his killer is most likely still in the house. Four people didn't go on that hike and are the ones on top of my list. John, Emerald, Wade, and Dana. 

I don't think Dana could have done it. The only reason she's been able to walk around is because of Miles and me. So I'm sure she doesn't have the strength to hold a pillow over someone's head until they stop breathing. I also don't see her motive. She's already rich, she never knew him, and was never in business with him. The next person I'm crossing off is Emerald. I wouldn't be surprised if she was some sort of sociopath who likes to murder people for fun but I don't think it's physically possible. She's terrible but she too has no motive for wanting Vernon dead. John I despise, but I don't see it. Physically, he is capable but he is happily living off Ruby's wealth and would gain nothing from the death of Vernon. He has no business relations with him, and clearly has no family affliction. Wade could have easily done it. He randomly decided not to come with us on the hike and I don't buy he suddenly started caring about his wife. Maybe he's mad his father abandoned him ten years ago and wanted revenge. He's in business with him. Well, was. But he doesn't need any more money. 

I can't think clearly. All the possibilities are flowing through my head all at once. In the back of my mind, I know that maybe I could be jumping to conclusions, and he really did die from old age, however I don't believe that. But I'm not a doctor. I can't tell if he was suffocated by a few marks on his face and I'm not a detective. I can't accuse people and take the case into my own hands like they do in the movies.

As all this has been going through my head, I've been pacing around the room. I check my phone again, hoping that maybe the service has come back. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, it hasn't. I need to tell someone. I can't keep all of this to myself. Without thinking, I run into the hallway and towards Bonnie and Ivy's room. I walk past mine and Miles' room and I feel bad for leaving Miles out of it but for whatever reason, I think I need to tell Ivy first. I knock on their door and Ivy opens it.

"Be quiet", she says. "Bonnie's asleep".

I grab her and pull her out of the room quietly. I walk her back down the hall, passing mine and Miles' room. She shoots a glance at the door but when she realises we're leaving Miles too, she transfers the glance to me. Together, we make our way through Vernon's hallway and into his room. I shut the door quietly.

"What are you doing?", Ivy asks, slightly irritated.

"Look at this and tell me I'm crazy", I say. I point out the redness on his left cheek and the messiness of the pillow. I reminded her that Maggie looked surprised to see that he had passed away and that she probably didn't expect him to die so suddenly. I tell her my theories—about Wade, John, Emerald, and Dana. I am spurting information at her without pausing for a couple of minutes before she holds out her hand, signalling me to stop.