Inheritance Of Secrets

I profile strangers

I pin the photo on my wall. It's a girl named Amerie Grace. Four years ago she was murdered walking home from a high school party. Her mother and stepdad claim that they didn't know where she went or who she was with and her friends thought she was hooking up with someone and that's why she left.

"Great friends," I mumble.

This is what I do. I solve cases—cold cases to be exact. Tobias Hawthorne was the only one who knew. Well also the FBI I guess but they don't really care. For some reason, I was given a gift to be able to see the things people miss. Solving a case gives me the thrill that I need to stay alive in the gruesome world. To get in people's heads and see what they are thinking.

"Annabelle," It's Grayson. Why is Grayson in my room? "I've been calling you for an insane amount of time,"

"Why are you in my room though?" I don't know why I was asking. I already knew I was bad at keeping track of time so most likely I was a little late for the will reading. Grayson's left eye was squinted a tiny bit and the corners of his mouth just screamed impatient.

"How does a girl with a photographic memory forget anything important,"  Grayson asked.

This was only important to Grayson today he thought he would be getting billions. I had a reason to believe that he most certainly was not.

"Sorry Gray, I'll walk downstairs right now," I walk up beside him "How late am I?"

"Not late at all, I thought I would come and collect you so you wouldn't be."

Oh, Grayson Hawthorne wanted something. Of course, he does because now he only talks to me when he wants something. Before I could speak he started.

"We don't know much about the girl Avery or what-"

"You want me to watch her every move and profile her before you even know what she is getting," I can feel he feels a little guilty for wanting to do this but he's also desperate he feels like his whole life he's been waiting for this one thing. A thing he won't even be getting.

"Fine"

"Thank you, Annabelle," Before we could even start walking he looks up at my wall and asks "who is that girl?"

Grayson Hawthorne truly knows nothing about me and he won't be finding out anything anytime soon.

"My favourite singer, Alissa Vorn," I state

"Why is the only thing on the board?"

" I'm re-decorating, leaving everything in the past," I smiled at him. If I'm good at one thing it is pissing off Grayson Hawthorne.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today is not a good day to be filled in a room with people waiting to get their inheritance. Technically I am waiting too but I don't really want anything so I don't think I count. 

 I walk over to the back of the foyer where Xander and Avery's older half-sister Libby is. I bite my thumb nail as I look at them. Libby was practically an open book. She was too kind for her own good. You could tell by the way she walked and looked at people. She had a boyfriend who she was on and off with. He was abusive mostly verbally and financially and also a little physical but not really anything she paid attention to. Her bad taste in men came from years of abuse from her mother tearing her down everyday and hitting Libby when she got stressed. She loved to care for others and make sure everyone around her was okay. She was also a baker and loved to express herself by her outfits which were all very unconventional.

"Anna"

"Hu" I pulled myself back from my thoughts

"Your staring it scaring our wonderful guest"

"Oh shoot sorry" I said "Hi I'm Annabelle Casey"

Libby looked at me for a second I could tell she was confused who I was, "I'm Libby Grambs,"

"We should all probably get to the great room," I state before walking off with them following behind.

I really needed a break. Like a long holiday in Hawaii without all of this Hawthorne drama. Jameson was missing and I just wanted to go lay back down in my room. My head hurt though that was a daily occurrence. I was always thinking about every scenario running through my mind everyday. It's really exhausting and I wish I could shut it off. I feel almost robotic as I go through the steps off the day following Xander over to Nash and his grandmother. Nash, Xander and Nan talk about stuff while I just block it all out while pretending to nod along. Pretending to something I am excellent at.

Me and Xander guide Nan over to Libby and Avery .

"This is Nan," Xander says. "The woman. The legend."

"Get on with you." She swatted his arm. "I'm this rascal's great-grandmother." Nan settled, with no small difficulty, into the open seat beside Avery. "Older than dirt and twice as mean."

"She's a softy," Xander assured bother Avery and Libby cheerfully. "And I'm her favourite."

"You are not my favourite," Nan grumbled.

"I'm everyone's favourite!" Xander grinned.

"Your not my favourite," I frowned as I turned to him

"Yes I am, you just feel bad for Jameson so you pretend he's your favourite," Xander stated back to me. I rolled my eyes. But it was true if I did have a favourite Hawthorne it would be Xan or Jameson. I looked back to Nan.

"You are far too much alike that incorrigible grandfather of yours," Nan grunted. She closed her eyes, and her hands shook slightly. "Awful man."

Nan may joke about hating Mr. Hawthorne but she did truly love him as a son.

"Was Mr. Hawthorne your son?" Libby asked gently.

She snorted "Son-in-law."

I watched as Avery and Libby talked. Avery was a little harder to crack. But in this situation she felt incredibly uncomfortable. It was the grief. She was missing her mum. Avery was lucky she got to have a mother who cared what happened to her who loved her the only problem was that she was taken away. I could tell a small part of Avery resented her sister for her boyfriend problems but loved her from taking her in when she needed it. Avery put work over school and was desperate to see the world, to travel. I saw the way she found this whole house to be amazing and how she wished she could see more.

Avery stood up and told us she was going to get some air. I could tell that it was her mums death that hit her really hard. I wish I could understand that but I don't. I first met my mum when I was 8. She hated me and became a drunk because she didn't want to look at me. Now she's just in and out of rehab. I feel bad for my brother Ethan whenever our mum leaves he can't really function right.

"I'm gonna go find Jameson," I say to Xander and Nan as I stand up.

To be real I think I just need to get out.

A/n 

I really thing Anna will just have a bunch of trauma dump sessions. 

Hope you liked it.