Survived By Secrets

13 • Messed Up

Ryan plopped down into the sofa. Lawrence's house was small. They were in the living room which consisted of an old sofa and a living chair. They all sat on one sofa while Lawrence sat across from them on the chair.

"What did you need to know about Nancy?" Ryan could hear the quiver in Lawrence's voice. "What is this for?"

"School project," Lya said calmly.

"We want to know what happened to her." What Ryan really wanted know was who killed her but he didn't think it was a good idea to ask him yet.

Lawrence's frail hands shook as he grabbed onto the sides of the chair. "What is in the newspapers is what happened." He pulled himself up with a grunt and started walking towards the front door. "You're wasting my time. I think you should leave."

"Wait, no. I-" Ryan hesitated as he got up out of the sofa. Lawrence was already upset and he didn't know how he would react if he told what he could see and what was in his head. "I found your box in the attic. What do the things in there mean?"

Lawrence stopped and turned towards Ryan. "How do you know that? Why are you really here?"

Ryan looked at Lya and Mahlik then back at Lawrence. "About two months ago I was in a car accident." He drew in a breath and he felt like something was stuck in his throat. He had never told anyone about this before. Of course, he told Lya but he was his best friend and she wouldn't think he was lying. He also told Mahlik but he was already really into the supernatural. Telling a man you can see his dead sister and hear his dead mother was something else. He wiped his hands on his jeans as they started to sweat. "I was unconscious for a while and then when I woke up I started hearing this voice in my head. It was Myrtle."

Lawrence's eyes widened and he didn't say anything.

"She wants me to find Nancy's killer." Lawrence's brows furrowed.

"We need your help to find her killer. Myrtle won't leave his head until we do," Lya said. They waited for him to say something—anything but he just walked back to his chair and sat back down, the springs squeaking as he settled into it.

"I don't know who killed her." Lawrence folded his hands together as he looked down at his feet. "It's not your fault that you've been brought into this. Our family..." A nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "It's messed up."

"Well, I think we can figure it out. We have Nancy's ghost-"

"What?" Lawrence's face turned a pale colour. "Her ghost?"

Ryan ran a hand through his hair as he nodded. "Yeah. I can see her ghost."

This time Lawrence propped himself, leaning forward in the chair. "Did she talk to you? What did she say?" His green eyes, creases framing them, gave Ryan an intense stare.

"Yeah I talked to her but it's hard to get her to say anything to me."

"Is she here now?"

"No. She says she's stuck in the house," Ryan said.

Lawrence's face sank. He looked at the ground as lines formed across his forehead. He sighed and then sank back in the chair and folded his hands together. "I always felt like she was there with me after she died. It's why I left that house as soon as I could. It's also why I couldn't sell it after Wallace and Myrtle died and left the house in my name."

"Wallace is dead?" Ryan looked at Lya. "How did he die?"

"Old age. And then Myrtle went after him. They said it was grief for her. She stopped talking to me after Wallace died," Lawrence answered. He tapped his fingers against the arm of the couch.

Ryan found it odd that he called his parents by their first name but he brushed it aside. "Nancy did tell me something. She said that you told her to keep a secret. Something about Darrel."

Lawrence looked up as if remembering. "Oh, it was just his affair. I overheard Myrtle and Wallace talking about it when I was a boy. She thought he-" He paused.

"Killed Margie and Roland?" Lya asked. Lawrence nodded. "We talked to Myrtle."

"How?" He raised his eyebrows.

Mahlik sighed. "Long story."

"So, do you think he did it?" Ryan continued.

Lawrence drew his lips in a thin line. "I don't know," he said, his gaze avoiding Ryan's.

"Can you please help us. Myrtle won't leave until-"

"Let me see Nancy," Lawrence said.

Ryan looked at Lya and Mahlik. He didn't expect him to want to see her. "Okay, but you have to answer our questions first."

Lawrence stared at them for a while, narrowing his eyes. "Okay."

"Tell us about the box," Ryan said.

"I hid it in the attic when I moved out. I didn't want it with me but I also didn't want to get rid of it. I hid it from Myrtle and Wallace because if they found out what was in there they would have known I was eavesdropping. After Nancy died. I knew-" he paused. "I gave up on the box."

"Wait, I thought you made the box to find Nancy's killer," Ryan said. He didn't understand. Why did he make the box before Nancy died?

"No," he said. Lawrence sighed and ran a hand down his face. "I made the box to find out who killed my parents."