Reverse Psychology (Book Three Zach's Daughter Series, TVD)

Chapter 17__Break On Through

I walked with Damon, Ric and Meredith over the reconstruction of the Wickery Bridge. Workers, volunteers, all working to get the bridge repaired.

I saw Rebeakh talking to Carol Lockwood in the distance. "Rebekah's up to something. She's been snooping around in places she shouldn't be."

"Tell me again, why are we here?" Ric asked.

"Ric, the world can't stop just because Nikki's dying 'cause her surgery was pushed back, and you're an accidental psycho killer," Damon told him, recieving a glare from me.

"Do you have any tact whatsoever?" Meredith asked.

Carol walked up to us. "Alaric, I'm glad you're here. Did you bring the sign?" Ric gave her a confused look. "The restored Wickery Bridge sign. The history department promised you'd have it today."

"I--I don't have the sign, actually," Ric told her. "It slipped . . . It slipped my mind. I've been busy."

"Well, it's not an emergency," Carol said. "We'll just, um . . .unveil it when the bridge is complete."

Carol walked away.

"Get me out of here," Ric said.

"My pleasure," Meredith said.

"I'm gonna stick around for a bit," Damon said.

Damon was looking at a redhead in the distance. She looked back at him, smiling.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"Blast from the past you just learned about yesterday," Damon answered.

"Sage?" I asked.

"Mm-hmm," Damon hummed, walking toward Sage.

When Ric and Meredith left to go to Elena's house, I left to go home.

~

Damon had told me about his and Sage's plan to find out what Rebekah was hiding.

Out in the hall, Damon's hair was wet, but he was dressed.

"How'd the plan go?" I asked.

"Rebekah's looking for wood made from a new white oak tree," Damon answered. "She's only been hanging around us because she knew we owned the . . ."

"Logging mills," I finished, remembering that was one of the things Rebekah asked while we had been at the bar.

"Yep," Damon answered.

I smiled, walking down the hall and downstairs. Damon followed me in confusion.

In the library, I was lookinh for the records. Damon was watching from the couch.

Sage stood in the doorway. "Milling records?"

"Our family made one of its many fortunes selling lumber," I answered. "It's why Rebekah's been digging around about this stuff. That tree was on our land and milled by our yard. The ledgers will tell me where it was shipped. Business archives should be around here somewhere."

Damon looked at Sage. "Get upstairs, make sure you keep her distracted."

Sage went back upstairs.

I finally found the 1912 archives, flipping through it to find out where the tree was shipped to. The old Wickery Bridge. "You've gotta be kidding me."

~

Sage walked back in when I was burning the book. "Rebekah just left."

"Happy, I hope," Damon said.