The Secrets of Cedar Creek

50 : Christopher

"You're... you're C," I whisper, my eyes widening.

The revelation hits me. He's... Tallon is... Tallon is C. He's C. He's the father of Paige's baby. He's the other man. He's who Paige loved.

Tallon looks over to me with a furrowed brow. "Pardon, Miss Chosen?"

"You knew Paige," I breathe out.

Sylv grits his teeth and looks between me and Tallon angrily. Oh no.

"Sylv – stop!" I say but I'm not fast enough to catch him.

He tries to attack Tallon – but Tallon is faster. He pulls Sylv into a head lock.

Avalon screams. "What's going on!" she shrieks.

"Listen, listen! I can explain," Tallon says, taking a few steps back from us with Sylv in his grasp. Sylv looks like he's about to faint – face going purple.

"Let him go, please!" I cry as Sylv wheezes.

Tallon finally lets go of Sylv and Sylv crumples to the floor. Avalon rushes over to him.

"Explain – now and be quick before I call Franks," I threaten him.

"Yes – I knew her."

Everyone in the room sucks in a breath.

"And I loved her. I'm sorry, Mr. Redpine – I know she was your girlfriend and this is hard for you to take in. But all of us know where you stood. I really loved her." The dig is deep – almost as if he knows Sylv didn't see Paige that way.

"How do we know you didn't kill her?" I hiss.

"You don't. You just have to trust me."

"Trust you?!" Sylv spits. "You were f*cking my girlfriend and I'm supposed to trust you?"

"How did you even meet her?" Avalon says high pitched.

"I worked for her family. And things just happened, it was beyond my control, she became more to me than I can even describe. I know you must find this hard to believe and I completely understand your mistrust. But her car accident – I knew it wasn't an accident – despite all the other detectives telling me they were convinced. You have to believe me that I want justice for her as much as you do, I'm just as angry – just as destroyed-"

"If you really loved Paige... tell me what happened at Deadmen's Drop?" I never want to remember what I read in her diary. But I don't know how else to test if any of his feelings are real.

His eyes widen and for the first time a real emotion displays on his face. Pain. I swear even his eyes water just the slightest. He shakes his head. "How do you know about that?" he says – even his voice is layered thick with it.

That's when I choose to believe him. I've been reading about this 'C' character over and over. If Paige trusted him... can we? Or is it exactly that trust that ended with her dead?

"If we trust you, Tallon, will you help us figure it out?"

He seems shocked at my change of pace. But without hesitation, he nods sternly, trying to regain composure. "I will."

Sylv glares at me as if mentally communicating that I'm a stupid idiot.

Avalon seems to be confused who to look at let alone trust.

"You can call me Christopher."

.

.

.

That night, Avalon sleeps over. It's been a while since we've spent time together that wasn't solving some mystery.

We're laying in my room and I'm giving Avalon a henna tattoo. It's something we've always done together – doodled on each other's skin and painted each other's nails. Actually, Avalon, Paige and I had planned on getting matching tattoos on our wrists. Maybe we'll still get them one day.

When I finish Avalon's tattoo, we watch a few movies until the henna dries then go to bed. Avalon snores loudly beside me – but either way, I can't sleep.

I can't sleep knowing that Tallon is Christopher Tallon... is C. Tallon got Paige pregnant. And Tallon is claiming to have nothing to do with her death.

I told him I trust him – but do I?

Why would he have spent so much time helping us? Maybe to throw us off track? It's funny that now I realise he always calls me and all the other kids 'Miss Chosen', 'Mr Redpine', but he always called Paige just Paige.

I open up the file – which is sitting on my desk – while Avalon lays unbothered in my bed. Her snoring fades in and out as I focus on the file.

And Miss Chosen, there's something in that file I think you should see.

I never asked him what it is.

I read the file again, this time more slowly. Instead of scanning, I spend time reading over each word.

Then I find it. A bank statement that links the Ascott's to the private investigator they hired to stalk Paige. A bank statement demonstrating their payment.

The page over is another bank statement – this one is solely the Ascott's account and documents different payments the Ascott's have used this account to pay. Tallon has a sticky note up the top saying, "hidden account in small Greek island."

I read the account again. It's only made a few payments over the past decade. A couple to the private investigator. And one to Nathaniel and Esme Chosen.

The Ascotts made a payment to my parents.

__________

short chapter - sorry! but will be updating quick i promise :)

i hope this chapter wasn't confusing. it's pretty hard to know if you're making sense or not - because obviously in your own head you know exactly what's going on. let me know if this all made sense to you or not. 

love you,

aurora