The next few days went by in a flurry of activity. Cameron and his friends who Andra had yet to meet continued to gather the equipment they would need. They had been intrigued by the idea of filming what was occurring in the house. Cameron had told them as long as they kept it quiet they would be allowed to tag along. It was a win-win because Cameron had no idea how to operate half the equipment they were bringing.

For Andra's part, she went over everything they knew about Savannah and her death. She wanted to make sure that when she presented it to her audience that every detail was correct. She wanted to do Savannah justice. Neither Andra nor Cameron had spoken about what she had found after that afternoon. 

The day of the actual live stream dawned cloudy and grey. There were large angry-looking clouds just over the horizon but moving slowly.  Andra found it very fitting. There had been a storm the night Savannah had died. Checking the sky one last time Andra started down the stairs. Cameron should be here any second. She had made sure to tell him to wait on her in the driveway. She had one last thing to do before they left.

Denise was at the kitchen table. There was a small cup of coffee at her elbow. Her hair had been pulled up in a bun and she wore her glasses. Her head was bent over a small pile of what looked like billing statements.

"Can we talk momma?"

"Sure. I need a break anyway." She said standing and going to the refrigerator to grab a water bottle. "I hate this time of the month. Everything due at once. What's up?"

"I was just wondering why you lied to me."

"Andra Elizabeth what are you talking about?" she asked slamming the door with a look of confusion on her face.

"You told me about the last conversation you and Savannah ever had. You said she told you she couldn't trust her best friends but that wasn't right was it, momma? She told you about her mother that night. About Gloria and the Colonel. Gloria and Paul, your father. She came to tell you that they killed Donald and you turned her away."

Denise stood there staring at her daughter as if seeing her for the first time. "Andra how could you possibly know that?" 

"We came across some things while we were researching Savannah. Did you know she wrote about you in her diary? She wrote about him too." Andra finished in a scornful tone throwing the picture she had found online onto the table. In the picture, Paul stood with his hand on the shoulder of a teenage girl. That girl was Denise. "I found this picture of the two of you at Savannah's memorial service. They called him the Colonel. Why?"

Her mother crossed the room slowly and sat down hard at the kitchen table. It looked as if the strength had gone out of her legs completely. 

"He was in the military for quite a few years," she said in a voice so quiet that Andra almost didn't hear her. "He received a medical discharge after he injured his back on active duty. The colonel was a nickname his employees gave him because he ran the store like he was still in the military." 

"Mom please explain to me how you could have known that he did this and kept it quiet for all these years. I want to understand."

Denise looked up her eyes meeting her daughter's. Her voice pleading.  "I had suspicions that he was cheating. I think my mom did too but there was no proof. My mother knew she was dying I'm not sure she would have confronted him if she could have proved it. Even with my suspicions about him what Savannah was saying was so outrageous. I just couldn't believe that he would have been involved in an actual murder. I thought she was crazy. "Denise wiped the tears from her cheeks that fell freely now.

"You figured it out though didn't you? That's the reason that you had her meet you at the Bluffs that night."

"I didn't believe Savannah at first but I couldn't get it out of my head. I started watching him. Following him. She was right. They were meeting up in different places. I followed him to her house more than once while Donald was at work and Savannah was at school. I even overheard them on the phone one night."

 "Gloria had called the house which was unusual. He told me it was a work thing and he would take it to his office. When he told me to hang up the phone I only pretended to. We had landlines back then so eavesdropping wasn't difficult. He was furious with her for calling him at home but she was freaking out. People were still making comments about how healthy Donald had been and how odd his death was. They had made her completely paranoid. He told her that he'd drop in and see her later but that she needed to calm down. As long as she stayed calm then no one would ever suspect them. He said he had already disposed of the pills. There was no other evidence and a clean toxicology report and that as long as she kept her mouth shut they were home free."

"So you heard him confessing to murder? What did you do?"

"I didn't know what to do. Tara was so sick. She couldn't take the strain of what he had done and I didn't want to burden her with it."

"So you went back to tell Savannah?"

Denise nodded. "I saw her at the diner one night but I was afraid to approach her. I had been so dismissive of her. I didn't know if she even wanted to talk to me. I stayed in the back of the restaurant and when she went to the bathroom I left a note for her to meet me tucked into her diary. I didn't sign it. I was afraid she wouldn't show up if she knew who wanted to see her."

"What did you tell her that night?"

"Everything. I told her everything. She wanted me to come with her to the police. To tell them what I knew. She said they would have to exhume her dad's body or at least question them. When I told her I couldn't she was furious. We fought about it. I tried to explain but she wasn't hearing it. It was the last time I saw her alive."

Denise broke down into ragged sobs holding her head in her hands. "I killed her."

"Your father killed her."

"No, you don't understand. It's my fault. Before I left for the party that night my dad came home. Tara had been having one of her good days so a friend of hers had taken her out to one of her favorite restaurants. It was the first time I had been alone with my dad since I came home from college."

"I confronted him about Gloria. Not about the pills but I did tell him I knew about the affair. He lost it on me. I was so angry I just started screaming at him. I wasn't even thinking when I told him that Savannah knew too. When I saw his face I knew I had messed up. He stormed out and didn't come back until 2 am. When I heard about Savannah the next day I knew it was him but what was I supposed to do?"

Andra laughed angrily. "You were supposed to help her. She came to you. She trusted you and you served her up to him on a silver platter. He killed her father and he very likely killed her and you knew it. You never said a word. For what? To keep your own life from changing? What was your excuse after your mother died? There was no one to protect then and you still didn't come forward. Why momma?" Her voice started to rise as she finished frustration and fear driving her. She didn't know how it was possible that the woman who had raised her who she loved so dearly could have let this happen to another human being.

Denise weeping openly now pleaded with her daughter to understand. "Andra I didn't feel like I had a choice. He had already murdered two people. I was scared of what he might do if I told. I was a coward absolutely but she was dead and I didn't want to end up like her."

Her last words cut Andra like a knife. It wasn't that she didn't understand but the picture she had of her mother as a courageous selfless person had forever been marred by the things Andra had learned. Without a word Andra stood and headed for the door."

"Andra where are you going?"

"I told you, momma. I have plans and to be honest, I'm not sure if I can look at you right now." Andra's voice cracked on the last word. She started for the front door with her mother calling after her. Jerking the door open she began to run. Her vision was blurred from the unshed tears threatening to spill over at any second. She saw Cameron parked behind her and she made a beeline for his car and the safety it promised.

"Are you ok?" he asked as she slid into the passenger seat. "No. Just drive please." 

As he backed into the street Andra saw Denise standing on the front porch watching them. Without a word, Andra pulled out her phone and hit Conrad's number. 

"Hi, Andra. How are you?"

"I've been better. Look I don't have long to talk. Cameron and I are on our way to try to take care of a few last-minute details. I only called because I know who did it. I know who killed Donald and Savannah. It was my grandfather. Paul Benson."

"You're sure?"

"As sure as I can be. He was seeing Savannah's mother while his wife was sick with cancer. He killed Donald and Savannah found out. She was planning on calling you the weekend she died."

"He wasn't even on our radar. How did you put it together?"

"Do you trust me, Conrad?"

"I do."

"I have to do something tonight. I can't explain without sounding like I've lost my mind so I just need you to trust me one more time. I'm going to send you the link to something Cameron and I have been working on for a while now. If it goes like I think it will all shall be revealed as they say."

"What do you have planned Andra?" 

"Once we're done tonight feel free to turn everything we've found over to the proper authorities. I've made copies of all our notes and findings and they should arrive in your email tonight. I don't know if anything can be done considering he's already passed away but maybe you can find a way to set the record straight for her. Thanks for everything Conrad."

"Andra-" he started but she had already disconnected. She started to put her phone away and then thought better of it instead pressing the power button. As soon as the screen went dark she tossed it onto the backseat and leaned back against the headrest. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Not really." She said turning to look at him. "But I will be. Soon."

She could see the concern on his face and knew he was worried for her. She was worried too but all she could do now was pray that they would be able to finish this. As they topped the next hill she could just see the roof of the big house through the trees. Andra felt her heart begin to race. 

"Are you ready?" Cameron asked. 

"No, but we're gonna do it anyway. Let's finish this."