June 2018

Greyland, Seattle, Washington

Greyland Town Hall

Today marked the first official day of summer for the charming town of Greyland. The sun casted its golden rays upon the streets and bricked buildings that stood side by side. Stores and restaurants were buzzing with people from all backgrounds that chattered amongst themselves, smiles nearly plastered on every face. Many of them were gathered in town square excited to celebrate the season, but there were many others that worked, regardless of the town's festive behavior, especially in Greyland's illustrious town hall.

The town hall building stood tall over the rest of Greyland, standing out for its notably different Beaux-Arts architectural style, and the inside was no different. The floors were marbled and chandeliers hung from every ceiling. Only the most important people in town were allowed inside, and a normal townsperson would stand out like a sore thumb. Everyone wore professional tailored clothing and unlike the rest of the town, they wore the most serious and stoic expressions.

This only made Paige feel more out of place than she already was, quietly sitting inside the mayor's office and waiting for her arrival. She fiddled with her rings as she waited apprehensively, her eyes scanning the room that was filled with their accomplishments, finally landing on the gold plated plaque on the desk in front of her that was labeled "Mayor Moreau". She ran her hands over her nude brown halter top and her brown skirt that almost touched the middle of her calves. With every second, she was growing nervous and impatient, tapping her black heeled knee length boots on the expensive carpet. Her camera equipment sat beside her.

She nearly jumped out of her skin as her phone pinged beside her and she immediately picked it up, a text message appearing as she unlocked it with a quick tap. She smiled wryly as she read Donna and Charlie's texts.

Aunt Donna: Good luck with your meeting, sweetheart! Running a lot of errands today, so I won't be home until much later tonight. I love you so much!

Uncle Char: Hey Ladybug! I'm out with your Aunt, but I'll be at the museum around 7 or 7:30. Hope your meeting with the mayor goes well, but I don't doubt that you'll impress her, because you're YOU <3

But before she could even reply, she heard footsteps nearing the office, along with the sound of the mayor's voice. She quickly turned off her phone, stuffing it inside her equipment bag, and wiping her surprisingly clammy hands on her skirt. She stood up as the mayor opened the door, her attention focused on her assistant behind her.

"Also, don't forget to confirm Senator Clement's appointment for next week. I cannot reschedule for him again with the museum's seasonal opening coming up." She said in a clear voice.

Her jet black hair was gelled into a tight bun, wearing an all black blazer and knee length skirt that fit like it was made for her. The fabric looked much more expensive than anything Paige has ever worn in her entire life. The carpeted floor of her office muffled the clicks of her glossy black heels, as she continued to speak.

"If he forgets to meet with me again, the only opening I have is in August."

"Very well." Her assistant said, typing away on her tablet." Do you want me to send him the automated email or would you like for me to speak with him?"

The mayor finally locked eyes with Paige, greeting her with a comforting smile with a firm nod, as she turned to speak to her assistant again. "Calling him is much more effective, the man is almost eighty years old," She turned to Paige quickly putting a hand over mouth as she muttered. "Hence why he keeps forgetting things..."

Her comment earned a short laugh from Paige as she waited. Her assistant was too busy with her device to catch on."Okay, no problem! I'll get right on that." She said with a quick nod, as she swiftly left the room. She clicked against the marbled flooring of the hallway and she called out to the mayor.

"Ring me up if you need anything."

"Will do." The mayor answered.

She shut the door, and turned to look at Paige. "You're early! That's good." She said with a smile, walking up to Paige, and shaking her hand firmly. "I wouldn't miss this for the world, Mayor Moreau."

"Oh, please, call me Sylvie!" Moreau waved a dismissive hand. "I've known your Aunt and Uncle for ages. There's no need for the formalities."

"Well, my Aunt always told me to be respectful, nonetheless." Paige gave her a light shrug with a smile.

"And I appreciate it!" She said, making her way over to the lounge section of her pristine office. The plush black couches stood out against the light pigments in the room, and she gently sat down.

"I'm sorry that I kept you waiting. Hopefully you didn't have to wait long..." Moreau apologized as she smoothed out her pencil skirt.

"It's fine, I know you're a very busy woman! She responded with reassurance. "Especially nowadays with all the seasonal openings in the square."

The mayor gave her a small sigh, sitting back against the couch cushions. "At least you realize how stacked my schedule is."

Paige raised a brow at her. "Are you referring to Senator Clement?"

Moreau gave her a sly grin. "...If I was... would you snitch on me?"

"Not at all!" Paige put up her hands in defense. They both shared a quick laugh.

"That old fart can barely use a flip phone, let alone send an email. But he's a sweet man, so I put up with it." She admitted.

"Thank God for his tech team, or he wouldn't get a single thing done."

She soon realized that Paige had been standing up this entire time.

"Please, sit down. Get comfy!" She urged, gesturing to the plush chair beside her.

"Oh!" Paige perked up, with an awkward laugh. She grabbed her equipment bag at the desk and placed it next to the sofa chair. "Thanks." She nodded to her as she quickly sat down.

Moreau gave her a comforting smile. "Of course! I'm just happy to finally meet the camerawoman that Donna keeps bragging about." She complimented. "By the way, I saw the short films that you sent me. And when I say that I saw them, I mean it."

Paige laughed, as she continued.

"My assistant usually interacts with the documents that are sent to me, but I insisted that she let me see yours first-hand." She said proudly.

"Well, I appreciate that!" Paige replied with raised brows.

"There's something very familiar about them, almost comforting. And that's what I feel like this documentary needs. Something that shows just how beautiful and welcoming this town really is." She spoke earnestly, Paige listening to every word.

Paige smiled. "That means a lot. Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

Moreau smiled as she looked out of the window with a wistful expression. "This town just means so much to me. My family has been involved in the political aspects of it for nearly five decades."

"Wow, that's... something." Paige responded, clearly impressed.

"Certainly." Moreau turned back to her, her mouth forming into a small smile. "I just want to do it justice. And it appears that I've finally found someone that shares the same amount of passion as me." She sent Paige an understanding look.

"Greyland has been nothing but good to me. Not only is it a beautiful town, but the people, the energy... it's almost contagious." Paige stated.

"Hm, I like how you put that!" Moreau smirked.

"Seems like you and I are going to get along very well!" She predicted, earning a light chuckle from Paige.

"Well, I sure hope so!" She agreed, going into her equipment bag and pulling out a small notepad, with a pen. "So, is there anything that you really need to be in the film? Like any mandatory shots, landmarks, information that's required?" She questioned, filling to an empty page.

"Just the well-known buildings." She answered.

"Townhall, of course, the museum, the library, the market square, the planetarium..." She advised as Paige scribbled.

"Got it." She said, looking up as she finished writing. "What about the voiceover? Do you have anybody in mind? Maybe a professional-"

"I was thinking you could do it?" Moreau interrupted, getting a look of surprise from Paige.

"...You know, since we're mainly going by your direction and all." She elaborated.

"Um...wow." Paige finally responded, rapidly blinking as she processed what she said.

Moreau sat up straighter, immediately trying to assure her. "I mean, if you're okay with that! If you don't want to, I have a few people in mind-

"I'd be honored." Paige stammered.

"Sorry, for cutting you off." She laughed nervously.

"It's really not a problem!" Moreau grinned earnestly. "I just want to give you as much creative freedom as you need."

Moreau let out an exasperated sigh,

"Besides, I don't want any big headed famous outsiders messing this up."

"It's better to keep it inside the circle, you know?"

"Oh, I definitely get it!" Paige began. "It starts off as a feel-good project and then before you know it, someone's trying to make money off it."

Moreau shook her head in disappointment. "Greed can be a powerful thing, Paige. Trust me, I know from all the horrible politicians I've come in contact with."

Moreau gave her a serious look, as she leaned forward. "A little advice? As promising as an offer may seem, try to think about what you'd be giving up first." She suggested.

"If it's worth it, then go ahead! I can't stop you." She shrugged, with a carefree expression as she settled back.

"But if it's something that you care about, or if the outcome just isn't something that you can live with, then just leave it. It's not worth it."

Paige was caught off guard by the sudden change, something about felt like a warning. "...Yeah. Got it." She stared back at the mayor with wide eyes.

Then, Moreau suddenly gave her a quick laugh. "Sorry! I got pretty deep there!" She exclaimed.

"This was supposed to be an exciting conversation. Didn't mean to get all 'wise' on you!" She expressed.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"No! You're okay!" Paige quickly waved a hand at her. That was some good advice."

"Good to know that my expertise is having an impact on you." Moreau joked, and they both shared a giggle.

The mayor opened her mouth to speak again when her office door swung open, revealing her distraught assistant. The mayor snapped her head to look at her, raising her brows.

"You okay, Jenny?" She asked cautiously, exchanging a glance with Paige before looking back at her assistant. Jenny reveals the company phone in her hand with a heavy sigh, covering the speaker.

"Clement is on the phone, and he's telling one of his stories again. And the event decorators are nearly killing themselves trying to hang the damn streamers." She gritted.

Moreau let out a laugh, as she stood up and walked over to her, putting her hand out with a smirk. "I got the geezer, you just make sure that none of the decorators end up in the ER."

"You're a godsend." Jenny breathed out and she whipped around back to the hallway, nearly sprinting as she tapped on her Bluetooth. "Hold on! I'm coming back! Just...tell that idiot not to hang himself!"

Moreau covered the speaker with her hand as she looked at Paige apologetically. "Sorry, I have to wrap this up pretty early."

"Oh, no! It's okay!" She said, "You go ahead and do your thing. We can talk whenever you're available." Paige gave her a quick smile as she grabbed her equipment bag, and headed for the door.

"Thanks so much for understanding." Moreau

Just then, muffled, incoherent speaking comes from the company phone in Moreau's hand. She puts up a finger to Paige, mouthing "One minute", to her as she put the phone to her ear. "Hello, Senator Clement! Just give me a few minutes, I'm finishing up a meeting-"

"Yes, sir. Yes. Okay, thank you. It will only be a few."

She huffed and quickly rolled her eyes, as she took the phone from her ear.

"We'll continue this another time. But for now, if you need more information on Greyland's history, I suggest hitting up the library whenever you get the chance."

"Sure thing! I'll make sure to do that!" She nodded happily.

"Oh, also!" Moreau called after her, causing her to stop. "You're always welcome to come in and check the archives downstairs too. My assistant pretty much knows who you are, so she can let you in, if I'm not around." She informed.

"That's a lot of trust you're putting in me..."

Moreau chuckled. "Well, I'm already trusting you with my number one passion project, so why not go the extra mile?"

Paige opened her mouth to say something but the mayor stopped her with a hand. "That was rhetorical, of course."

"Gotcha." She said awkwardly.

"But, honestly, I want you to have as much information as you need for you to knock this thing out of the park!" She said with complete confidence.

Paige smiled brightly. "Understood."

"Now, I've gotta take this before he hangs up on me. But, it was great talking to you!" Moreau said in a rushed tone.

"You too!" Paige agreed and they both silently waved each goodbye, as Moreau put the phone to her ear once more.

"Okay, Senator Clement. I'm back."

"Yes, I wanted to confirm your appointment with me..."

Paige could barely contain her excitement as she closed the door to the mayor's office, a smile crept on to her lips, spreading wider and wider as she walked down the corridor.

She had just met the mayor. She knows the mayor. Personally. The most distinguished -and most likely the most powerful - woman in Greyland knows her name.

Those words were stamped in her mind, playing on a constant loop as she continued to walk out of the building with much more confidence than what she came in with. Something told her that this was probably going to be one of the best summers that she's had in ages. For a moment, it finally felt like everything was coming together, especially now that she's gotten on the mayor's radar.

The sunny weather only added to contentment as rays of gold spilled onto every brick and cobblestone that made this town what it is, full of life and bursting with opportunity. Her steps quickened as she reached the parking area, her only focus now being to find her car, which didn't take very long since the outdated model stood out like a sore thumb compared to the other more advanced and expensive cars that occupied most of the spaces.

"Paige!"

Getting the keys from her bag, her head immediately snapped up, as a familiar voice called her from across the street.

A bright smile spread across her face as she noticed Terrance quickly jogging over to her with a crate full of books in his hands. "Well, if it isn't my most favorite librarian in town!" She greeted him with a playful bow of her head.

He chuckled, matching her radiant smile with his own. He finally made his way over, and sat the crate on the ground beside him. "More like, library assistant." He said with a small grin. "Still haven't schmoozed up the big man enough for a promotion."

"Bummer, I thought you were the master of schmoozing..." She smirked, leaning against her car.

"I'm starting to think you're on your way to passing me, Ms. Meeting-with-the-Mayor."

Paige let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. "Lou told you, I'm guessing?"

"That boy tells everything...." He rolled his eyes with a light sigh. "You could tell him something and not even five seconds later, he's telling the whole goddamn country!"

"Classic Louis..." She said, "Gotta love him."

"So," Paige began with a smile, as she turned to face him, drumming her fingernails on the hood of the car. "To what do I owe the pleasure of being visited by the famous Terrence Nicks?" Terrance laughed once more, and Paige could've sworn that she saw him blushing for a second. He walked closer, facing her, and leaned his elbow on the car as he answered her with an intriguing smile.

"Sadly, I didn't originally come out here to see you and ask you how your meeting went. Which I'm assuming went well..." He said with a knowing look. "It did." She nearly answered in a sing-song voice, as she gestured for him to continue.

"It's a mere coincidence that you came out to the parking lot, while I was delivering these bad boys to that creepy archivist in town hall." He said, pointing to the large crate of books behind him.

"Oh yeah!" Paige perked up. "I've heard plenty about him from Aunt Donna. Isn't his name Lester or something?"

Terrance visibly shuddered. "Just you mentioning his name sends chills down my back. Paige rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Oh, come on, Terry! He can't be that bad off! Aunt Donna says that he's a very sweet man."

Terrance raised an eyebrow at her. "You and I both know that Mrs. D is known for being nice, maybe even a little too nice sometimes."

"Meaning?" Paige gave him an amused side-eyed glance.

"Meaning, that her opinion of him isn't exactly... honest. It's sugarcoated at the very least." Paige scoffed as he continued.

"I'm telling you! I've seen it with my own eyes." He squeaked. "If the Addams family had a long lost cousin, it would surely be him and his weird ass cat!" He rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"So, there's a cat in the mix too?" She asked, trying not to hold in her laugh, a goofy grin was plastered on her face as she listened to him.

His expression darkened as he answered. "Her name is Myrtle, and she can smell fear and bullshit from a mile away."

And with that, Paige immediately bursted into laughter. He just stood there visibly annoyed. He had to admit, her laughs were pretty contagious and he tried extremely hard not to crack a smile as he caught glimpses of her cackling. "Are you done?" He asked with a raised brow.

"I'm sorry!" She said, trying to catch her breath. "I'm sorry it's just-" She let out an amused sigh. "You and your extreme fear of cats? You have to get over that someday." She finally stated with a winded tone.

Terrance gave her a thin lined grin, "Yeah, I don't think that'll be happening anytime soon."

"Also, if Lester offers you any food, just say no." Paige looked at him with confusion, as he motioned for her to closer, speaking in a very low whisper. "He'll most likely just feed you cat treats."

Paige looked at him in slight disgust. "Gotcha." She said quickly.

He then pushed himself off the car with a huff. "But as much as I'd like to bask in the presence of your greatness-"

"Just because I met the mayor doesn't mean that I'm a celebrity, Terry." She rolled her eyes, turning her head away from him as she hid her blushing face.

He shrugged smugly as he spoke. "Hey, you never know! You meeting Moreau, could open a shit ton of doors for you! Next thing, you know you'll be directing the next big blockbuster."

He earned a giggle from her, causing him to crack a smile. "It was nice talking with you," He said as he walked over to the large crate and picked it up with a small grunt. "Now, I have to go and face my fears, for the third time this week!"

"Hopefully, Myrtle's asleep and I'll live to see another day..." He said with a forced smile. "Don't worry, I'll pray that the God of felines cuts you some slack!" She says dramatically, clasping her hands in prayer.

"Your support is much appreciated." He nodded to her with a smile as he walked past her and towards the town hall building.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Paige called after him, and he quickly turned around to look at her as she speedily walked over to him, taking her small notepad with her.

"I made a list of the things at Moreau wanted me to cover for the documentary." She quickly flipped to the page and showed him. "Could you maybe look it over and see if you have anything on the shelves that could help?" He slightly squints his eyes and scans the list.

Paige notices how close she is to him, looking over every feature of his face, as he mumbled the words written on the sheet of paper. He was focused on every letter, his eyes quickly moving from left to right as he continued to read.

He finally turned to her, sharing the same bashful smile that spread across her lips as he realized the closeness between them. "So, what do you make of it?" She asked, their eyes still locked on one another. "Yeah, I'll see what I can do." He smirked, subtly looking her up and down as he began to walk away.

"Can you come by in a few hours?" He asked, nodding towards the library behind them across the street. Paige gave him an apologetic look and shook her head. "Not today. I've gotta swing by Lou and Danny's apartment and it's straight to the museum after that."

He gives her a quick smile and a shrug. "Hey, it's cool. I'll just... reserve them for you."

Paige gave him a suspicious look. "Does 'reserving' them just mean that you'll sneak them off the shelves and throw them in your trunk so no one can get their hands on them?"

"Mmmm...yes?" He answered with a silly grin. "And do not tell my boss, because he'll kick my ass for showing favoritism towards customers!"

She sighed, pretending to be disappointed as she played along. "I should've known with how you just conjure up crates full of Optimo comics for Randy." She wiggled her fingers in the air as she spoke.

"Hey, you'd get him those comics too, if you knew just how much of a badass Optimo was! He's like the top superhero, in my opinion."

"Well, since you said that, now I have to snag some of those comics from Randy." She said with a small smile.

"No need! You can use mine. Unless, you want some of your own, which I can definitely do for a very small price." He stated with a sneaky grin.

Paige looked at him with amusement. "If this very small price, is a date-"

"It might be...if you say yes." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her laugh and cross her arms. "Oh, Terrance," She sighed. "Your flirtatious ways never cease to amaze me."

She thought it over for a second, and snapped her fingers. "Okay!" She looked at him with an evil grin.

"What?" Terrance chuckled nervously as he anticipated her answer. "If you survive Lester and Myrtle, for an entire week," With those words, Terrance's shoulders fell and his head hung low, a groan erupting from him. "Maybe, I'll think about going on a date with you." She finished.

"You'll think about it?!" He asked with defeat in his voice. "I'll consider it." She shrugged, trying to hold in another laugh.

"I could die. Matter of fact, I will die. Possibly a very tragic and terrifying death, and it will be your fault!" He said fearfully.

"You'll be fine, I promise." She reassured him as she turned around and walked to her car, grabbing her keys off of the hood. "Fine..." He groaned, dragging his feet to the town hall building.

"Byeee Terranceee." She called after him in a sing-song voice.

"Goodbye, forever." He said back. She shook her head with a laugh, finally getting inside the car and shutting the door.

She leaned back into her seat with a content sigh as she flipped on the air conditioning, finally being able to relieve herself from the summer weather. She could feel the nerves, stress and the anticipation from meeting the mayor wash away. That was one less thing that she had to worry about. Her feelings of uneasiness had been at an all time high the last few days, especially after finding out that Donna and Charlie have been keeping things from her.

Her mind was spinning with questions. Questions that no one around had the answers to.

The deafening silence only made her think and obsess more and more. It was almost clawing at her brain. She could barely sleep with how much those words stayed with her, clinging to every inch of her. Day to night. Hour to hour. Every minute. Every second. It kept repeating over and over.

Nevada.

Nadia.

Finn.

SIRE.

Reyna.

Then, a thought crossed her mind, and it made her jaw clench. She knew what she had to do.

And it was something that she had done before, but thinking about it filled her with anxiety and guilt nevertheless.

But, the situation was perfect. Donna and Charlie were out of the house and they wouldn't be back until hours later. This was the only window of opportunity she had, and if she didn't take it, she wasn't going to get another for a while.

She had to sneak into Charlie's office.

It's always locked up tight and secure, so there has to be something important inside. There has to be.

So she didn't waste any time stalling and avoiding it any longer than she had to. She went straight home. The guilt from just thinking of intruding a place so special to Charlie was eating her up inside, but she was too convinced to back out now. All of her focus was set on getting into that office, even if she had to kick the door down. But luckily she didn't have to, because she knew where Charlie hid the key.

The entire drive home was nothing but a blur, and before she even realized it, she was unlocking the front door, entering a vacant house. She had almost wished that she had seen Donna's car in the driveway, or heard Charlie's voice in the garage as he continuously fixed his desk that was probably far from redemption. At this point, she had no clue if fate was working for her or against her.

"Let's just get this over with." She thought, as she quickly went upstairs to Donna and Charlie's bedroom and swiped his office key from under the mattress. The dark brown wooden door waited for her in the hallway, almost taunting and teasing her as she walked up to it, gripping the key so tight that it left marks in the palm of her hand. She swiftly opened the door, and went into the office and locked the door behind her.

Switching on the light, her eyes were fixed to the familiar space. Bookshelves nearly covered each wall. A wooden desk that shared the same texture as the door stood in the very center of the room, and it was the only part of the room that had a small rug below it.

The smell of wood almost brought her comfort, until she remembered why she was there in the first place. She carefully slid off her boots, placing them beside the entrance and made her way to the desk. She hesitantly sat down in the large leather rolling chair and the double monitor computer in front of her immediately turned on, with the words "Welcome, Charlie." displaying on the screen.

The computer was just doing its job, but it made her feel like a fraud. With a sigh, she tapped on the space bar and input the password that she knew like the back of her hand, typing in the numbers, "0717". The day that Donna and Charlie wed. And from what they told Paige, "the happiest day of their lives". But all she could remember was that argument.

If she never heard it, she would've noticed how much it put a strain on their relationship for the last few days. The awkward silences at the dinner table. How they barely spoke to one another. They even acted differently towards her. Donna was a lot more distant, like she had something to hide. Charlie tried to spend more time with her, maybe it was because he wanted to make up for her aunt's absence. Or maybe it was because he was just as guilty as she was.

Remembering the names that burned in every crevice of her brain, she searched every file in the computer, every email that was sent and received. She even searched every file in his harddrive and in his several labeled flash drives that he keeps on his desk.

But she came up with nothing. Two hours had passed, and she found absolutely nothing. Just files and emails about the museum, and about the seasonal openings around Greyland.

Paige sat there staring at the home screen, defeated. Contemplating whether or not she should stop her searching altogether, act like nothing ever happened. Maybe all of this wasn't as much of a big deal as she thought it was. Maybe this was a sign.

To be completely honest, she was almost relieved that she had found nothing. She didn't want to think of her aunt and uncle differently. She loved them, dearly. And she knew that they loved her.

With a heavy sigh, she stood up from the desk. But an accidental swipe of her hand made contact with Charlie's harddrives and the stack tumbled off the desk and onto the floor with a thumb. Thankfully, the harddrives made contact with the soft rug beneath the desk and she let out a quick sigh of relief.

She kneeled down, pushing the chair out of her way and began to gather the harddrives from the floor, until something caught her eye. A key. Duct taped under the desk. Her brows creased in curiosity as she went to grab it, peeling the tape back slightly, catching it with her hand as it dropped.

The only slot for a key that she saw was for one the desk drawers. "Please open up. Please open up." She begged quietly as she inserted the key. Her breath caught in her throat as she turned it and heard a click. Her eyes widened in anticipation as she opened the drawer, swiftly pulling it out to reveal stacks of papers, documents and envelopes. Holy shit. Did she find something? Did she actually manage to do it?

She pulled out a stack of envelopes at the very front, held tightly with a sturdy band around it. She read the sender's address:

U.S Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

935 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,

Washington, DC

The FBI? "Why in the hell would Charlie get letters from the FBI?" She muttered, her face riddled with concern. But then she looked down at the stack of letters. The envelope behind it was the same. "U.S Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation".

And then the envelope behind that one. "U.S Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation".

She checked every single letter in the stack. Each one was sent by the FBI, and we're all addressed to her uncle. She wasted no time, and flipped open the already torn envelope and got to the single sheet of paper inside.

But there was only one thing there, a printed image of a check. Paige could tell that the check has been scanned by a printer. She read over the cursive handwriting that clearly didn't belong to either Donna or Charlie, but someone by the name of "Selene Krueger".

Another name that she probably needed to remember. But, that wasn't the only thing that caught her eye. It was the amount. Over twelve thousand dollars. And it was sent recently, almost a month ago.

"What the hell?" She whispered to herself, in complete shock as scanned the words and numbers over and over. She finally put the envelope down and got to the next one. And the next one. And the next one.

All of them were scanned checks. All of them were signed by "Selene Krueger". All of them were at least over ten thousand dollars, and Charlie got them twice a month. Every two weeks.

What was happening? Who was this "Selene Krueger" and why was she sending ten thousand dollars twice a month? Donna probably knew about it. She had to know about it. Was she getting checks from this "Selene Krueger" too?

Why was he getting letters from the Federal Government in the first place? Assuming that since they sent thousands of dollars, they probably weren't doing anything to aggravate them. Shit. She thought she was confused before, but now she has even more questions.

She jumped at the sound of her phone buzzing and she finally realized what time it was. It was six o'clock. She huffed, in annoyance. She didn't have enough time to go to Louis and Danny's apartment. She opened her phone and began to text Louis.

Paige:

Hey, lost track of time. I won't be able to make it today.

Louis:

Awww:(

I had a cool ass surprise for you and everything ಥ⁠╭⁠╮⁠ಥ

Paige:

I knowww, I'm sorry that I stood you up :(

Louis:

Despite your absence and bcuz you are a very lovely friend to me, I guess I'll let it slide THIS TIME.

Louis:

Just come over whenever you're not busy (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

Paige:

You're my favorite <3 (Do NOT tell Danny or Anna that◉⁠‿⁠◉)

Louis:

The serial killer smile? Really?

Paige:

I'm serious Louis ʘ⁠‿⁠ʘ

Louis:

Please don't kill me. I love you very much. :⁠,⁠-⁠)

Paige:

I won't kill you. I promise. ONLY because I think that you're the cutest squirrel I've ever met <3

Louis:.

... You're on very thin ice, Ashton ◉⁠‿⁠◉

Paige turned her phone off with a grin and cleaned up the mess she made in Charlie's office. She had to mak

e sure that nothing was out of place, or else he might suspect something.

She placed the key to the desk drawer back under the small piece of duct tape underneath the desk and placed his office key back under his bed. It looked like that was all the information that she was going to find for now. But, she was just glad it was over, and she was out of that office.

She could finally breathe. For now, at least.