Page 150 of See You Again

“You buried her? How did you know where to go?”

“Matt. He was working for David’s company then. He knew they had bought property in the area, so he looked it up. My stuff from the dorm was in the back, so we used my blanket to move her. I didn’t know she’d stuck my vape in her pocket or that her necklace had come off in the car when I tried to kiss her.”

“You called your brother for help?” Cami was surprised.

Trey scoffed. “Yeah, right. No, I called my mother. She always knows how to handle everything. She sent Matt to help me.”

Cami knew she failed to hide the revulsion on her face when he said, “Everyone has the wrong idea about my mother. She’s had a hard life, and she’s always done everything she could to make sure we had better. She would do anything for us. I’d do anything for her.”

Trey’s eyes slitted and lowered the hand clutching the knife in front of him, pointing it at her. “I can’t let her down now. I can’t let that necklace and vape be the mistake that brings it all down.”

He took a few steps toward her, and she put her hands on her rolling chair, holding it in front of her. She had to keep him talking.

“Bring what down?”

Trey shook his head. “I know you’re dating James Bloom. The Blooms won’t be happy until they prove their dad was murdered. They’re out to get my mom.”

Cami’s breath caught at the admission, but she didn’t have time to think about it because he lunged for her, and she shoved the chair toward him. He caught it and threw it to the side as she caught the other chair, swinging it in front of her.

“It’s not too late,” she gasped. “You said it was an accident.”

Trey looked almost apologetic. “I don’t want to kill you. All the others were momentary lapses.”

“What others?” Cami swallowed hard as her eyes judged the distance to the door and her purse with the taser inside. She would have to turn her back to him, and he’d be on her in a second. She tried to calm her thoughts to think clearly.

Tears welled, but so did anger. She was so close to having everything she’d ever wanted.

If she wasn’t getting out of here, she would at least make sure that none of the cases the Crawfords left in their wake would go cold. She would get his confession on tape.

“Who else did you kill, Trey?” Cami’s voice was stronger than she expected. She was done cowering.

“That’s not important.” He took another step.

“You’re going to kill me anyway, right?” Trey blinked at her words. “Call it a last request. Like you said, you’re not a bad guy. Did you help your mother kill David Bloom?”

Trey looked shocked, and the hand with the knife relaxed a few degrees. She didn’t allow herself to look at the computer. She could only pray that it was still recording.

“You don't know what it's like.” Trey pursed his lips. “My mother doesn't take no for an answer, and she’s difficult to make happy. I didn't want to do all the things I did.” His faced scrunched in misery. “You’re the one making me do this. It’s your fault. If you hadn't talked so much about getting DNA on your podcast, she never would have heard about it. As soon as Mom heard, she was desperate to make sure the police never got any of our DNA.”

“She was worried you'd be implicated in a murder?”

Trey laughed. “She was worried because up until the Blooms revealed that Elliott Keller was either mine or Matt’s dad, she had convinced Chris Keller that she had never been sexually involved with Dr. Keller. She’d do anything to make him happy.”

Cami's mouth fell open as she remembered what James told her. “What did Chris think happened between them? He had to have known about his father’s affair with Courtney.”

“She told Chris that his dad, Dr. Keller was obsessed with her. He was. Most men are. My mother is an extraordinary woman.” Trey bragged. “She told Chris it was one sided. Chris is her chance to be loved. Like a fairy tale.”

Cami licked her lips. “I thought she was in love with David Bloom? Isn’t that why she went to all the trouble to marry him?”

Trey chuckled softly. “You don’t know anything. She fell in love with Chris as soon as she met him. She told me it was love at first sight for both of them. Mom wasn’t happy when she found out he’d hired two of her escorts and then got in a car accident, killing one. But she said she understood he was just trying to get her attention because of her relationship with David."

Pieces were falling into place. “The car accident she framed Declan for?”

He nodded.

“If she was in love with Chris, why did she blackmail David Bloom into marriage?”

Trey squinted at her. “Duh. She never intended to stay married to that old asshole for long. The plan was always for her and Chris to be together, but she wanted the money, too. It would have been great, but because of you, they had a huge fight when Chris found out I was Dr. Keller’s son, too.”