CHAPTER 95

SOPHIE WULTZ

Tech traced the TFK emails best they could. Majority were sent from an anonymous email and a private VPN server, but one email—the second to last one that was sent—wasn't encoded, and we traced it to the Wultz home IP address. We found it unlikely Grant was sending emails to himself from two different accounts, so that was just another big arrow that pointed to Perla's culpability.

—Detective Hal Heinwright, Pasadena Police Department

Today they're releasing Dad from jail. Paul got the DA to dismiss the charges, and while we are probably going to be back in court, thanks to Bridget's litigious parents, it will be for a civil suit, and nothing that would put Dad back in jail.

I'm going to live stream his release and add it to the socials I set up in his name. Turns out, my dad is almost as famous as me. Apparently, he's hot, according to all the comments and fan clubs that have sprung up. He's not. He has gray hair already and farts if he eats ice cream. Also, according to Paul, he's a little beat up, but that's okay. It'll make for good footage.

I'm certain that as soon as we are away from the cameras and alone, he's going to lecture me on my lies to the cops and Neil McArthur. And yeah, I lied. I had to because Dad needed to get out of jail and I know Mom would have killed us because I was on the balcony the whole time, watching it happen. I saw her walking toward our bed with the knife and I saw my father stop her.

If he starts to get too self-righteous, I'll tell him that. I'll tell him that I lied because I had to. Just like he killed Mom because he had to.

We'll see what he has to say in response to that.

I don't blame him for it. I would have killed her too. I know it's easy for someone to say that, but even in my half-drugged state, I could understand the threat, and I also knew my mom—just like Dad did. If you kicked her down, stood in the way between her and something ... she'd raise HELL to destroy your life while completing the journey to her goal.

So he did what was needed to be done. But I couldn't have him locked away behind bars. He's too soft for that. There are no birds in prison.

He did what needed to be done, so I did the same.

I measured the side effects, then I made the decision and I lied.

Honestly, Mom would have been proud.