Page 6 of The Girl and the Lies

I shudder. “That’s not a pleasant thought.”

“Not particularly,” he says.

I bring everything into my office and put them down, then join Sam in the kitchen. He’s at the sink washing pans I’m sure once held leftovers that never saw the light of day again. I try not to mourn the loss of whatever it was and drop down into one of the chairs at the table.

“How did it go?” he asks.

I tell him about the donation and the threats against the hospital.

“Remember when Terrence’s friends told me that he suddenly started selling off just about everything he owned not too long before he died?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Sam says.

“I think that’s what funded the donation. That’s why he did it. For some reason, the Game Master required him to make that donation, and he had to sell everything he possibly could to get enough money together to do it,” I say.

“But why would this guy want Brooks to donate to the children’s hospital after threatening them?” Sam asks.

“I don’t know. The name that he chose for himself clearly shows that he thinks of this as a game. But it’s not making any sense. I don’t understand why someone would target a youth church leader whom everyone seemed to love and force him to make a donation to a hospital before killing himself. Though I’m still torn about whether his death was really the intended end or if it just turned out that way because no one found him,” I say. “That symbol showing up is important. He didn’t just do these things to the person he chose, he’s forcing people to recognize that it was done because of him. He wants people to know the pieces of the game, but not really know what’s going on.”

“He’s not telling anybody the rules,” Sam says.

“Something like that.” I let out a sigh. “I’m going to put on something more comfortable.”

“You’re putting on pajamas already?” he asks.

There’s something suspicious in his voice, and I’m not sure what to think about it.

“I was just going to throw on some leggings and a tank top,” I tell him. “I don’t want to be in my work clothes anymore. What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” he says. “I just thought it was a little early for you to already be packing it in.”

“No,” I tell him. “The children didn’t exhaust me that much.”

“Good to hear.”

I go up to the bedroom and change into a more comfortable, cooler outfit and put my hair into a ponytail to get it off my neck. Feeling a bit more refreshed, I head back down the stairs. I’ve just gotten into the living room where Sam has taken up residence on his favorite chair when I hear a knock on the front door. I look at Sam quizzically.

“Are you expecting someone?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Must be the food.”

“The food?” I ask, heading toward the door. “Since when does the Thai place deliver?”

I peer through the peephole and am confused when I see Eric standing on the porch with two large, brown paper bags in his hands. Throwing the dead bolt out of place, I open the door and look out at him.

“Hey,” I say. “What are you doing?”

He lifts the bags. “Dinner delivery. Tell Xavier they threw in some extra peanut sauce for him.”

“Xavier isn’t here,” I say, starting to feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t know something.

“He isn’t?” Eric asks, trying to sound genuinely befuddled but coming across like a bad actor. “That’s strange. Well, I guess we’re just going to have to bring it over to him.”

“We are?” I ask. I look back at Sam. “Are Xavier and Dean in town? I thought they were still in Harlan.”

Sam shrugs. “I guess we’ll just have to go find out. Put your shoes on. We’ll take a walk over there.”

I go put my shoes on, curious about what these two have up their sleeves. Eric doesn’t just show up at the house, especially without Bellamy and Bebe. It’s not that he’s not welcome to come whenever he wants; it’s that the drive and their careers keep them from just popping by spontaneously. There are always calls and plans involved when they are coming to visit, and we don’t have anything set for at least a few weeks.

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