Page 53 of Always Us

13

JADE

“Your grandfather was here?” I ask Garret. “Last week?”

“Jade, we need to talk about Carson.” He takes my hand and pulls me inside, locking the sliding door behind us. “Was he here when you got home?”

“No. I was lying on the beach and he just showed up. He knows too much, Garret. You have to tell your dad.”

“I will, but I might have to fly out there to tell him. I don’t think I should talk to him over the phone about this, just in case someone’s listening in.”

“You better tell him soon. Carson’s got other people helping him. That Hanniford guy is wealthy and powerful. He could do real damage to your family.”

“He won’t. They don’t have proof of anything. They just have theories.” Garret goes in the hall closet and takes out a thing that looks like a silver wand. “Was Carson in the house?”

“No. Why?”

Garret runs the wand thing over the furniture, making his way around the room. “You sure he didn’t break in before you got home?”

“I don’t think so. Nothing looked out of place.” I point to the wand. “What is that thing?”

“It checks for listening devices.”

“Where did you get it?”

“I don’t remember. I just had it.”

It’s a lie. I can tell because he’s talking fast and won’t look at me. I get in front of him as he wands the door to the deck.

“Garret, stop.” I put my hand on his arm. “Tell me the truth.”

“I told you, I can’t remember where I got it. I probably bought it online.”

“I’m not talking about the wand thing. I want to know about your grandfather. Was he here last week?”

I look directly at Garret, but he avoids my gaze, his eyes on the glass door just behind me.

“Garret. Was he here or not?”

He doesn’t respond, which just tells me Carson was right. Holton was here and Garret didn’t tell me. Why wouldn’t he tell me? We agreed we were done keeping secrets from each other.

“Dammit, Garret!” I shove him back. “Why do you do this to me? Why do you keep hiding stuff from me?” Tears fall from my eyes before I can stop them. “I need to be able to trust you. You’re my husband and I need to be able to trust you.”

I’m so mad at him right now. I’ve worked so hard this past year to learn to trust people, and the person I trust the most keeps lying to me. I walk around him and stand by the couch. He turns to face me but remains by the sliding glass door with that stupid wand thing still in his hand.

“Jade, I’m sorry. But you don’t understand.”

“There’s nothing to understand. Your grandfather was here and you hid it from me. Why would you keep that a secret, Garret?”

He sighs, heavily, and stares down at the floor. But he doesn’t answer.

“Is that why you were acting so strange when we were at Frank’s house? Because Holton came here and you didn’t want to tell me?”

Silence.

“Garret. Answer me. Was Holton here?”

“Yes.”

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