Page 67 of Where the Darkness Goes

I flinch. “What did you just say?”

“Just go.” There’s a flicker in his eyes that scares me. Something dark and dangerous and impossible to reconcile with the brother I’ve known for the past seventeen years of my life. That man feels miles away now, impossible to reach.

“Why are you being like this?”

“Tessa!” he barks.

“What’s going on?” Garrett is there standing in the hallway, and I have no idea how much he’s heard or what he must think of us. I’m just so relieved to see him.

I run to him, throwing my arms around his waist, and sink into the peace he brings me. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

His arms come around me, but it’s brief and distant. He pulls back just as quickly. “I’m going to talk to your brother, okay?”

“Okay.” I back up as he disappears into the room and shuts the door in my face. He didn’t realize how close I was, probably, but if anyone can solve this and get Will back to normal, it’s Garrett.

Still, that doesn’t stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks. What is happening to my brother?

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

GARRETT — AGE 18

I’m shaking with adrenaline as I shut the door to separate Tessa from this situation. I don’t want her to see me in my current state. Coming in the house and hearing Will screaming at her sent every nerve in my body into a spiral. It took several minutes for me to be able to walk in here and look at him without wanting to beat the shit out of him for daring to even raise his voice at her.

When I speak, my tone is a roll of thunder in the midst of a storm. “What was that?”

Will tugs the hood around his head, flopping down on his bed without looking at me. “I told you not to come over this weekend.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t listen. Why are you yelling at your sister?”

“Why do you care?” he snaps.

I fold my arms across my chest and stare at him, trying to understand but also not willing to keep entertaining this pity party.

Groaning when he notices I’m not going to keep arguing, he adds, “She’s in my business. I need time. Space. Or has everyone forgotten my girlfriend just died?”

It’s been a little over a week, which isn’t long, sure, but they also hadn’t been together that long. I’m sure he’s sad about her death, I’m just not convinced this is about her. At least not completely. “Is that all this is about? Or is it about the jewelry? Do you know they think whoever stole her things is the one who killed her mom? They were missing days before the party, but no one noticed. What did you do with them? You can’t pawn them now. If they trace it back to?—”

Will grabs the remote and turns the TV up, likely so Tessa won’t eavesdrop, though I heard her door shut earlier.

“Shut up about that, will you? Do you want me to get caught?”

“Of course not, but you can’t just pretend this isn’t happening. Have you thought about going to the police to tell them the truth? What if they figure out it was you? If you come clean about it now and tell them?—”

His eyes go dark, gaze sharp. “They won’t find out anything unless you tell them. My prints and DNA are in that house because we were dating. End of story. They have nothing else on me.”

“What did you do with them?” I ask again.

“They’re both gone. Don’t worry about it.”

“Gone like you sold or pawned them? Because that’ll be possible to trace, probably easily.”

“No. I threw them out. No one will find them. They’re long gone.”

I swallow. “What is going on with you? Why did you steal the stuff in the first place? It’s not like you. I didn’t ask before, but I think I deserve to know now. And why are you acting like this? Why are you shutting out the people who are just trying to help?”

He ignores my first question. “I don’t want anyone’s help. I’m fine.”

“Are you? Because you reek like you haven’t showered. You haven’t come down to play basketball. You’re yelling at your sister. Ignoring me. That’s not you.”

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