Page 103 of The Lake of Lost Girls

“I want to see that case file,” Ryan demanded. “It doesn’t belong to you, Lindsey. Sergeant O’Neil gave it tobothof us. I’m the one he’s been talking to. You can’t keep it from me any longer. Ineedto see what’s in it.”

“Are you scared about what the police will do now Daisy is finally going to tell them the truth?” I bit out angrily. I couldn’t help it. Standing face to face with him after learning all the ways he had deceived me, I wanted to hurt him as he had hurt me.

Because he had made me feel important. And for a time, like I was more than simply Jessica Fadley’s little sister. It obliterated me to know that, to him, that’s all I’d ever be. After everything, there was no future for us, and never would be. He would always belong to Jess. There was no room for me in his heart. “It must be terrifying now that everyone will know you lied.”

Ryan had lied.

Daisy had lied.

My dad had lied.

Everyone had lied.

The only thing left to know waswhy.

“I don’t give a shit about that. Daisy can say whatever the hell she wants—I’m glad it’s all going to come out.”

I sneered at him. “Sure, that’s why I found you yelling at her. That didn’t sound like someone who wasglad it’s all going to come out.”

Ryan made a noise of frustration. “You have no idea what’s really going on here, Lindsey. If you did, you wouldn’t—”

“I wouldn’t what?” I threw back at him. I was sick of everyone telling me that I didn’t understand. “Tell me then. Tell me what happened.”

“Lindsey?”

My dad came out of the garage. His face was red from crying. “What’s going on? Do you … do you need me to do something?”

Ryan’s lip curled in disdain. “What? Areyougoing to protect her?”

“Do I need to?” Dad countered, drawing himself upright.

Ryan laughed. “As if you could protect anyone. Where were you when your other daughter was falling apart?”

“You don’t know anything about me or my family.” Dad threw back contemptuously. “I think you should leave,” Dad walked toward Ryan, his face darkening.

“And I think you should tell Lindsey what you did.”

I stared between the two of them, anxiety gnawing at me.

“I … I,” my father stuttered over his words. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’ll tell her then. Your dad here was screwing around with girls Jess’s age. Hell, he’s probably still doing it. He’s a disgusting, perverted old man who preys on vulnerable young women.” It was Ryan’s turn to take a threatening step toward my dad.

Dad stared at Ryan in shock. “What? How …?”

“Jess was destroyed byyouractions.” He pointed at my father. “That’s what drove us apart in the end. I never understood the hold you had over her—why she felt the need to protect you. Your relationship twisted her up inside. It changed her. She became someone else. And it’s this asshole’s fault.

“Who are you?” Dad asked in confusion. Then his eyes cleared with recognition. “You’re that boy Jess was dating.” He turned to me, seeming horrified. “Did you know who he was? My god, Lindsey, what were you thinking getting involved with him?”

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but he had already turned back to Ryan. “I don’t know what Jess told you—”

Ryan crossed his arms and glowered. “I was there that day on the street when you two argued, remember? I heard what you said to her. After you left, she told me all about what she caught you doing.”

Dad let out an agonized groan. “I know what she thought and she made sure to punish me for it.” He seemed to harden. “But Jess was my daughter. There wasn’t a thing in this world I wouldn’t do for her. You have to believe I did everything I could to make things better.”

“I believe you, Dad.” I realized, with absolute certainty, that I did. I may not understand the depths of his relationship with Jess, but I knew he loved her in his version of unfathomable affection.

But there was still something that he was keeping from me—from all of us.

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