Page 164 of Haunt Me

“It’s not too late,” Wes says. “But it is time.”

Eden’s Phone

Eden: Hey, sorry to bother you.

Pan: Who is this?

Eden: It’s Eden. Is this ok? Me texting you?

Pan: Sure, yeah, of course. How have you been, sweetheart?

Eden: ‘Sweetheart’? I am older than you.

Pan: Not in wisdom.

Eden: Forget it, this was a stupid idea.

Pan: Ok, sorry, I won’t call you ‘sweetheart’ again, promise. I just wanted to break the ice, I guess. Don’t hold it against me.

Eden: I just… I just think I found out something about Isaiah, and I wanted to ask you if it’s true.

Pan: Oh, man. Does he know you’re texting me about him? He doesn’t, does he? Is this going to get me killed?

Eden: I think my dad has been protecting me from finding out what Solomon actually did to your brother back then. I only knew that he got him expelled from his school, but there’s more, isn’t there?

Pan:…

Eden: Pan? Are you there?

Eden: Answer me, please.

Pan: It’s James. My family calls me James. ‘Pan’ is for my students and friends.

JamesPan: Well, answer me, James. Please.

JamesPan: It’s hard to answer you, Eden. Yes, you are right. There is a lot more that happened than him getting expelled.

JamesPan: But it was so long ago now. I wouldn’t… Zay wouldn’t want you to hurt over it. You had no control over it, sweetheart.

JamesPan: Sorry, it just came out.

Eden: And what about your grandfather? Something happened to him too, right? What did it have to do with Solomon?

JamesPan: …

Eden: Please, James. Please.

*incoming call from JamesPan*

The Elliot sisters chat room

Eden: I can’t face Isaiah. Not after what I just found out. I ruined his life, Manu. I ruined every aspect of it.

Manuela: Solomon did. Not you. As he did yours.

Eden: You knew what he did, don’t you? You knew this whole time?

Manuela: I did, baby. I’m so sorry.