Page 210 of Choosing You

Mr. Kensington races back in holding a towel. I move away as he kneels by his son again, pressing the towel against Garret’s chest.

“They’ll be here any minute.” He looks at me intently. “Listen to me, Jade. Listen to me very closely. What happened to Garret was an accident. He was cleaning his gun and didn’t realize there was a bullet left in it. That’s what happened here. Do you understand?”

“Um, no. Why wouldn’t you tell the police the real story?”

“The police aren’t coming. I’m telling you this in case you’re ever asked about this incident. The story I just told you is the only story you know. Now do you understand?”

I nod, quietly shaking as tears continue down my face.

“The people coming to take Garret are not paramedics. And he’s not going in an ambulance. A van will arrive instead. It’s a mobile medical unit and it has a team of physicians. They’ll take care of him. He’ll be okay.”

“How do you know?” I look down at Garret. Blood continues to pour from his chest, soaking the towel.

“I just know.”

For some reason I believe him. Maybe because I refuse to believe anything else.

I lean down near Garret’s face. “Your dad said you’ll be okay.” I brush my shaky hand across his forehead and kiss his cheek.

Mr. Kensington is watching me. “You really love my son, don’t you?”

I keep my eyes on Garret. “More than I can even describe.”

“He feels the same way about you.” I slowly look up at Mr. Kensington and when our gazes meet, he holds it like he’s trying to tell me something. Like he’s letting me know that he won’t get in the way anymore. That Garret and I can be together.

We hear people coming through the front door. Soon four men enter the study with a stretcher. They lift Garret onto it and take him away. Garret’s dad talks to one of the men as they leave but I can’t hear what he’s saying.

Then a different set of men come in. They’re covered head to toe in odd-looking suits, almost like hazard suits. They pick up Sinclair’s body and take it away.

I remain on the floor, my clothes spattered with blood and my hands covered in it.

A few minutes later, Mr. Kensington walks in again carrying a garbage bag. “Jade, you need to get up now.” He helps me up off the floor. “I need you to listen very carefully to what I’m about to say. Royce Sinclair was never here. You have no connection with him. He’s not your father. You know nothing about him. Am I clear?”

I nod.

“Over the next few days and weeks, you’ll hear what happened to Mr. Sinclair. You’ll hear it on all the news channels and the radio. You’ll read it in the papers. The story you hear or read about is the only one that happened. Do you understand?”

“Yes. I understand.” I feel like I’m being brainwashed, which in a way I kind of am.

“This is over now. You and Garret are safe. Frank and Ryan are also safe and they will remain safe.”

“What are you saying? Was Sinclair planning to do something to Frank and Ryan? How do you know that? Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

“Never ask questions, Jade. That’s the number one rule.” He waits for me to nod that I understand. Once I do, he continues. “I don’t want you calling Frank or Ryan until tomorrow. You need to calm down and get your head clear before you talk to anyone. Now take this and go clean up.” He hands me the garbage bag. “Put all of your clothes in there and leave it outside your room when you’re done.”

As he says it, a group of people dressed in white uniforms enter the study armed with spray bottles, towels, and brushes. A man rolls in a machine that looks like a carpet steamer. None of them speak. They just get to work.

Mr. Kensington walks me out of the room and to the staircase. As I’m going up the stairs, I hear his voice behind me, “Welcome to the family, Jade.”

I pause briefly as he says it, then hurry up the rest of the stairs. I’m not sure what that means, but the way he said it makes me shudder. It’s like there’s no going back now. I’m part of whatever this is and I can’t get out.

I go in my room and stuff my blood-stained clothes in the bag, setting the bag outside my door as instructed. Then I take a long, hot shower and get dressed.

When I go back downstairs, it’s like nothing ever happened. Everything is clean and spotless, including the study. Garret’s dad is in his home office working on his computer as if everything is back to normal. When I go in the kitchen, Charles is back making homemade bread.

“Hi, Jade. Are you hungry?”

I stare at him, trying to figure out if he’s in on this cover-up scheme or if he has no clue what went on while he was at the store.

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