Page 65 of Trial of Deceit

“It’s an elective course,” Reine grumbled, seemingly fighting the urge to roll her eyes.She noticed as Bryony entered the room, and her eyes sparked up.“Miss B!Tell Jed seh mi Chem grade don’ matter—”

“Let that be the last time yu chat foolishness a mi ears.”

Bryony placed a bowl of spinach onto the table and chuckled.“Leave Reine alone and come eat.”

Reine stuck her tongue out at Jediah and snatched the print out of her grades.While folding the paper into a half, she said, “Me a go mek sure Daddy get him medicine already, then me a go out with some friends.I’ll be back later.”

Jediah nodded at Reine while finally shifting his focus to Ashari.She felt like a deer caught in the headlights.She finally moved from the entrance while Reine gave her a smile before exiting the room.

“Still no sign of Barrel?”Bryony asked.

Jediah shrugged.“Maybe you cooked her.”

Bryony hissed her teeth, making Jediah chuckle before she went back to the kitchen.

Ashari took her seat in the chair closest to Jediah.She smiled at him.“Thank you,” she said, her heart racing.

Jediah’s brows raised.“For?”

“You really wan’ me fi say it?”

A tiny smirk appeared on his face.“Yes,” he answered.“Admit that you love that I did something nice for you.”

She stared at him for a moment.His smirk stretched until it became a full blown grin.

Dimitri entered the room and Ashari stiffened.He grabbed a fried chicken leg from a bowl.“A go tek a drive fi clear mi head.Call mi if yu need me.”

“Ah,” Jediah replied.

What was Dimitri playing at?!Not knowing was driving Ashari restless.As Jediah shifted his focus back to her, no doubt ready to start teasing her again, Ashari forced a smile and tried to steady her breathing.

Chapter fifteen

Whilehisangerrolledoff him in waves, she was on high alert.They were walking side-by-side from the parking lot toward the main building at the headquarters, and Ashari couldn’t resist constantly looking over her shoulder.She knew Jediah would never dare to set foot in Kingston, but the tension left from being with him at yesterday’s meeting had her thinking otherwise.

However, she’d known she had to contact Senior after Dimitri’s silence.Last night, Ashari had snuck out before bedtime, and had managed to leave a message at the daycare.

“Unbelievable,” Senior muttered for the umpteenth time.

Ashari stopped looking over her shoulder to settle her widened eyes at her father, who was a pace ahead of her.“Dad—”

Toby stopped suddenly, almost making Ashari bump into his back.“Donotcall me by that name.Do you think a woman who has murderedmyson —herbrother — for a man who has been nothing but a pain to the F.B.I., has the right to call me that?When she has married him?And is so blind to my feelings that she dares to wear his ring in my presence?”

Her guilt made it difficult to breathe.She reached for the ring.She’d gotten so used to wearing it that the sting didn’t burn into her skin anymore.She slipped it off her finger, holding it in a tight fist while burying her hand in her pocket.“It’s not so simple—”

“But that’s how itwillbe explained,” Toby said.“I need definitions so simple as if you were speaking to a child at the daycare, so that when you are done, I understand clearly why you would dare to abandon my teachings like this.”He brought his head backward, his eyes a mix of emotions that were hard to fathom.“Have I taught you nothing?”

“You’ve taught me everything.”

Toby chuckled, straightening himself before he continued walking.“Then come inside and give me one reason to pretend I can stand to look at you while you play house with Jediah Richardson.”

Toby clasped his hands before laying them atop the table.His gaze lingered on his hands while Ashari held her breath for the seconds it took for him to look at her.“You are lucky that the majority of the Richardson case has been top secret in the F.B.I.for many years.Only the agents on the case will know about the marriage—”

“Let’s keep it that way.I don’t want any more complications,” Ashari said.She was more relaxed now that the edge to her father’s tone was gone.

Toby’s brow raised.“Why would complications arise?Is there more to your disappearance and marriage that you omitted from the case files and aren’t telling me?”

She glanced at the laptop and files laid on the desk between them.She thought of all they’d discussed before shaking her head.“No,” she said.“Remember to talk to Isley.He didn’t tell us about a meeting with Jediah.He might be a double-agent.”

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