Page 70 of Threat of Danger
“Nothing.” Jess sighed. “There’s press at the house.”
That earned her a double take. “About Grandpa?”
“Derek’s book came out yesterday.” As Jess drove, she worked on figuring out how she should say what she wanted to say.
“You know how I was kidnapped a long time ago?” she asked finally.
Kaylee’s gaze was uncertain. “I don’t remember a lot, but I remember the police coming to the house.”
“Derek’s new book is kind of about that.” The words left a bitter aftertaste that coated her tongue. She felt dirty for saying them, for thinking about how he’d sold her out, sold her pain for money and fame.
Kaylee chewed her bottom lip. “Did you know?”
“No.”
“He should have totally asked you.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you mad at him?”
“Is maple syrup sweet?”
A fleeting smile crossed Kaylee’s face, but her expression morphed into conflicted a second later. Divided loyalties. On the one hand, Derek was like a big brother to the girl. On the other hand, Jess’s family had always been Kaylee’s family. Kaylee wasn’t sure which one of them to back, what to say. Like a child of suddenly divorced parents.
The kid didn’t need the stress, not with her grandfather in the hospital.
“Don’t worry about it,” Jess said. “I’ll probably forgive him eventually. But for now, he’s in the doghouse big-time. He’s in the basementunderthe doghouse. Like buried under the basement.”
Kaylee nodded. “The man has a lot of groveling before him.”
“You are wise beyond your years, my friend.” Then Jess shoved the topic of Derek away. Kaylee needed her attention. “How is school?”
“Lame as always. I can’t believe Abuelito has a heart attack and I can’t even skip a couple of days.”
“He’s strict like that.”
“He’s strict in every way.” Kaylee rolled her eyes. “Because both Mom and Dad died, Abuelito thinks he has to watch me for two.”
“I remember you used to call him Abuelito, when you were little.” Jess smiled.
“I still do, when I’m upset.”
“He loves you more than life itself.”
“Couldn’t he love me without all the rules? He’s like a warden.”
“I’m sure it seems like that at seventeen.”
“Nothingseemsabout it. I have a ten p.m. curfew. Who even has a curfew senior year?”
“I did.”
“He has rules about me taking the car. Rules about boys.” Kaylee gave a dramatic sigh. “Grandparents are supposed to spoil their grandkids.”
She fell silent as she looked out the passenger-side window. “I just want him to come home. I swear, if he comes home, I’m never going to complain about any stupid rule again.”
“He’ll come home.”
