Page 39 of Diluted Truths
What I didn’t tell her is that we learned to do this when hiding from our parents screaming when we were just kids. How we would be huddled in a closet, or in the attic as they searched the house for us. If we were found the punishment was… well, severe. If we hid well enough they would eventually give up.
It was those nights hidden away that he taught us the action. He would always do it when we were most scared, in the times we thought we were about to be found. When he ran away from home the first time, when I was twelve, he snuck into mine and Theo’s rooms a few weeks later and grabbed our hands to tell us he loved us in his own words. He was only sixteen years old when he left that night. We knew he had to leave, but we also knew he would come back as soon as he could.
Which he did.
“I miss him, Theo,” I croaked and looked at my sister, tears filling my eyes.
“Me too,” she responded as she looked back at me. “But we have to live for him. He gave up everything for us. The least we can do is live a full life with as much joy as we can find.”
I nodded in understanding as she continued now in just a whisper. “Jackie, live your life for you. Not for Fai. I know about what you went through that year you were gone, more than you realize. I will always owe Fai so much for helping you. But he didn’t save you. You did. You saved yourself. You dug yourself out of the hole you fell into. You put in the work. Not Fai.”
“Theo,” I began to interrupt but stopped when she raised her hand towards me.
“Let me finish, okay?” I nodded again and sat up with her as we rested against the headboard. “What happened to Nate that night wasn’t your fault. I know you think it is. I have always known. You don’t hide it very well. Hell, it’s why you started drinking the way you did.”
The night Nate had passed was the worst night of my life. I was barely twenty-one and went out drinking with my friends from college. I had gotten completely wasted. I told Nate I was going to be home at two in the morning. By the time three came around and I still wasn’t home, he came looking for me. He drove around San Francisco, stopping at the usual bars I hung out at hoping to find me. It was between bars that a drunk driver ran a red light and t-boned him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The police called Theo to let her know what had happened. When I finally walked through the doors at seven that morning, I found her crying on the couch.
If I hadn’t been out so late and came home when I said I would, Nate would still be here.
“But he was out driving, looking for me,” I stated as I looked down at my hands. It was my fault.
“Yes, but you weren’t the one driving the car that hit him. That’s who we blame. Okay?”
“Okay,” I conceded. Logically I knew she was right, but deep down I think I will always blame myself.
“Live your life, Jackie. Please.” Theo grabbed my hand, prompting me to look into her blue eyes that matched Nate’s. “That man out on my couch? He likes you… like, a lot. It’s kind of sweet. Don’t let Fai stop you from seeing what it is you have between the two of you. If you don’t like him, that is totally okay. But don’t let Fai stop you.”
I nodded again, having no words. I did like Will, but I was scared. So scared of what could happen if I gave into the feelings, if I let him in. I was also scared he wouldn’t like what he saw in me.
I didn’t most days.
My thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing on Theo’s nightstand.
“This is the James’ household, Theo speaking. How can I help you?” Theo asked after she had picked up the phone. She turned to me after a moment with a look of confusion. “It’s for you, Jack.”
I took the phone from her, confused who would be callingme here. “Hello?”
“Ophelia, is that you?” Sarah stated on the other end of the line.
“Sarah? Yeah. What’s up? Everything okay?” I asked.
I heard her sigh on the other side. “I’m so glad I got the right number. I may have stolen it from Oliver, I’m sorry. I’m not sure how much he knows about where you are or why. Look, I have something weird I need to tell you and William. I… fuck, I don’t even know where to begin.”
I yelled for Will to come in here as Theo stood and directed Violet out of the room. He wandered in, most likely just waking up. Luckily for me, and also unfortunately, he had put on a shirt. After he had joined me and we listened to Sarah, the early morning phone call made sense.
Sarah had flown into New York to interview an inmate at a place called Amherst Insane Asylum. She was tasked with gathering information from a serial killer named Griffin Whitley. He had killed a total of six women over the course of five days in groups of two. He had also beaten and locked his own parents in their home during this time. He never stood trial due to being found criminally insane. The case had been suppressed in the media, for reasons no one knew.
However, Sarah may have ascertained some of those details.
“He did what?” Will asked, clearly disgusted.
Sarah sighed as she repeated herself, “He carved a symbol into each of the women’s foreheads.”
“What was the symbol?” I asked as I sat, very close to Will, and listened on the phone.
“That’s why I called. They showed me pictures of the symbols and I knew I recognized it, but I couldn’t remember where. That was maybethree days ago. This morning, however, Faizal was talking about you and it reminded me of your case. The symbol carved onto these women is the insignia you showed me from the closet of the young boy you met. I think his name was Joey,” Sarah explained.
“It’s not just in Joey’s closet,” Will stated as he stood. “I need to show you what I got from Carter.”
