Page 31 of Diluted Truths
That thought spiraled. Not sure why I went there. There will be no kids and no future and nothing with Will and I. We are just friends, closer to colleagues even. There would be nothing happening with us.
Watching him fit so easily into this part of my life did make me question if I was lying to myself about what we were and what we would be.
Chapter 10When the Truth Hunts You Down by. Sam Tinnez
Will
Iwatched as Theo took a sleeping Violet into her room to put her down for the night. After I had been declared Willey, we ate dinner in the backyard to the sounds of the ocean waves. It was the perfect October night.
Honestly, it had been one of the greatest days of my life. Theo was so much like Jackie it was incredible. Violet was also slowly becoming their triplet as well.
The three of them had a light to them that was unmatched by anyone else. Jackie's joy around them was astounding as well. I had never seen her smile and laugh so freely. It made me see that the woman she was in Oregon wasn’t her true and full self. It made me wonder why she hid this part of herself, but also feel extremely lucky I got the privilege to see it all.
The more I learned about her, the more I realized how similar we were. I hid the darkness within me and masked it with coolness and detachment. Jackie took her darkness and tried to find as much light within her life to overpower it. She loved hard and freely. She did keep that darkness within her, buried deep down. The darkness, I realized, was all tied to one person.
Her brother Nate.
She had never mentioned that he was dead in her stories about him. This man saved her and Theo. From what I can tell, he was only eighteen when he took the two of them in and began to raise them himself. I am not sure the specifics of what he took them from, but I can tell easily enough he saved them. The two incredible women I know today owed so much to their brother. I think I did, too. He seemed to be the reason I got the privilege of knowing Jackie and having her in my life.
I owed him for that.
My thoughts were interrupted as Jackie sat next to me. “So… Willey, great name by the way, what’s the plan?
I turned to face her, noticing how close she was to me. I was able to see the golden specks in her eyes that matched her blonde hair. “What plan?”
She smiled, nearly taking my breath away. “You know, the plan for the next step in our case. The whole reason we’re here.”
“I thought I was the reason you two were here,” Theo stated as she reentered the backyard and took a seat next to Jackie on the couch.
“You’re definitely a part of it, but I do have a job to do.” Jackie turned to me as she continued, “I am not sure what to look into next. I feel like there must be more to this case. I want to know how that drawing got in Joey’s closet.”
“I have an idea… Did Janice talk about her ex-husband to you?” I asked.
“No, I just know he isn’t involved,” Jackie replied.
“Well, I want to talk to him. I have a weird feeling he may have some answers. She told me some weird things about his thoughts in regards to Joey. It makes me wonder if he drew the sigil,” I shared.
It made sense that he was the one to draw it before he left. His actions and thoughts about Joey were suspicious as well. I was leaning towards the possibility that there was some mental illness in the family that bothCarter and Joey had. This caused the thoughts that there was something wrong with him and his son and maybe led him to the Cult of Creatio. Maybe he was even behind the disappearance of Joey.
Jackie looked off, most likely pondering my statement about Carter. Until now, he was inconsequential to the story. “Yeah, I think we could do that. Do you know how to get a hold of him?”
“I can find out tonight. Theo?” I asked as I looked at Jackie's sister. “May I borrow your phone?”
“Of course! There is a line in the kitchen and another in my room.”
“Thank you!” I said as I made my way inside. Luckily, neither were following me. There were parts of who I was that I didn't want to share with them, especially Jackie. She knew me as Will, or Doctor Bly. That was it. That was what I wanted.
Slowly I dialed the number I had memorized a lifetime ago. She may not even answer, it was late in New York.
“Hello?” I heard her ask in a groggy voice. Due to the time difference I had I most likely woken her up.
“Hey Bec, it’s Will. I need your help with something.”
After I hung up the phone, I headed back outside with the info we needed. I knew Bec would help me and get the info about Carter. He worked at an accounting firm only ten minutes away from where Janice’s house was. He was so close to them, and from what Bec could see, he still watched out for them. I couldn’t figure out why he would stay so close but cut all contact with them.
“Did you get the information you wanted?” Theo asked as I took a seat next to Jackie.
“Yeah, I know where he is working. I’m going to head over there in the morning. Are you good to head out around nine tomorrow?” I asked Jackie.
