Page 40 of Diluted Truths
He left the room, but quickly returned with three pictures and proceeded to tell Sarah and I about his meeting with Joey’s father yesterday.
What the actual fuck was happening?
This symbol kept popping up. First within Joey’s closet, then in the pictures Carter showed Will, and now with Griffin. The symbol that before this was only seen in a single picture within an obscure textbook that was published a decade ago. It made no sense.
“I think you need to get here and meet with him. Griffin, I mean. I was able to get permission from the Asylum to allow you two to meet with him as long as he agrees. Which he did,” Sarah rushed. “I know it may seem rather odd to push for this, but from what you two have told me about this symbol, there is almost no way it is not connected to the Cult of Creatio and may be connected to the case.”
Will looked at me for a moment before responding to our friend. “We’ll be there tonight. Meet us at Bec’s at seven. We can talk more then.”
With that he hung up the phone and turned to leave. “Hey, wait. What do you mean we will be there tonight? Or that we’re going to New York?” I asked, confused by his urgency.
He turned to look at me and I felt it deep in my gut. His eyes, usually a sparkling blue, looked stormy with his thoughts. “Jackie, I think this case is more serious than either of us realize. All of these things happening can’t just be coincidences.”
“But what if you’re wrong?” I asked, suddenly feeling an immense pressure about what I had gotten all of usinto.
Will looked at me and slowly stepped closer. He raised my head with his hand on my chin and eyed me for a moment.
In almost a whisper, he responded, “Well, I guess I get to spend even more time with you then. Just in New York now.” Stunned, I watched as he walked away, most likely packing his clothes for our upcoming trip.
“You leaving me, Jack?” Theo asked as she retook her spot from Will.
“Yeah, I guess. We have to head to New York,” I responded, still in shock from the conversation.
“Be careful, okay? I have a bad feeling about this.” Theo paused for a moment, her mind seeming to wander away before continuing, “What do you remember from that night?”
She didn’t need to specify what night she was referring to. The night Nate got us from our parents house will always be referred to asthat night. It was the night everything changed, in ways I don’t think I ever understood.
“Honestly, not much. Why?”
“I just have the same feeling now that I did then. You know?” Theo responded as she pulled me into a hug. “Just please be careful. Besides Violet, you’re all I have.”
Chapter 13A View Between Villages by. Noah Kahan
Jackie
The last few hours had been complete chaos. Following the phone call from Sarah, Will and I packed everything we brought with us and said our goodbyes to Theo and Violet. The latter was very upset that her Willey (yes, her Willey) was leaving, but we promised to visit her soon. Will arranged a car for us and we were quickly out the door and on our way to the airport.
I was starting to suspect there was something about New York that Will was hiding from me. He had been on the phone for about twenty minutes claiming to be coordinating our travel.
What was suspicious is that the car he had arranged wasn’t a taxi, but a town car. When we arrived at the airport we didn’t go through the usual front doors but were driven to the plane itself on the tarmac. We were sitting in First Class as well and everyone was referring to Will as Dr. Bly.
It was all just… odd.
I was also very curious who this mysterious Bec we were meeting tonight was. He had never spoken about her before, but I did know he called her to get the information we wanted about Carter.
I had wandered into the house to get a glass of water that night when I heard him on the phone with her discussing Carter and someone named Winnie. I had no right to be jealous, but I could tell he cared for Bec andWinnie greatly. I think I was just hoping that maybe Will could care for me that much. It was a ridiculous notion, but one I had nonetheless.
Slowly the plane descended and we began to taxi towards the gate. I had wanted to ask my many questions about how he pulled this off while on the plane but our seats were not next to one another. He claimed it was because of the last minute travel we couldn’t sit next to each other, but I was beginning to suspect he was avoiding me and my questions.
A flight attendant interrupted my thoughts. “Mrs. Bly, please follow me. Your husband arranged a car for you.”
My husband?
Well, this was news to me. I looked around trying to find Will but he must have already exited the plane. Instead of arguing with the mistaken flight attendant, I stood and followed her out. She navigated me through JFK airport toward what I assumed was the exit. As we made our way outside the airport into the New York air, I was taken aback by Will.
He looked at home here. Like a true New Yorker. He was wearing his usual hoodie and ball cap but pulled on a long black coat over the top.
He was… intimidating and powerful.
