Alone (Bone Secrets, #4)(65)

“Why on earth did he have a gun? And what made him pull it out?”

Jason met her gaze, his brown eyes quizzical. “I asked him the same thing, but he didn’t tell me. All I know is that he got irate when he saw you.”

“Me?” Trinity squeaked. “What? Why?” She didn’t even know who Kyle was. And he pulled out a gun? Because of her?

“He spotted you and started getting really agitated. Mumbling under his breath.”

“I don’t even know who he is. Are you sure?”

“He pointed at you, swearing under his breath.”

Trinity stared at Jason. “Seriously? I don’t understand. He was going to shoot at me?”

Jason exhaled, resting his weight on his forearms on the table. “That’s what I thought was about to happen. That’s why I tried to get him to put it away.”

“That’s crazy. He must have been pointing at someone else.”

Jason rubbed at his eyes, looking exhausted. “Kyle hasn’t been himself for a few months. All he talks about is how society is corrupt and that all young women are going to hell for their wild behaviors. He looks down on everyone.”

“So he has the right to shoot someone? Was he going to punish me for my hemline being too short? Is that his idea of proper behavior?”

Jason gave a half smile. “Actually, you’re not far off. I was watching TV the other day, and when he came in, all he did was rip apart the female actresses. How they were a bunch of sluts and immoral.”

“He’s on a religious kick?”

The smile disappeared. “Religions are supposed to be about love, not hate. He’s full of hate and anger. It’s like he’s trying to elevate himself by putting others down.”

“Putting others down by shooting them? Like it’s his job to kill people because he thinks they’re sinning?” Trinity said. Was that why he pulled out a gun?

“I don’t know what he was thinking.”

“That makes two of us,” Trinity muttered. “Your friend has mental issues. Now what? Do you need a ride home? Have you talked to your parents?”

“I live with my dad. They divorced a long time ago. My mom lives in Idaho. But no, I don’t want to go there. My dad has been acting weird. He and my grandpa have been fighting.”

“Does your grandpa live with you guys?” Trinity sympathized with his home life. Just because your real parents were still around, it didn’t mean life was easier.

“Nah, he’s got a place on the way to the coast. Lives out in the middle of nowhere, but my dad goes out there a lot. My grandfather’s health isn’t the best.”

“I’m sorry. That has to really suck.”

“He’s a cranky old man.” Jason focused angry brown eyes on Trinity. “I think he’s an *. If he dies, I’m not going to cry about it.”

Trinity stared at him. What could she say to that? “That’s horrible. But I kinda get it. My grandmother wouldn’t win any prizes either. I lived with her for a while. She wasn’t mean. She just didn’t care.”

Jason plunged the last of his fries into his pool of ketchup. “He’s the one making my life miserable right now. Both he and my dad. Talk about crazy people. Sometimes they make Kyle look normal.”

Trinity took a deep breath. “You said something about punishment in your text today. What did you mean?”

Jason scowled at his fries before pushing them in his mouth. “I can’t be around them right now. Something is up and my grandpa is on the warpath. I could hear him yelling at my dad over the phone when he found out I went to Glory’s service.”

“Why would he care?”

Jason was silent. She could see his mind flipping through the possibilities. “I’m not sure,” he said slowly. He traced a pattern in his ketchup with his last fry. His phone gave a chirp and he looked at the text. Trinity averted her eyes from the screen, trying to not care even though she was dying of curiosity.

His expression darkened.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

He met her gaze, an emotional struggle on his face. “What happened?” she asked again, her chest tightening.

“My grandfather pulling strings,” he said, spitting out the words.

“What does he want you to do?” she whispered. The anger on his face alarmed her. Maybe giving him a ride wasn’t her brightest move. Her mind spun. Could she make an excuse to leave? Tell him to find another friend to come get him? Why hadn’t she listened to Dr. Peres? Her mouth went dry. “Maybe someone else should be driving you,” she said slowly.

He looked stunned, his anger evaporating. “You can’t?” His expression changed 180 degrees.

Guilt wracked her. “Uh… yeah, it’s okay. It looked like you needed to address something with your grandfather and maybe that’d go easier if I wasn’t here. You know?” Please tell me someone else can come get you.

“There’s just some stuff I need to drop off at his place. I didn’t want to do it today, but he’s insisting. It’s not like I have to talk with him. Just drop the stuff and go.” He raised a brow at her. “Is that okay?”

“Oh… I guess. But this is the one who lives on the way to the beach? How far?” Trinity tried to remember how much gas was in Katy’s old car.