Call It What You Want(84)

Maegan

My father is waiting in the kitchen when I come downstairs before school. Full uniform and everything, which isn’t unusual, though the dark scowl on his face is. Mom is sitting at the kitchen table in her robe, a damp towel wrapped around her head. Her expression is equally tense.

We don’t usually have this much drama before six in the morning.

“What’s wrong?” I realize who’s missing, and I add, “Is it Samantha? What happened?”

“It’s not Samantha,” says my mother quietly.

My father’s voice is not quiet. “Did you continue to see Rob Lachlan after I told you not to?”

The question hits me like a slap. I falter and blush and have to clear my throat. “It wasn’t—not really. We’re just friends.”

“Did you go to a party with him?”

I’m frozen in place in the kitchen doorway, and I wish so badly that I could go back to my bedroom and start over.

“Answer me,” he says.

“Yes,” I whisper.

He gives a heavy sigh and exchanges a glance with my mother.

“Why?” I ask.

“What did he do at that party?”

“I don’t—” I falter and have to start over. “I don’t know what you mean.”

My father’s voice could cut steel. “I mean, what did he do at the party?”

“Jim,” whispers my mother.

“It was a party.” I’m all tripped up, wondering if this has to do with Samantha’s drinking, though Rob had nothing to do with that, so I can’t make any connections there. “Just a party. Why?”

“Bill Tunstall says you and Rob snuck into a private area of his home.”

I suddenly feel light-headed. I put a hand against the door frame. “We didn’t—we didn’t sneak. Rob knew the code. He and Connor used to be friends, so he knew—”

“Used to be friends.” My father’s hand is tight on the edge of the table. “They used to be friends. So, you know they are not friends now. You know Rob would not be welcome to use a code to access a locked door.”

I inhale to answer, and my dad makes a slashing motion with his hand. “Don’t answer that. I know you know.”

“Yes,” I say softly. I feel like I’m going to vibrate apart. “I know.”

“Damn, Maegan.”

“Are we in trouble?”

“That depends.” His eyes narrow, as if his gaze could slice me apart. Cop eyes, Samantha calls them. “What did you do after you went behind those locked doors?”

Okay, now I’m going to pass out. “Nothing,” I mumble.

He leans forward. “You’re either going to talk to me or you’re going to tell an officer down at the station. Your choice.”

This is humiliating. Tears form in my eyes. “Nothing! We just—we kissed! Okay? We kissed.”

“Bill Tunstall says he found you without your shirt on.”

“Oh, Maegan.” Mom puts a hand to her eyes.

I have never wished to be Samantha so hard in my life. She’d roll her eyes and say something like, “He’s lucky he didn’t see me without my pants on.” But I’m not, and I can’t.

“It was kissing,” I say. “Just kissing. I swear.”

“What else did you do?”

“Nothing! He walked in on us, and Rob told me to leave, so I did.”

“And that’s all?”

“Yes!”

“So, you don’t know that Rob Lachlan stole a pair of diamond earrings?”

I thought I had blood left in my face. I was wrong. Now I’m going to pass out.

Mom gets up and pulls a chair away from the table. “Sit down,” she says. “Jim. This is too much.”

“It’s not too much!” he says fiercely. His eyes haven’t left mine. “You knew,” he says. “You knew what he did.”

I can’t even lie. My face has already given it all away.

“Did you help him?” my father demands. “Did he plan it?”

“I didn’t!” My father’s face is full of disbelief, so I shake my head fiercely. “I didn’t! I swear! I didn’t find out until later!”

“Maegan—”

“I’m telling the truth! I didn’t find out until Sunday night!”

Those cop eyes are back. “Three days ago. You’ve known for three days.” He pounds a fist against the table. “I told you to stay away from that boy, and not only did you disobey me, you’ve been covering for him.”

“Did he turn himself in?” I whisper.

“No! He was caught! He says he was returning the earrings, but at this point who knows the truth?”

He was returning the earrings. “He was!” I exclaim. “I know he was. I know—”

“Enough.” Dad sighs. He smooths his hand over the spot on the table that he just struck. “I expected more from you, Maegan. Again, you’re letting us down.”

Again.

I swallow. Tears sit heavy behind my eyes, and I take a breath. “I made a mistake, okay?”

“This is more than a mistake, Maegan. This is—”