Fear the Wicked (Illusions Series Book 2)(85)

Unlike when he’d been a priest, he was dressed in a plain pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. I thought it suited him better than the stuffy black clothes and clerical collar that he’d always worn when he lived at the parish.

He didn’t get up from where he’d been dumped on the floor and upon closer examination, I could see that Richard roughed him up some while bringing him inside the compound. Kneeling down, I reached out to grip his chin between my fingers and bring his eyes level with mine.

“You mind telling me why you decided to return to town after all I did to warn you off? You’re not a dumb person, Jacob. I know you better than that. Were you just feeling like dying, but couldn’t bring yourself to commit suicide? Don’t tell me after everything that’s happened, you’re still the devout Catholic boy who believes any of the religious bullshit.”

His eyes searched mine and it was like looking into a mirror. Even after all these years, Jacob and I hadn’t changed much except in lifestyles, but then again, he hadn’t lived through what I’d lived through. He’d only been witness to parts of it.

“I came back after returning home, Jericho. After visiting our former parish and the old family home. I discovered a few things and decided to come and talk to you about what I found out. I know why you hate me now. And I wanted to apologize.”

Breathing in, I held the breath for a few seconds before letting it out slowly. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what secrets he may have discovered. I just found the timing of his arrival suspect. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with Eve, would it? You wouldn’t happen to know where she is, would you?”

His brows pulled together with confusion. I didn’t buy the expression for a second. Like me, Jacob could play any part he wanted to play just as long as it got him what he wanted.

“I assume she’s buried wherever you put her. And no, this has nothing to do with Eve. This has to do with our father’s confession and what I found out about the abuse you suffered at the parish.”

Leaning back on my heels, I stared down at him. He wasn’t lying about what he’d discovered, and I was a little surprised he’d taken the time to go back home. However, hearing there had been a confession from our father was surprising. I hadn’t exactly given him time to go running to a priest before I’d shoved him down the stairs.

“A confession? I didn’t know dad had it in him. Tell me, what did this confession say?”

He reached for his back pocket, and I allowed him the slow movement knowing full well that if he had any weapons on him when entering the compound, Richard would have stripped them away.

Pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket, he handed it to me and said, “Maybe you should read it for yourself.”

Taking the paper, I toyed with the edge of it, noticing that it was old and thin. I had no interest in reading a damn word of what my father had written in order to clear his conscious before death. “Why don’t you just give me a summary? As I’m sure you know, I have no happy feelings toward dear old dad.”

Jacob frowned, the corners of his lips turning down into a steep shape of disapproval. “You may feel differently if you read the note. It might surprise you to discover what he did in the end.”

Laughter tumbled out of my lungs. “I know what he did in the end, Jacob. He screamed while falling down a flight of stairs. His last seconds on this Earth were spent staring up at the son who had shoved him down those stairs and wouldn’t move a muscle to help him as he lay there slowly dying.”

Blinking at the confession, Jacob didn’t seem surprised to hear it. “I was told after returning home that it was possible dad hadn’t died from natural causes.”

“Well, now you know,” I grinned, the expression not quite reaching my eyes. “What does the confession say, Jacob?”

Crumpling the paper in my fist, I made it clear I had no intention of reading it.

Jacob’s gaze followed the movement of my hand before returning to my face. It felt like I was staring at a mirror, the image reflecting back one that I wanted to shatter beneath my fist.

Swallowing down whatever lump had clogged his throat, Jacob shifted his weight over the floor until he was fully seated. He swallowed again. “I think you should read it. The impact won’t be the same coming from me.”

Rolling my eyes, I was tired of the drama and mystery. “Where’s my wife?”

His eyes snapped up to mine. “Your what?”

I knelt down, a smile stretching my lips to see him struggling to play the role of a stupid man. “My wife,” I said again. “You may remember her. A pretty little brown haired woman named Eve.”

There was shock in his eyes at my admission, but I didn’t believe it was genuine.

“Eve’s alive?” he asked, true confusion in his deep voice. “How is that even possible?”

My eyebrow cocked. “Would you believe I lied?”

He didn’t appreciate the humor rolling through my voice. The anger coloring his skin was surprising. And in that surprise, I started to believe he truly didn’t know that Eve was still among the living.

The realization only pissed me off more. If it wasn’t Jacob who helped Joshua take her from under my nose, then who?

Staring at my twin brother, I paused for a moment before asking, “You really don’t know. Do you?”