The Good Liar(71)

“Am I right?” Teo asks.

“About what?”

“About why you wanted to meet.”

“Yes.”

“So what is it?”

“I need to establish some ground rules first.”

He leans back. “Such as?”

“I’m going to tell you something, but you’re going to have to take it on faith that what I’m saying is true. I’m not going to be able to tell you how I know it, and if you try to find out, I’ll get your funding pulled.”

“Whoa, wait. What?”

“I want you to know how serious I am.”

“If I tell you I’m not going to do something, you can trust me.”

“Can I?”

“Of course you can. What have I ever done to make you think you couldn’t?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Make me think you like me, ask me out, then tell me you can’t see me anymore the second it might come out that we’re dating. Or whatever the hell we were doing.”

“That’s not what happened.”

“It’s exactly what happened.”

He looks at his hands. “Okay, factually, yes, maybe. But you’re speaking as if I meant to hurt you, and I didn’t.”

“Maybe not, but you did.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well, join the club.”

Neither of us speaks for several moments. I’m doubting the wisdom of coming here, asking for his help. But I wanted to see him again and not just in the confines of an interview.

“Is that the only condition?” Teo asks eventually.

“I’ll also need your help.”

“How so?”

“What I’m going to tell you needs to be investigated. It needs to be independently confirmed. I don’t know how to do that, but I think you do.”

“And it’s related to the documentary?”

“Yes.”

“To Franny?”

“Why do you think that?”

“She seems the most likely candidate. I’ll do it. But I want something in return.”

“What?”

“One more interview with you. You’ve been holding back, I’m not sure what, but something. And part of the reason I did what I did was that if I were doing my job properly, I’d be looking into what that is.”

“You want to investigate me?”

“No, I don’t. That’s the problem. I’m more interested in preserving your privacy than in getting to the nitty-gritty. And I shouldn’t be. Not if I want to make the film I think I can.”

“So that’s why.”

“Yes. In part.”

“What would I have to do?”

“One more interview, like I said. But you tell me what it is you don’t want me to know.”

“And, assuming there is something, you’ll include it in the documentary?”

“That depends on what it is, I guess. But probably. That’s the idea.”

“I’m going to have to think about that.”

“I understand. So no agreement today?”

“I guess not.”

He picks a piece off the top of his muffin. “I don’t suppose you could give me a preview of what this is all about?”

“Nope.”

“It was worth a try. But you have to know the suspense is killing me.”





Chapter 32


The Big Dig


Kaitlyn

When Kaitlyn woke up in another unfamiliar bed in another basement, she thought she was dreaming. It was later than she usually slept, almost eight. She felt a moment of panic. Had she forgotten to set her alarm? Were the twins wandering around the house unsupervised? No, wait. This wasn’t Westmount. And Andrea would’ve woken her up, anyway, if that were the life she was still in. No, she was in Chicago. In Cecily’s house. Told to stay in the basement until further notice.

Cecily and Tom had renovated it several years back in anticipation of Cecily’s mom moving in. Only she hadn’t. Tom had been annoyed at the waste of money. Which Kaitlyn shouldn’t know. Because Tom was the one who told her. Any knowledge she had from Tom about his life with Cecily was contraband. Something to be cast off, forgotten. It was a nice basement, though.

Kaitlyn went to the bathroom. When she came out, Cassie was sitting on her bed.

“You probably shouldn’t be down here.”

“Probably not. But Mom didn’t say that.”

“Where is your mom?”

“She had to go out.”

“Work?”

Cassie shrugged. She was taller and slimmer than the last time Kaitlyn had seen her. She had a dancer’s body, though she’d never danced.

“Why aren’t you in school?”

“In-service day.”

“Ah.”

“Where’s your brother?”

“Mom dropped him off at a friend’s. It’s just the two of us.”

Kaitlyn felt strangely nervous. She couldn’t recall ever spending time alone with Cassie before. Cassie was so much older than her own girls. And though she remembered being fifteen, she didn’t know how to talk to a fifteen-year-old today.