Sweet Liar (Candy #2)(15)

“I’m still thinking about it,” I said. “I haven’t decided anything yet.”

His fingers curled inward, pressing into my skin before he released me. Then he sat there, not saying anything, just watching me like he was trying to see inside me, until I averted my gaze.

“I’ll pick you up for school in the morning,” he finally said, his voice tinged with defeat.

My gaze returned to his.

“No matter what you decide, you need to go to school. There’s only a week left before the holiday break. Finish out the semester and keep your options open.”

“Will you still be there?” It didn’t seem like he had a reason to be at school anymore.

“My original goal hasn’t changed. Drew knows something, and I still need to find out what it is.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s never going to talk to you.”

Jonah smiled tightly. “We’ll see.”

He knew I was right, but he wouldn’t admit it. “So we go to school tomorrow like nothing’s changed, and I’m supposed to pretend you’re a student?”

“I know everything has changed and it won’t be easy. But yes, you’re supposed to go to school tomorrow. As for the rest, I’ll leave that up to you. We can’t ask anything more of you. If you want to blow my cover, go ahead, but then the Hoyts will find out and if they have the information we want, the odds of getting it go way down.”

“Why should I care?”

“Because your father is tied to all of it, and despite pretending not to care, I know you want to learn the truth as much as anyone.”

I pressed my lips together, less concerned with the truth than I was about helping my father. “I guess I’ll see you in school then.”

Jonah must have realized that was his cue to leave, because he stood slowly and walked toward the door. When he paused, I recalled what he’d said yesterday while standing in the doorway, and braced for more of the same. His eyes held the same heaviness, like he wanted to explain again and keep explaining until I forgave him.

As determined as I was to stay resolute in the face of his earnestness, I was afraid I would crumple eventually because my feelings for him had been real. They’d taken root long before I knew the truth, and his obvious regrets were keeping them alive, no matter how hard I tried to excise them.

But he said nothing this time. After a long, piercing look, he turned and walked out as if he’d given up on me, and the disappointment I felt was surprising and disheartening. Despite his deceit, a part of me wanted him here, saying he was sorry until I believed him because I wanted to believe.

I was weak when it came to Jonah, but couldn’t afford to be.

***





The very last thing I felt like doing was eating, especially enchiladas. I had no idea why my father had been so adamant about them, but I’d promised to make them. Now I stood in the kitchen with the order form from the market on the counter in front of me, and my mother’s recipe book beside it.

It was early evening, nearly a full day since my father had been taken away. I missed him, even though I’d gone a lot longer without seeing him.

With a tired sigh, I began to flip through the recipe book, scanning for what I needed, which I knew was around the halfway point. I stopped in the middle, turning the pages until I spotted my mother’s large, loopy writing spelling out enchiladas.

When I flattened the page, my gaze flew to a scrawl in black ink at the bottom, and I inhaled sharply because it was my father’s writing. That hadn’t been there the last time I made this recipe. My blood halted in my veins and the world stopped turning. This writing was for me. He wanted me to find this.

Looking closer, I saw he’d written an address. I didn’t recognize it, but it was in Ryberg. That was why he made me promise to make the enchiladas.

My belly filled with a nervous kind of giddiness, and I barked out a laugh. Had our whole phone call been bullshit meant for those who were listening, all to pass this information on to me? He wanted me to go to this address; I knew it. My father was good. I had to give him that.

I touched my fingertip to his deep scrawl, tracing the indentations in the paper. For a moment, it was as if he were here talking to me, helping me, telling me what to do. Relief set in. I needed some direction, and now I had it.

I packed a quick overnight bag and grabbed the car keys from my father’s room. If I left right away, I could be there by nine, which wasn’t too late to show up to wherever he was sending me. While I was in Ryberg, I could stop by to see Theo too.

It occurred to me that I might not be back in time for school tomorrow, which wouldn’t make Jonah happy. My stomach dipped as I wondered for the first time if he or someone else was watching the house. If Jonah convinced them I had nothing to do with my father’s crimes, would they even bother? I had no idea.

After flicking off the light, I walked to my bedroom window and lifted the shade just enough to peek out. My window looked out onto the front of the house. It was dark already, but I could see the road in both directions, and I didn’t notice any unfamiliar cars outside, just the usual neighbors. To be safe, it was probably smart to drive around before I got onto the highway to make sure no one was following me. But I had a feeling no one thought I was important enough to watch or follow.

I recalled how dismissive Jonah had been at the possibility of my hurting his father when I shot at him, as if I was incapable of doing him any real harm. Since they already had my father, there wasn’t anything else they could get from me other than my cooperation. Based on the little they’d offered in return for it, I didn’t believe they truly needed me for that either.