Where the Darkness Goes

Chapter 36

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

GARRETT — AGE 18

I’m shaking with adrenaline as I shut the door to separate Tessa from this situation. I don’t want her to see me in my current state. Coming in the house and hearing Will screaming at her sent every nerve in my body into a spiral. It took several minutes for me to be able to walk in here and look at him without wanting to beat the shit out of him for daring to even raise his voice at her.

When I speak, my tone is a roll of thunder in the midst of a storm. “What was that?”

Will tugs the hood around his head, flopping down on his bed without looking at me. “I told you not to come over this weekend.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t listen. Why are you yelling at your sister?”

“Why do you care?” he snaps.

I fold my arms across my chest and stare at him, trying to understand but also not willing to keep entertaining this pity party.

Groaning when he notices I’m not going to keep arguing, he adds, “She’s in my business. I need time. Space. Or has everyone forgotten my girlfriend just died?”

It’s been a little over a week, which isn’t long, sure, but they also hadn’t been together that long. I’m sure he’s sad about her death, I’m just not convinced this is about her. At least not completely. “Is that all this is about? Or is it about the jewelry? Do you know they think whoever stole her things is the one who killed her mom? They were missing days before the party, but no one noticed. What did you do with them? You can’t pawn them now. If they trace it back to?—”

Will grabs the remote and turns the TV up, likely so Tessa won’t eavesdrop, though I heard her door shut earlier.

“Shut up about that, will you? Do you want me to get caught?”

“Of course not, but you can’t just pretend this isn’t happening. Have you thought about going to the police to tell them the truth? What if they figure out it was you? If you come clean about it now and tell them?—”

His eyes go dark, gaze sharp. “They won’t find out anything unless you tell them. My prints and DNA are in that house because we were dating. End of story. They have nothing else on me.”

“What did you do with them?” I ask again.

“They’re both gone. Don’t worry about it.”

“Gone like you sold or pawned them? Because that’ll be possible to trace, probably easily.”

“No. I threw them out. No one will find them. They’re long gone.”

I swallow. “What is going on with you? Why did you steal the stuff in the first place? It’s not like you. I didn’t ask before, but I think I deserve to know now. And why are you acting like this? Why are you shutting out the people who are just trying to help?”

He ignores my first question. “I don’t want anyone’s help. I’m fine.”

“Are you? Because you reek like you haven’t showered. You haven’t come down to play basketball. You’re yelling at your sister. Ignoring me. That’s not you.”

“Maybe you don’t know me.”

“Is it because of Brendan and Cassidy?” My words cut through the room like a hot knife on ice.

“What did you just say to me?” He stands and takes a step toward me.

I don’t budge. “Did you find out?”

His face is unrecognizable. “Did I find out what?”

I swallow. “I was at the park earlier, and Brendan had a picture of her. He said… Well, he told me they’d been messing around. They’re neighbors, I guess, and it’s always been a thing. If I found out Tessa was messing around with someone else?—”

“This is not about you!” he shouts, his warm, rank breath hitting my face. “It’s not about my stupid sister. It’s not about Cassidy or fucking Brendan Taylor, okay? It’s my shit, and I’ll figure it out. I do not need you or anyone else, so go.”

I press my lips together. “They’re saying Cory’s dad lost his job. Did you hear that?” I study him, looking for a hint that he knows what’s going on. “Do you know who did this? Does it have anything to do with why you’re acting so weird?”

“Oh, now you think I’m a murderer too, hmm?” Returning to his bed, he drops down and rolls over on the mattress away from me.

“No. I don’t. But I think you’re acting strange because you feel guilty. Or maybe because you know who did it. And if you do, and you let our friend go down for it, I don’t think you’ll ever forgive yourself.”

Slowly, he turns over to face me, his expression still an angry pout, but at least I’m getting calm eye contact again. Less I-want-to-kill-you eye contact, anyway. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“So tell me. Tell me what’s going on so I can help you.”

For a second, I think he’s contemplating it, but then he says, “You wouldn’t understand. Please just go.”

“Try me.”

He looks at the door, then back at me. “I can’t tell you, man. Please just, just leave.”

I sit down next to him on the bed, staring at him long and hard. “Since when don’t we tell each other everything? What’s the point of brothers?”

He swallows, looking down. “Fine. You really want to know?”

“Yes. I really do.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

And then…he tells me everything.

That night I’m lying in bed staring at the text message I’ve typed out to send Tessa. She deserves more than this.

Better.

But this is what I can give her. It’s all I can give her.

We need to talk. I’m sorry about this, but with me going away to college next month, I think it’s best if we break this off before either of us gets too attached. I don’t want to hurt you now or ever. I hope someday you can understand.

I squeeze my eyes shut, cursing myself. Then I press send and turn off my phone.