Young Truths (Young Series) (22 page)

Marcus doesn’t answer, but the troubled expression on his face tells me his thoughts have taken similar turns and I probably really don’t want the answers.

We walk around the backyard awhile, occasionally picking something up from the ground to examine it. Sometimes it’s an unidentifiable piece of char that crumbles in our hands; sometimes it’s the remnants of a piece of furniture or brick from the house or on a couple occasions, what’s left of a photograph. Tyler is occupied on the swings and slide as Marcus and I head down to the lake. He shows me where the generator exploded and points out a part of the rubber piping that was cut just enough to cause trouble. Again, it was intentional. I walk down to the boat dock. My boat is gone, taken to an impound lot to be checked for any sort of evidence that might have been left behind.

Looking out at the water, I wonder how things got this far. This goes way deeper than some business rivalry with Frank Marone. People have died. Good people. People I’ve known for years and cared deeply about. My family has been dragged right in the middle and I could have lost them as well. I did lose them briefly after Tyler’s kidnapping. Reflex has me spinning around, looking towards the jungle gym for Tyler. He’s there, safe and sound, having the time of his life. Will there ever be a time when I’m not looking over my shoulder for danger? At this point, I’m thinking not.

Something catches my eye and I turn back to the lake. At first I think it’s a log floating down the lake, but narrowing my eyes, I know that’s not what it is unless someone dressed a log in women’s clothing. My brain makes a suggestion of what it could be and I find myself unable to breathe suddenly.

“Marcus,” I call without turning away. If I was thinking more clearly, I might be impressed with how calm my voice sounds. “Come here and look at this.”

I hear a sigh behind me, then footsteps. “What?” he asks. Lifting my hand, I point a finger towards the thing in the lake. It takes a moment, but I hear Marcus’s sharp gasp beside me. “Matt.” His tone is just as calm as mine. “Get your boy and get out of here.”

“Is that what I think it is?” I ask quietly.

He hesitates. “Go, Matt, I mean it. You were never here. Understand?” I meet his eyes and I can’t remember ever seeing that almost panicked, hardening expression in them before. “I’ll catch up with you later, but you need to leave right now.”

Under more normal circumstances, I might argue, but there’s something about the way he’s speaking that forces me to turn around and run to get my son. I don’t even hesitate to snatch him off the slide as he moves down it. “We have to go, buddy,” I say urgently.

“Why?” he asks as I rush us back around the house to the car. One glance over my shoulder shows me that Marcus is watching us, his cell phone in hand, waiting for us to leave. I don’t stop. Tyler is buckled in his car seat, still waiting for me to answer his question.

”Because we have to go get your mom and sister,” I say, forcing my tone to be bright for his benefit. I don’t allow myself to think anything more of what I saw in the lake until we’re in front of the apartment.

This problem just got ten times worse.

Hours have passed since I was kicked off my property. In that time, I haven’t heard even a peep from Marcus. I’ve been tempted to call him, but I know better; he’ll contact me when he can.
“You were never here.”
I think those words will haunt me for the rest of my life. They were a warning and the more I think about them in conjunction with the look in Marcus’s eyes as he said them, the more fear sets in. Fear of what I saw in my lake. Fear of what’s to come. Fear for my family’s safety. I’ve tried to distract myself since Tyler and I got back to the apartment. When I called the hospital to check on Samantha, she was taking a nap. A very small part of me was relieved; if she’d been awake, she would have picked up on my mood. I don’t know what to tell her if she asks—should I even tell her? She and Olivia will be released late this evening once they’re given one last check over. Meanwhile, Tyler is sleeping off our late night upstairs in his room and I’m pacing the apartment like a caged animal, waiting for my phone to ring.

Finally, after what feels like days, there’s a knock on my apartment door. I reach it in a few long strides and actually find myself looking through the peephole before opening it; apparently, the day has made me paranoid. Once I confirm Marcus is outside the door, I yank it open. It’s only been a few hours, but he looks absolutely exhausted.

“Please tell me you have beer,” he mutters as a greeting, pushing himself into the apartment.

“Yeah, of course,” I say, closing the door and joining him in the kitchen. I grab two bottles, open them, and hand one to Marcus, then watch as he drinks it all in a few gulps. “Rough day at work, dear?”

He glares at my attempt at a joke. “Where’s your boy?” he asks, looking around.

“Sleeping,” I tell him, my amusement subsiding. “We’re heading to pick up Sam and Olivia in a couple hours.”

He nods. “Good,” he says distractedly, sitting at the table. Reluctantly, I sit beside him. “I won’t waste your time. You know what you saw in that lake.”

I take a sip of beer. “It was, then?” I ask quietly, reluctantly. He nods. “Do we know who?”

His mouth opens to speak and for the first time in my memory, he looks generally sorry to tell me something. “I’m still waiting on confirmation,” he says, “but based on things I’ve learned in the last day or so, I think it’s Lucy Boyd.”

I swear my heart stops beating for a few moments. There is no way I heard that correctly. Marcus is still speaking, but I can’t understand a word he’s saying. A million thoughts are flying through my head—memories of my time with Lucy before it all went to shit. I really did believe I loved her. I’d started envisioning an entire life with her—marriage, kids, the works. She was always so sweet and smart and funny. She brought me out of myself, turned me from a lonely computer geek to one of the most popular kids on our college campus. Because of her, I made friends for the first time since I met Leo. And of course, the majority of my family loved her, too. She didn’t so much break my heart as she shattered it, and from that point on, I focused on the things that were important. If I hadn’t caught Lucy in bed with my friend, I probably would have spent my remaining time at college partying rather than starting to plan my company. I suppose it’s because of her I was so successful at such a young age.

And now she’s dead.

“Matt?” Marcus says quietly, watching me closely. “You all right?”

I nod slowly, mechanically. “Yeah, I’m great,” I say hoarsely. “My wife and newborn daughter are coming home tonight and I’ve just found my ex-girlfriend’s body floating in my lake. Life couldn’t be better.”

He sighs. “Always the smartass,” he mutters. “I know this is a lot to take in, but—”

“What am I supposed to tell Samantha?” I interrupt quietly. “Because if I keep something like this from her, she will skin me alive. So I have to say something. What if I do and she decides I’m too dangerous to be around my children, particularly my newborn, and she leaves me again?”

Marcus gives me a measured look. “After everything the two of you have been through together, do you really think she would do that to you?” he asks quietly.

My entire body slumps in my seat. “No,” I say after a few moments. “I know she wouldn’t. Doesn’t stop it being the only thing in the world that really scares me.”

He nods in understanding. “Well, I’ll help figure out what to say to her. But until we get a positive
ID on the body and find out more, it’s probably best not to mention it. Technically speaking, I shouldn’t even be here talking to you about this right now. Those detectives we made friends with yesterday have been called in.”

“That’s why you kicked me out,” I say quietly, shaking my head. “So they don’t come looking at me again.”

“There’s nothing guaranteeing they won’t,” Marcus warns. “It’s your property, after all. Plausible deniability is your best friend right now.”

“Why Lucy?” I ask suddenly. “I mean, we’re assuming this is murder, right? She goes missing, now she’s in a fucking lake. Why?”

“And more specifically, why your lake?” he counters. “Sadly, that one is probably the easiest one to guess. Someone’s warning you—going after people in your life to remind you you’re not safe.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t need a reminder,” I say darkly. “I’m well aware, thank you very much.”

“Which leaves our second theory: an attempt to frame you for her murder. I mean, it’s a bit messy, if you ask me. You’ve got a solid alibi; you were with your wife while she was delivering your child. And even yesterday, you were with your son all day. As far as I’m concerned, you’re not even close to being a suspect for this. That’s me, of course; I know you. She might not have been your favorite person in the world, but you never wanted this for her, did you?” I shake my head in answer. “So then we need to ask ourselves what it is about her that is so special that someone has gone through the trouble of doing this. Is it work-related? Personal? Do you know if she’s involved with any project with your father’s firm that could cause attention from these people?”

Sighing, I rub my hands roughly across my face. “No,” I say dully. “I haven’t talked business with my father in months. Ironically, since around the time I imagine he was diagnosed. Even the contracts I’m handing off to them from my company are being handled by a third-party.”

Marcus sits up straight. “What third-party?” he asks sharply.

“Keep your hair on,” I instruct. “I’ve got a list of suspects, but they don’t involve a group of lawyers.”

He glares at me. “Go on.”

“Not much else to tell,” I reply. “I’m sure she hasn’t got a shortage of enemies—she’s one of the biggest bitches I’ve ever met in my life.”

Marcus raises an eyebrow. “Do us all a favor, Matt,” he requests. “When the police do finally come knocking to question you about this, keep that to yourself.”

I smirk slightly. “What about the phone calls?” I ask quietly. “She was calling me days before her death. Why?”

“Who knows,” Marcus responds tiredly. “Maybe she knew she would be targeted and wanted your help. Maybe she was warning you about something. For once, I have no idea what to tell you, Matt.”

“That’s comforting.” I take a sip of beer and glance at the clock. “Shit. I need to go get Sam and the baby.”

“Right.” Marcus stands and I walk him to the door. “I need to get back to the office; surprised they haven’t called yet. Would it be too much to ask that you enjoy your family tonight? For once, try not to worry about everything else. You’ve got a baby and a beautiful wife and a great son. Focus on that. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”

“Yeah, thanks,” I say, opening the door. “And I know I don’t say it often, but I do appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

He smirks. “Don’t go all mushy on me now, Young. Go get your family.”

Much as I hate it, he’s right. I need to focus on my family. They are the priority. The rest of the world might have gone to hell around me, but as long as I have them, nothing else matters.

Now if I could only convince myself of that, my life would be so much easier.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say someone is eager to get home.”

I grin as I turn from the hospital bed to find Claire leaning behind me against the wall. “Imagine that,” I tell her, returning to my task of getting Olivia changed and into her car seat. Matthew called about half an hour ago to tell me he’s on his way. He sounded a bit off, but I convinced myself he’s just tired. “If I never see the inside of another hospital, my life will be complete.”

Claire snorts a laugh. “Yeah, I don’t know another couple that ends up in the hospital more than you and my brother,” she comments. “I really do worry about the two of you.”

Olivia is fussing as I put her in a pink onesie that declares her to be an adorable baby—which goes along with the t-shirt I got Matthew for Christmas that declares he makes adorable babies. I have to agree on both points. “You know, Olivia, if you relax for five seconds, you can go back to your nap.”

“Do you really expect a day-old baby to listen to you?” Claire asks, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Of course she’ll listen to me,” I say smugly. “I’m her mommy.”

Rolling her eyes, Claire helps herself to a box of chocolates that was delivered along with one of the many vases of flowers and balloons. “Where is my dear brother, anyway?”

“On his way,” I tell her. “Apparently, he and Tyler were spending the afternoon with Marcus West. Is it just me or has he become the new Leo?”

Claire smiles distractedly, staring at the door. “I’m just glad Matt’s letting himself trust people again. Can’t imagine what it would be like to find out your friend that you thought you knew so well is someone else entirely.”

I raise an eyebrow at her. “Yeah, that would be pretty rough,” I say. “Something the matter?”

“What?” she asks, looking over at me. “No, everything’s fine. Why do you ask?”

I shrug and turn my attention back to Olivia who is finally settling down enough that I can put her in her car seat. Every time I glance over at Claire, I find her staring at the door, her brow furrowed, and looking as though she’s standing guard. This is very much not like her. But clearly she’s not up to sharing right now. Luckily, my room door opens a few minutes later and Tyler comes blazing in, immediately attaching himself to my leg. Grinning, I bend to pick him up and sit him on the bed beside Olivia. “About time you two got here,” I grumble playfully, kissing Tyler all over his face until he actually pushes me away in favor of looking down at his baby sister.