“I didn’t really eat out much growing up. We didn’t have the money for it. But there’s a good Thai place not far from here.”
“Is that where you want to go?”
“Yeah.” I go over and grab my wallet, checking to see how much money is in it. “I’ll pay for dinner. You already paid for too much with the plane tickets and hotel and car.”
“You’re not paying for dinner.” He takes my wallet, holding it up in the air.
“Yes, I am,” I say, reaching up to get it back.
“If you pay for dinner you’ll be low on money and then you’ll have to ask Ryan for more. And I know you hate asking him for money.”
I sigh, slumping down on the bed. “I really need to find a job.”
“Come here.” He pulls me up and into his arms. “It was very nice of you to offer to buy me dinner.” He leans in closer. “And by the way, I love you, too.”
On the way to the restaurant I call Ryan. He says Frank is sleeping and still can’t have visitors. Then Ryan says he’s going home for a few hours to sleep and I have to confess that I’m not staying there. He doesn’t act surprised.
The next morning, we’re back at the hospital at 9, when visiting hours begin. Ryan meets us there.
“Did you get a few hours of sleep?” I ask him, even though he still looks exhausted.
“Five hours, which was more than I thought I’d get.” He turns his phone off, reminding Garret and me to do the same. It’s hospital policy. “The doctor is in there with Dad now. I need to go hear what he has to say.”
“Okay. We’ll wait here.”
A half hour later, Ryan comes back to the waiting area and we all go out into the hall.
“The doctor said Dad had a good night,” Ryan says to me. “The swelling in his brain is way down. That’s good news. Really good.”
“Is he awake now?”
“Yeah. I just talked to him. But they gave him something that makes him tired, so you should go in and see him before he falls asleep. I need to call and check on something with the insurance. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I go into the ICU, taking Garret with me. Frank looks the same as yesterday, although his eyes are open more.
“Hi, Frank. It’s me again.” I’ve decided to be less of a downer today. Frank is surrounded by enough depressing stuff in that place. I don’t need to add to it.
“Hi, Jade. You finally made it home. How’s college?”
It’s like he forgot I was here yesterday. Ryan warned me that Frank might have some memory problems and confusion from his injury. I go along with it and pretend I just got here.
“College is good. And I brought Garret back with me. My boyfriend.”
“Yes, I know. I met him yesterday.”
Now I’m the one confused. He remembers meeting Garret yesterday? But he doesn’t remember seeing me? I ignore it. Between the brain injury and his meds, I’m sure he’s not all there.
“Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?” Frank asks.
“Yes, it was great.” I already told him all about Thanksgiving weeks ago over the phone.
“It’s too bad your mother is gone. She used to love Thanksgiving. Well, all holidays, really, especially Christmas.”
He’s definitely not all there. My mom did not love Thanksgiving or any holidays, at least not when I knew her.
Frank’s eyes are getting heavy. “You could spend Christmas with your father.”
I glance at Garret, unsure how to react to Frank’s confused gibberish.
“I saw him on the news,” Frank continues. “He’s here, you know.”
My stomach drops when he says it. I know Frank’s completely out of it, but why would he say something like that?
“I should probably let you rest.” I turn to leave but Frank keeps talking.
“Your mother always said you didn’t look like him. But every time I see that bastard on TV, I think you have his smile.”
A chill runs down my spine. I don’t know why he’s saying this stuff to me, but it’s freaking me out.
I go back over to his bed. “Okay, Frank. Well, we’re going to leave and let you get some sleep.”
“I left a box in your room, Jade. Photos of your mother.” His eyelids close, then slowly open again. “There’s an article that shows your father at that speech before it happened. Can’t believe he got away with it. And now he’s in the running.”
“In the running for what?”
“He’s running for president. Your father. Royce Sinclair.”
24
I back away from Frank’s bed, a chill now radiating throughout my entire body. I know it’s not true. Frank is clearly confused. But why would that thought even enter his head?
Garret grabs my hand and gives me a look to get out of there. Frank’s eyes are now completely closed and he seems to be sleeping.
Ryan comes back just as we’re leaving. He follows us into the hall.
“What did your dad say to you earlier?” I ask him. “Anything odd?”
“No. We talked about what his doctor said, then went over some insurance stuff.”
“So it didn’t seem like the meds were making him loopy or anything?”
He shakes his head. “He was tired but not like drugged out or anything. Why are you asking? Did something happen when you were in there?”
“Um, no. I mean, at first he acted like I’d just got here. Like I wasn’t here yesterday, so he seemed a little confused.”
“He was really out of it yesterday. He probably didn’t remember.”
“Yeah. That’s probably it.”
“He’ll be asleep for a while, so I’m going to get some hours in at the lab. You guys can go do something. You don’t need to sit here all day. I’ll keep you updated.”
“Okay.” I give Ryan a hug. I don’t dare tell him what his dad said. It’s too strange. Plus, Ryan doesn’t know about the letter my mom wrote me, which means he knows nothing about the rape or the man who did it.
Garret and I go back to the car. We don’t talk on the drive to the hotel. I’m sure Garret wants to say something, but he can tell by my nervous leg tapping that now is not a good time.
When we’re back in the room, I’m finally able to talk. “What the hell was that? Royce Sinclair is my father? Why would Frank say something like that? I know he’s out of it, but still, how would he come up with something like that?”
“Exactly what I was thinking.” Garret’s pacing the floor, something I’ve never seen him do before. “I know he’s on meds, but like you said, where did he come up with a story like that?”
“Maybe he was watching TV and got confused. Sinclair is on the news all the time and Frank watches a lot of news.” I turn on the TV and start flipping through the channels. I stop at a news channel.
“Turn it up,” Garret says, pointing at the TV. “They just showed Sinclair.”
I up the volume on the TV. Two old guys are discussing each candidate. “Sinclair has now surpassed Myerson in the polls and if that continues, he could be one of the top two contenders on caucus day.” They cut to a clip of Sinclair at an event, shaking hands and smiling. I get closer to the screen.
“Garret, look at his face.”
The video ends and they put up a headshot of Sinclair as the news guys continue to talk. His smile almost does look like mine. Garret stares at me. I know he’s thinking the same thing. I smile just to show him.
“Holy shit,” he says, checking out Sinclair’s headshot again.
“He looks like me, doesn’t he? We have the same smile!”
Garret’s pacing again. “Well, a lot of people look alike. That doesn’t mean they’re related.”
“Why didn’t you notice this before? You know the guy!”
“Jade. Really? Why would I even look for something like that?” Garret goes to the window, checking out the line of satellite trucks down below. The national media is here covering all the caucus-related events, many of which take place downtown o
n the streets around this hotel. “Frank was really out of it. I’m sure he was just confused. Sinclair’s not your father. There’s no way that’s true.”
“But what if it is? That guy’s from a powerful family, just like the guy in my mom’s letter. And he’s been working in politics his whole life. He was probably here for the caucus that year.” I join Garret at the window. “Remember at the fundraiser how he kept staring at me? And when I went back inside to get Harper’s scarf, he came over and talked to me. Nobody else was around. Why would he do that, Garret? I’m nobody. Why would someone who’s running for president go out of his way to come over and talk to me?”
“I don’t know, but I think we’re reading too much into it. So the guy has your smile. That doesn’t prove anything.”
“The shoebox! Frank said there’s something in the shoebox. Get your coat. We’re going back to the house.”
When we arrive at Frank’s house, I run to my bedroom and open the shoebox, dumping it all over the desk. Garret is standing behind me. I pick up a newspaper clipping. There’s an article about a political speech and next to it is a photo. I look closer and see my mom standing in the crowd. And next to her is a younger version of Royce Sinclair.
I drop the clipping, sure that my legs are going to give out. I collapse on the bed before they do. Garret picks up the clipping.
“It’s him,” I say. “He’s standing next to my mom. Frank was right.”
“Shit! I can’t fucking believe this.” He looks closer at the photo. “Sinclair’s like 10 years older than your mom. He would’ve been married then. And his wife would’ve been—”
“Pregnant,” I say realizing it. “He did this when he was married with a child on the way. My half sister. Sadie! The girl you dated! You dated my half sister!”
“Okay, calm down.” He sets the clipping back in the box and sits next to me. “That’s the last thing you should be worried about right now. Tell me again what Sinclair said to you at my house. Anything strange?”
“When you were outside waiting for the car, he asked me to tell my parents to vote for him in the caucus. Like I had parents. So that was strange. And then he asked if I was interested in politics. He knew my mom was a poli-sci major in college so maybe he thought I was, too.”
“Well, none of that would’ve seemed strange before, but now it does. Anything else?”
“I told you how he kept staring at me, especially my face. He was probably trying to see if we looked alike, hoping nobody would notice the resemblance.” I think back to that night, replaying the interaction in my head. “I remember your dad was acting really strange, too. When we were talking to Sinclair, your dad seemed nervous and his forehead was sweating.”
Garret thinks for a moment. “Everything changed after that night. My dad changed. That’s when he started acting all protective over you. Remember how he reacted when you said you’d be alone on campus over Thanksgiving? It makes sense now. He wanted you at the house with all the security and the locked gate.”
“What are you saying, Garret? That this guy’s made threats against me? And your dad knows about this?”
He gets his phone out. “We need to talk to my dad.”
“Do you really think he’s going to talk about this over the phone?”
He sighs and puts his phone away. “No. You’re right.”
“I don’t get it. If your dad knows Sinclair wants to hurt me, then why didn’t he say anything when you told him we were going to Des Moines? He knows Sinclair is here for the campaign.”
“Maybe my dad thought you’d be safe if I was with you. Maybe that’s why he didn’t get mad when I told him I was coming here. Or maybe he got Sinclair to back down. Leave you alone.”
“Maybe, but I still don’t feel safe.”
“Yeah, I don’t either.”
“Why is your dad even friends with that guy? And why is he giving him all that money for his campaign?”
“Sinclair must have something on him. He must know something my dad needs to keep hidden. That’s why my dad’s covering for him.”
“Your dad would really keep this guy’s secret all these years? He really wants a rapist to be president?”
“You think he’d be the first one? You think these people have never committed crimes, Jade? Seriously?”
“Don’t you dare talk down to me! How the hell would I know that? I live in the real world, where people who commit crimes actually go to prison.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it that way. I’m just so pissed off right now.” He runs his hand through his hair. “I told you before, Jade. Powerful people get away with shit. They pay people to keep quiet. Or they do other things to keep them quiet. And if anyone tries to accuse them publicly, they destroy them. They make them out to be crazy so nobody will believe them.”
“Like my mom. Everyone said she was crazy. When she told the police who raped her, they said the guy wasn’t even in Des Moines that night. But he was. He’s in the crowd in that photo. Didn’t anyone check the photo?”
Garret doesn’t answer. His mind has already moved on to the more recent past. “Sinclair had someone make those phone calls and steal that letter. He’s been watching you, Jade. And probably me, too.”
Another chill goes through me. “Are you trying to freak me out even more?”
He puts his arms around me. “I’m not leaving you here. I’m staying here until you go to back to school. And you’re not leaving my side.”
“But what about Christmas? You need to go home for Christmas.”
“They’ll have to have it without me.” He lets me go and gets his phone out again. “I need to get a gun. What are the gun rules in this state?”
I push his phone down. “A gun? Are you insane? You don’t even know how to use a gun.”
“I’ve known how to use a gun since I was 13. My family has guns, Jade. We have to. Because of shit like this.”
“You’re scaring me, Garret. How did I not know that you’re some gun fanatic?”
“I’m not a gun fanatic. It’s not like I want to use one. But I guarantee that whoever Sinclair has hired to keep an eye on you has a gun. And we need protection.”
“Okay. Just hold on a minute. Maybe we’re overreacting here. The guy’s known about me all these years and he’s never tried to hurt me. So maybe we’re getting worried over nothing.”
“He hasn’t tried to hurt you before because he didn’t need to. But now you know his secret. And he wants to be the fucking president! He can’t have evidence of his crime walking around. Anyone can prove you’re his daughter with a simple DNA test. Shit! This is bad.”
“But if anyone ever found out, he could just say he had an affair. Politicians have affairs all the time. Nobody has to know it was a rape.”
“If news got out that he had an affair, his political contenders would go digging for anything and everything about his past and there’s a chance that one of them would find out the truth. He can’t let this get out.”
“Okay, but is he really evil enough to harm his own daughter?”
“I don’t know, Jade.”
“Tell me what you know about this guy. Everything.”
“I don’t know that much about him.”
“You dated his daughter! You have to know something!”
“We didn’t sit around talking about her dad!”
I’m trying hard not to think about Garret and Sadie together, but my mind keeps doing it anyway. I wonder how far that relationship went. There’s no way I’m asking. Then again, they dated for two months. I don’t need to ask. I’m sure it went where I was hoping it didn’t.
“What’s his background?” I ask, trying to wipe Sadie’s image out of my head. “Why is he so powerful?”
“The family owns a big pharmaceutical company. The company’s been around forever. Sadie’s uncle runs it. Her dad didn’t want to. He was more interested in politics. That’s all I know. But my dad knows more about him.”
“I don’t know what to do, Garret.”
“Let’s just put this stuff away and go back to the hotel.”
When we get to his room, I look out the window at all the national news trucks along Grand Avenue. Even international news agencies are here.
Garret turns on the TV, flipping to one of the news channels. A reporter is standing outside. They’re live in Des Moines, just a block from our hotel.
We listen as the reporter talks. “…visiting the state once again before the holidays. The latest polls show Royce Sinclair taking the lead, but by a slim margin. There’s still plenty of time left for a new frontrunner to take his place. Sinclair has said he’ll be staying in Iowa over the holidays to secure his frontrunner status. Kent Gleason is also remaining here, although he’s currently a distant fourth.”
“Turn it off,” I tell Garret. “I can’t watch it. It’s making me feel sick. He’s probably down in that building next to all the news trucks. What if he’s staying in this hotel?” The thought makes me panic even more. “He probably is! It’s the nicest hotel in town!”
Garret comes over and forces me sit to down. “The candidates usually don’t stay at hotels. They usually rent a house because they’re here for so long.” He gets out his phone. “I’ll look it up quick.”
Within a minute, Garret’s already found it. “Just like I said. He’s renting a house in the suburbs. Some place called Clive.”
“Yeah. It’s out west. Fine. But he’s still here in town.”
My cell phone rings. It’s Ryan calling. “Ryan. What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Relax, Jade. Dad’s starting to improve. He’s being moved to a regular hospital room later this afternoon.”
“That’s great! Should I get over there?”
“He’s still sleeping. But stop by around 3. Or come here earlier and we’ll have lunch. I’ll be done in the lab at 2 so you could come by then.”
“Okay. Sounds good. See ya soon.” I hang up and turn to Garret. “We’re meeting Ryan for a late lunch. Frank’s getting better and they’re moving him to a regular room.”
“That’s good news.”
Knowing You (The Jade Series #2) Page 21