Jake stretched in his saddle. “That’s good. It’ll be nice to have another farm close by.” He scanned the mostly abandoned street.
Fog still hung low, but Jake had grown used to living near the coast and knew it would burn off by midday. The clip-clopping sound of horse hooves on the pavement echoed in the morning fog as they rode toward the town center. Beyond the boathouse, Jake could barely make out the tents compiling the marketplace.
The two of them meandered in silence, taking in their surroundings as they rode further down the winding road.
Jason pointed to the bike rack–hitching post in front of Town Hall. “Let’s see what they have in the way of materials, then we’ll worry about the crab.”
Jake nodded. “Dani’s gonna love you for that.”
A broad smile engulfed Jason’s scarred face. “I know.”
Jake chuckled as they secured their horses to the bike rack. After unstrapping his backpack, he turned toward the morning market and bustling merchants readying their tents and tables for the day. There was a fresh produce stand with eggs and veggies, a seafood tent, another displaying jewelry and gemstones, and others with leather bags and crocheted blankets, jams, and jellies…the tents and stands went on and on.
After Jason patted his horse’s withers and pulled his pack up onto his shoulder, he headed across the street to the hardware store.
“I’ll meet you in there,” Jake said and walked beside Jason. He broke away, heading toward the hunting and fishing supply shop. “I need to get some more arrows for Zoe and the boys.”
Jason nodded and continued on toward the store a few doors down.
Jake entered the first shop in the row, greeting the older woman at the counter before he began to sort through what few options the shop owner had in the way of arrows. Zoe had been spending a lot of time practicing archery, meaning she was getting better and breaking less arrows, but she was still going through them pretty quickly. Although Jake hadn’t told Zoe about it, Jason had agreed to teach him a thing or two about woodworking so he could make custom arrows for her…eventually. He wanted it to be a surprise.
“Sorry, it’s not much,” the woman said, her eyes not leaving the weathered paperback book in her hand. She pushed her reading glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. “I should have more stock in within the next few weeks. Just waiting for the next big scavenging trip to the city.”
Jake made a noncommittal noise before picking a set of arrows he thought would suffice and trading a quart of goat’s milk for them.
“Thank you,” he said, giving her a slight wave as he pushed open the door.
“Have a good day.”
Jake headed out the door and toward the hardware store a couple doors down. When he stepped into the tiny shop, he expected to find Jason poring over the new chisel sets and the sharpeners that lined the shelves, but Jake didn’t see Jason at all. The portly shopkeeper, with his long hair and even longer beard, was the only occupant. He strolled up to the counter from the workshop in back.
When he looked up, he flashed Jake a welcoming smile. “Morning.”
With a nod, Jake approached the counter. “Morning. I’m looking for my friend, Jason. I was supposed to meet him in here.”
The shopkeeper shrugged. “I’ve only had a few people in this morning. What’s he look like?”
“He’s a big guy, dark hair?”
The man chuckled. “I’ve lived here for years…seen a lot of visitors by that description.”
“Perfect. You might know his family, actually—the Cartwrights?”
Although the shopkeeper’s expression never wavered, Jake could have sworn some of the color drained from the man’s face.
Jake took a step closer to the counter. “Everything okay?”
The man seemed to blink himself back to the present and nodded. “I did just open up. Your friend might’ve come up when the door was locked.” He busied himself behind the counter, and Jake got the distinct impression the man was avoiding his gaze.
“Did you know the family?” Jake asked as he glanced around the shop, wondering if Tom had been a regular back in the day.
“I did, actually.” He cleared his throat. “I was a friend of their father’s.” He stilled for a moment and met Jake’s eyes. “Honestly, I thought they were all dead.”
Jake shook his head. “Not all of them.” Jake stood there a moment, contemplating. “Alright, well, thanks anyway.” He turned to leave just as the door opened, and Jason walked in.
“Morning,” he said to the shopkeeper, who offered him a tight-lipped smile in return.
“Good morning.”
Jason scanned the store. “I need three twelve-inch hand-screw clamps, if you have any.” He laughed softly and shook his head. “Zoe’d love the smell of this place.”
Jake watched the shopkeeper, waiting for him to check his inventory, but he just stood there, watching Jason intently. Jason didn’t seem to notice the man’s scrutiny.
“Did you have those clamps?” Jake prompted, and Jason turned his attention back to the counter.
“If you don’t,” Jason said, “I’ll take three of the closest thing you’ve got.”
The shopkeeper gave him a curt nod. “I’ve got ’em,” he said. “Just a moment.” He headed into the attached workshop.
When he returned, he set the clamps out on the counter.
“These will be great, thanks,” Jason said.
As the shopkeeper wrapped up the clamps, his eyes narrowed slightly on Jason, then on Jake. “What are you boys building?” he asked.
“A new shed.” Jason pulled his pack off his shoulder and set it up on the counter, preparing to barter with the shopkeeper, but the shopkeeper waved him away.
“It’s on the house,” he said and slid the wrapped clamps over to Jason.
Jason looked thoroughly confused.
“He knew your father,” Jake explained when the shopkeeper said nothing. Jake watched the owner’s placid expression.
Jason’s head tilted to the side. “Really?” He outstretched his hand. “I’m Jason. I’m afraid I don’t remember you.”
The shopkeeper extended his hand, as well. “Charles, and don’t worry. I wouldn’t expect you to.”
~~~~~
“Zoe, can you get me the diagrams you’re working on for the farm?” Jason asked as he walked up the porch steps. “I’m trying to figure out where we need to focus our attention.”
Zoe nodded. “I guess I’ll practice later.” She winked at Jake as she set her bow and new set of arrows on the porch railing and headed inside for the diagrams she’d been sketching. It had been a few weeks since Biggs had left with the twins, and Jake was glad to see Zoe was finally getting some of her pep back and finding her groove again.
“You planning on finishing the shed in one day?” Jake asked. “I know you like projects, but…” He smiled.
“Just trying to keep everyone busy. Between you and me, I’m hoping the shed’ll be done in the next couple of days. If Harper and Tavis can have enough of the field dug up, we can—”
The crunch-crunch of hooves on gravel came from the end of the long driveway. Jake turned his head to watch a gray horse and rider pass through the open gate. When he noticed the shaggy-faced, portly man from the hardware store, he frowned.
“What’s he doing here?” Jason asked, looking at Jake.
“I don’t know,” Jake said. “He was acting strange at the shop…”
“Really?” Jason eyed Jake. “I thought he seemed like a nice enough guy. You don’t trust him?”
“Not completely, no.”
Exhaling heavily and scratching the back of his head, Jason said, “And now he’s here…why is he here?”
Jake didn’t like the unease that settled inside him, but all he could do was shrug, and together, he and Jason walked out toward the approaching horse. Warily, they watched Charles dismount.
Jake heard the screen door swing closed behind him, but he didn’t turn
back; instead he kept his eyes fixed on Charles.
A hollow thunk shifted everyone’s attention, and Jake turned around to see Zoe standing in the driveway behind him, a notebook sprawled on the ground at her feet, her eyes wider than he’d ever seen them and her mouth gaping open. She was silent for a moment, until she finally blinked and took a reluctant step forward.
“Dad?” The word was barely a whisper.
Jake’s brow furrowed, and when he turned back toward Charles, he no longer saw Charles; a taller man, with a medium build and graying, light brown hair stood in his place. Shaking his head, Jake stared at the man who seemed to have morphed into a completely different person, apparently into Zoe and Jason’s dead father—Tom? Jake had never seen a picture of him, and the resemblance to either Zoe or Jason was minimal, but Jake had heard enough about Tom—both the relationship he’d had with his kids and the fact that he was supposedly dead—to give him pause. But the way Zoe’s eyes brightened, the way they filled with a storm of emotions so turbulent that they began to shimmer, was all the proof he needed that this man was, indeed, Tom Cartwright.
In stunned silence, Jason watched Tom, and neither he nor his father seemed able to move. Neither of them even seemed able to speak.
But not Zoe; she moved toward the newcomer, stopping close enough to reach her hand out and touch his face. “You’re alive. You’re really standing here,” she said. Her eyes scoured the length of his body, as if she thought she might be staring at a ghost. “I thought you were dead. Grams said you were dead…”
“Because that’s what I wanted her to believe,” Tom said, his calm, smooth voice seeming to fit this version of himself more than it had fit his portly counterpart.
“Why would you…” She shook her head. “You’re alive,” she said again, and with a sob, wrapped her arms around him.
Tom embraced his daughter, closing his eyes and letting her cry on his shoulder.
“You’re alive.” Her sobbed words were muffled by his well-worn, checkered flannel shirt.
Although Jake wanted to give Zoe privacy during her reunion with her apparent father, he was too wary of the man’s Ability to alter perception to leave her alone with him.
Jake heard the screen door open and looked over his shoulder to see Dani emerge, Annie at her side. Hand in hand, they walked toward the commotion. Dani’s features were scrunched in confusion.
Until Tom lifted his face away from Zoe’s hair.
Dani gawked. “Mr. Cartwright?”
“Why?” Zoe asked, pulling away from her father and wiping the tears from her face. “Why would Grams think you were dead? Why would you want her to think that?”
He gave her an apologetic shake of his head. “I couldn’t risk Herodson finding out I was alive and using it to somehow hurt you kids…or your mom. I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
“But all this time…we thought you were dead.” Zoe’s features hardened. “You knew about all of this, about mom…”
“Yes, sweetheart, I knew.” A pained expression softened his features. “I’ve known all along. Not the details, but…enough. I knew enough.”
Zoe’s eyes narrowed.
Tom looked at Jason, whose expression was blank, then back at Zoe. “I wanted to tell both of you—so many times—but I couldn’t.” Gently, he touched Zoe’s temple with his fingertips. “I can see that you know about the Monitors…and that yours are gone.” He sighed and shook his head. “Now that you know the danger, I hope you’ll understand.”
Zoe’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, and she took another step back.
Her father let his hand fall down to hang at his side.
“Is there anything else?” she said, her voice cold.
Tom frowned. “Anything else?”
“Anything else we should know about? Now that we know about Mom and her role in all of this…and that you’re alive. Is there anything else?”
Her father started to shake his head.
“And, please, don’t lie.” She closed her eyes, drawing in and then exhaling a steadying breath. “We can’t take any more lies.”
When she finally looked at him, he shook his head the barest amount. “Other than my Ability, no, there’s nothing else. Not that I can think of.”
For the first time, Zoe seemed to notice Jason standing there, staring at their father. “Jason, you were just staring at him. When I came out here…how could you not see it was Dad?”
Her brother looked at her, a hard, cold glint in his eyes. “He didn’t look like him.”
“You must’ve been able to see through the ‘glamour’ because your Ability’s so much like his, Zo,” Dani said from beside Jason. She gave Zoe’s father a timid wave. “Hey, Mr. Cartwright.”
He inclined his head. “Dani. It’s good to see you’re still alive and with the family.”
She shrugged and gave him a weak smile. “I’m sort of a hard person to get rid of, I guess.”
He chuckled softly. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Why didn’t you tell Jason who you were this morning?” Jake asked, his arms folded over his chest. “Why ride here, pretending to be someone you’re not?”
The man’s gaze leveled on Jake before it shifted back to his kids. “I wanted to make sure this place was safe, that you kids were safe and not here under some sort of manipulation.” When both Jason and Zoe remained quiet, he continued. “When I saw you this morning, Jason, I was so shocked, I wasn’t sure what to do. Everything I’ve done has been to keep you safe, in the hope that, one day, I’d find you again. I had to stay hidden—to live in disguise—if I wanted the chance to meet up with you again. I wanted to stay in Bodega Bay, in case you returned, but I couldn’t stay there looking like me.”
Jason started clenching and unclenching his jaw. “We thought you were dead,” he said, his voice hollow as he repeated Zoe’s earlier words.
“I know, son, and I’m sorry. But it was the only way. You’re not the only one Herodson put Monitors on.”
After a hesitant moment, Jason seemed to accept the explanation, because he wrapped his arms around his father so suddenly that even he looked a little stunned.
The older man closed his eyes as a relieved smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he returned Jason’s hug.
Jake looked at Zoe, whose eyes were gleaming with surprise and confusion, with relief and uncertainty as she watched her brother and father embrace. Focused solely on Zoe, Jake closed the distance between them, intent on making sure she was alright.
Her shimmering eyes met his. “I…I can hardly believe anything that happens anymore…”
Jake remained quiet and wrapped his arms around her. “Neither can I.”
36
ZOE
JUNE 17, 1AE
The Farm, California
“I’ve seen Mom,” I blurted, unable to suppress my curiosity. “Did you know she was still alive?”
My dad’s face brightened at the mention of my mom, but only minimally. Like her, he’d clearly become well-adjusted to masking his emotions. “I hoped,” he said. His gaze shifted between Jason and me. “I hoped she was, but more than anything, I hoped that her hard work had paid off, that you had Abilities…that you’d survived and were able to start over.”
“Her hard work?” I glanced at Jason before my eyes narrowed again on my dad. “She killed everyone.”
“It’s complicated, Zoe. You don’t understand.”
“I don’t understand?” I wasn’t sure if I should vomit or scream. “You have no idea what we’ve been through over the past six months, all because of her…what our friends—the people we love—have gone through. You’ve been hiding in Bodega Bay while we’ve been literally fighting to survive. Our friends are dead. Grams is dead. All because of Mom.”
“Zoe, please don’t—”
“No.” I held up my hand. “Let’s, just for a minute, pretend she didn’t wipe out all of humanity. I’ve had friends die in my arms. I can see and feel things no
one should ever have to.” I flung my arm to the side, pointing in Jake’s general direction. “Jake’s sister has to have daily electrotherapy sessions just to stay alive. Jason has to null Dani’s Ability every night to prevent her from turning into a wild animal. My memories—”
I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked back. Jason was standing behind me, a grave expression on his face. “Zoe, you can’t blame him for being happy we’re still alive.”
My dad took a few steps toward me, and the closer he drew, the more my volatile emotions consumed me.
I looked at Jason. “Of course not,” I said softly. “But, Jason, we’re alive at the expense of everyone else.” I turned to meet my dad’s pale gaze. I’d wanted a real family all my life, to learn the truth and discover what it was that had always been left unsaid, but not at the cost of everyone else. “You talk about it like everything that’s happened is just a casualty of war, something that needed to be done.”
My dad took another step toward me. “I’m sorry,” he said and offered me a weak smile. “I guess I’ve just been in this so long that I forget how new it is, how hurtful…I know it’s hard to understand.” He reached out to me. “But no matter what you think, know that your mom really does love you. She wanted what was best for you, no matter how horrible you think she is.”
Tears were hot on my cheeks. I knew her intentions had been good, that in her own way she loved us, but it wasn’t enough to overshadow the truth of what she’d done anymore. “Then why isn’t she here? Why won’t she leave him? Why won’t she leave Peter? She won’t even bring him with her. She wouldn’t even consider it—”
“Peter?” The confusion in my dad’s voice sobered me. He didn’t know. “Who’s Peter?”
“Shit,” Jason muttered. He stepped up beside me and rubbed his hand over his hair. “There are some things we need to tell you, Dad.”
Dad didn’t know… Part of me guessed it made sense. When was the last time he’d seen Mom? Does he know the extent of all she’d done, the things she’s created?
Out Of The Ashes (The Ending Series, #3) Page 42