“What makes you think I’m going to ask you about him?” She wasn’t a psychologist any more than Hunter was but she wasn’t above trying some reverse psychology, either.
Jessie wiggled back against the pillows and sat up higher, wrapping her arms around her waist. “Then what are you doing here?”
“Your best friend’s missing. I’m sure you’re worried and I wanted to check on you, that’s all. It’s something sisters do for each other, like sharing clothes.” Molly drew a deep breath. “I thought we’d reached that point. Or am I wrong?”
Jessie shook her head. “I kind of like you now.”
Molly warmed at Jessie’s words. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”
“I think I do. I met your mother, remember?”
Despite herself, Molly laughed. “So how are you?”
Jessie leaned her chin on a bent knee. “Worried. Scared.”
“Let me ask you this. You’re Seth’s best friend. You have to know more than you’re letting on. So just tell me one thing. Is he somewhere safe?”
Jessie nodded slowly.
“Well, that’s good.”
“Now let me ask you something.”
“Go for it,” Molly said.
“If you knew something that could hurt someone you loved but could help someone else you also loved, would you tell and hurt the one person but help the other?” Jessie stared at Molly through solemn eyes.
“That was the most convoluted question I’ve ever heard, but I think I understand.”
“You do?” Jessie blinked back tears.
Molly leaned toward her sister. “You know something and if you tell me, you’re going to betray your best friend’s confidence.”
“It’s worse than that. If I tell you, Seth could really get hurt.” The teenager bit her bottom lip. “But if I don’t tell you, someone else could get hurt. How much do you trust Hunter?”
Molly shook her head. “This wasn’t just a teenage change of subjects. I’m confused. You need to tell me, Jess. Everything. If you don’t, Seth’s out there alone and nobody can help him.”
“I didn’t think of it that way. So I can tell you and not feel bad because it’s in his best interests?” Jessie pulled a pillow onto her lap and hugged it.
“Listen, there was something I didn’t tell Hunter and I should have and he blew up at me. It took a while for him to forgive me.” And sometimes she caught Hunter looking at her in a way that led Molly to believe he still didn’t quite trust her completely.
Jessie scrunched her nose in thought. “And you’re sorry you didn’t tell him?”
Molly nodded. “I am.”
“What if I tell you, and Seth never forgives me?”
Good question, Molly thought. “It’s a risk you’d be taking. But you’re doing it because you care about him. I didn’t tell Hunter because I didn’t trust him enough. I was wrong. You wouldn’t be.”
“Why are you so nice to me?” Jessie asked out of the blue.
“Because I like pint-size brats?” Molly shook her head and smiled. “No, seriously. Because you’re family. And I’ve never had a family before.” Molly shrugged, suddenly feeling self-conscious in front of her half sister. “I just want you to like and trust me.”
“No shit?” Jessie scurried to her knees. “You really care what I think of you?”
Suddenly, when Molly looked at her half sister, she saw herself, insecurities, fears and all. No wonder Jessie had acted out when she first arrived. For all that Molly thought she’d understood Jessie’s feelings, she realized that she’d had no clue. But now, not only did she get Jessie, Molly liked her. A lot.
“Talk to me, Jess.”
“Do you promise you won’t repeat it unless I say it’s okay?”
Eyes wide, Jessie took a deep breath and said, “Seth said he killed his father by accident. He was just protecting his mom and he counted on Hunter getting Dad off, and then we heard Hunter say it’s going to be tough, and the hearing got moved up and Seth must have panicked and run away.” She expelled the words on a rush of air.
Molly tried but couldn’t swallow. “Say that again? No, wait, do not repeat it. Not at all.” She held up a hand and tried to catch her breath. “I need a minute to take this in. I really do.” She dragged in a long gulp of air.
Seth killed his father? Oh. My. God. “We have to talk to Hunter. Not just for Dad’s sake, but for Seth’s.” She didn’t question her words as they tumbled out of her mouth.
“No!” Jessie waved her hands frantically in the air. “You can’t tell him. You can’t tell anybody.” She grabbed on to Molly’s arm and squeezed her tightly. “Promise me?”
Molly couldn’t make such a promise without betraying everything she believed in. But she had promised Jessie she wouldn’t reveal her secret without permission. Molly bit down on her bottom lip. What would her father do? Molly wondered.
The general, if he knew the truth, would no doubt take the blame if it meant protecting Seth. As honest as Frank was, he’d put his family first. That was his code of ethics. In her heart, Molly understood it.
But everything inside her shouted for her to run screaming the truth to everyone in the house. Justice demanded it. Honesty demanded it.
Hunter would demand it, Molly thought.
Her gaze fell to Jessie’s hand, still gripping Molly’s arm. Slowly, she raised her stare, focusing on Jessie’s tear- stained face. The face of the young girl who’d finally turned to Molly with the ultimate trust and faith.
Loyalty to someone in her family or honesty and trust in Hunter. Once again, Molly was faced with the most difficult decision of her life, except that this time she knew what she had to do. And doing it would probably destroy the family that meant everything to her and the life she’d worked so hard to build.
“You won’t tell?” Jessie asked.
Molly sighed. “I won’t tell,” she said, meeting her sister’s gaze and lying to her face.
HUNTER RUBBED a hand across his eyes and let out a yawn. He was exhausted but he knew the worst wasn’t over yet. He stretched out in the chair by the desk in his borrowed office/bedroom and made a list of things to do, starting with requesting a postponement on the hearing. Nobody in this house was up to dealing with the general’s life-or-death situation while Seth was missing. He picked up the phone and called his office, telling them to get the papers together ASAP.
“This family can’t catch a break,” he muttered after he hung up.
“Breaks are for sissies,” Ollie squawked.
Hunter jerked toward the birdcage in the corner. “I forgot you were even here.”
“Live here, live here,” the macaw said.
A knock sounded on the door and Molly stepped inside. One look at her pale face and Hunter knew something was wrong. “What is it?” he asked.
She gripped the door handle behind her, leaning against the wall for support. “I’m going to be sick.”
He rose and walked to her. Clasping her hand, he led her to the couch. “Talk to me.”
She drew in a shaky breath. “If I do, I’m going to betray Jessie’s confidence and destroy not only what little progress we’ve made in our relationship but probably any hope for any future relations, forget any sisterly bond.”
Hunter exhaled hard. Just the fact that Molly was revealing that she had something to tell was progress. Last time she’d just remained silent, choosing not to trust him at all. But he couldn’t indulge his emotional elation at the moment. Instead he focused on the situation.
He squeezed Molly’s hand. “What happens if you keep her secret?”
“Complete devastation.” She hung her head and her soft hair fell forward, covering her face. “God, what a mess.”
“I can’t tell you what to do but I’m glad you came right to me instead of keeping it all bottled up inside.” He
