Chapter Thirteen
A dense fog rolls into our bayand creeps up the shore to the cottage. I make Annie tea and acroissant before she bundles up and heads off to work. Stinky and Iwalk her to her car. As soon as the taillights disappear down thenarrow driveway, I slide my phone out of my pocket. His phonedoesn’t even ring, it just goes straight to messages. I let out acurse and shove the phone back in my pocket. I’m supposed to meethim at the ferry in two hours. I wonder if he purposely turned offhis phone so I couldn’t call and back out. He knows I won’t leavehim high and dry without telling him.
They’ll probably have someonewatching for him. If I don’t show up, he’ll try to hitchhike, andhe’ll be spotted for sure.
I go back inside, feed Stinkyand sit at the kitchen table. I retry Denny several more times.Time passes quickly. It’s getting closer and closer to when I’msupposed to pick him up. In an effort to distract myself, I changeour bedding, sweep the floors and load the dishwasher. I realisethat his phone could be off because the police had nabbed him.Either way, if he doesn’t pick up, I have to drive to the terminal.I gave my word.
A small part of me hopes that hehas been arrested. Not because I think he’s guilty, but because ifhe is in jail, the chance of him trying to kill himself is a lotless.
I drink the last sip of cold teaand glance up at the clock. I have twenty minutes to get to theferry. Slowly I put on a jacket and my hiking boots, then put aleash on Stinky and head out. It’s pouring rain. Dark, angry cloudsare bunched over the bay. With each mile we drive from the cottage,the weather clears more. The rain stops, and bits of blue appear inthe sky. How I wish I could just pick up Annie at work and keepdriving, away from the murder investigation and away fromeverything that’s happened to us since Dad died.
I follow the road that leads tothe terminal parking lot. Parking to the side of the ticket booth,I watch as foot passengers disembark and walk to waiting vehicles.I scan each person, looking for Denny, but there’s still no sign ofhim. As cars drive up to the drop-off zone and new passengers getout to board the next sailing, I let out a sigh of relief. Hedidn’t make the ferry, or he changed his mind about coming.
I put the truck in gear and edgetowards the parking lot exit, stuck behind a lady in a van whomoves about half a kilometre an hour.
“Jade,” a faint voice calls fromoutside.
Shit.
I step on my brakes and look inmy rear-view mirror. A man with a green packsack slung over hisshoulder is running towards my truck. A wave of anxiety engulfs me.As much as I want to press on the gas, I keep my foot on thebrake.
He’s out of breath when he jumpsinto the passenger seat and moves Stinky over. “Thanks forcoming.”
I nod as I move painfully slowtowards the road, away from the populated terminal. “Can you slouchmore, or something?”
“What?”
“I am scared shitless with youin the truck, Denny. If the cops pull me over, I’ll be in hotwater, too.”
“You worry too much, you knowthat?” He slides his pack onto the floor. Stinky licks his face andtries to get on his lap.
I pull back on Stinky’s harnessuntil he sits. “So, what’s the plan? Where am I taking you?”
“Home.”
“Home? Home where?”
“To the cottage, idiot.”
“I can’t do that. I told youbefore. And you definitely can’t now.” I feel confident in thisanswer, at least.
“Why not?”
“The cops came by last night. Itried calling you a billion times to tell you. They were askingquestions about you, and then they went through the entire house.Even the attic.”
“That’s smart of them. The atticis exactly where I want to hide.” He’s talking casually, as thoughthe decision had already been made. “I just need a couple of daysto bide my time so I can think of what my next step will be.”
“If you stay at the cottage, theonly next step you’ll be taking is to jail, with me right behindyou.” I can feel my face heating up.
“Jade.” He gives me a patientlook. “Let’s look at this logically for a minute. You said the copsdid a full search of the place, right?”
“So?”
“So, theoretically, the cottageis the last place they’ll look. They’re not going to do dailysearches, Jade. They don’t have the time or money for that.” Helooks very satisfied with himself. “Plus, I dropped a clue for thecops in Went Van that I’m still in that area, so they’ll bebusy.”
“What do you mean, clue? Whatdid you do?”
“I had a buddy of mine stay atthe house for the weekend. He’s going to invite a few people over.I told him, if anyone comes to the door looking for me, tell themthat I just ran to the liquor store.”
“Do you think they’ll buythat?”
“I don’t know, Jade. I’veobviously never been in this situation before.”
I shake my head. Everythingfeels so surreal. I can’t believe that I’m driving down the roadwith Denny, my brother who is wanted by the cops for questioningabout a murder. I feel like I’m watching things unfold from outsidemyself. I can’t help but wonder what my father would think.
I realise an even biggerproblem. I can’t believe it took me this long to remember. “Denny,you can’t stay. It’s Annie’s cottage too. She’ll never allow it,and I’m not going to try and convince her. We’ve had enougharguments about you.”
“What if she doesn’t know I’mthere?”
I give him a look of confusion.“I think she’ll realise pretty quick.”
“I’ll be as quiet as a mouse.She’ll have no idea. Please, Jade. I have nowhere else to go.”
I feel like screaming. I’vealways prided myself on being an honest person, and thisclusterfuck of a situation
