Page 26 of How Much For a Life of Lies?

“We’re a team,” I said, although he didn’t want to hear it.

In silence, he scooped Charlie from his crib, then sighed. “Please, just get the bags.”

I picked up the two bags, and followed him as he hurried out to the car.

“You drive,” he asked, or demanded… I couldn’t tell. Again with me driving?

“Sure.” We transferred the car seat from his car and then buckled Charlie in, and all too soon we were heading away from his house to the road where Jax lived. We pulled up down the road—a very normal road, with normal houses, and tidy normal hedges.

“Now what?” I prompted.

He checked his phone, nodded, and I saw a tracking app. “They’re fifteen out, take Charlie, put him on the porch, then stay out of view and make sure Jax takes him in.”

I wondered if Zach might crumble there and then, his expression dead, his jaw locked, but his eyes bright with emotion.

“Do you want to say goodbye?” I asked.

His eyes widened. “He won’t know.”

“But you will.”

He shook his head, not watching me as I unstrapped the car seat and picked up the bags.

“Zach, think about this.”

At last, he turned tortured eyes to mine. “I’ve done nothing else. I killed his mom. I can’t be a family like this. I don’t know how.”

What could I say to that? Hell, I wouldn’t know how to unpick everything, from abandonment issues to the guilt eating away at him. I wasn’t an expert, but I loved Charlie, and I wanted him safe, and however selfish it was, I wanted Zach back with me, so instead I hooked the car seat over one arm and focused on now. “Last chance.”

He stayed quiet.

“Last last chance,” I said again.

“Please, just go.”

I scouted the area, kept my ball cap low, staying away from any door cams, and working my way through gardens until I came to a hedge dense enough to hide me. One quick step and I had Charlie settled right outside the front door—still sleeping, his blue pacifier bobbing as he sucked. It wouldn’t be long before he woke up.

“Hey, buddy, you won’t remember this, but your daddy says he loves you, and he’ll be back, okay? I’ll keep him alive for you.”

I kissed my fingertips, then pressed them to his forehead before hiding behind the bush.

I saw Jax arrive, talking to a big bear of a man with grey hair, chatting about something, and then both of them heading to the porch. Who was the other guy? Had Zach vetted him? Was he okay to be around Charlie?

Jax stopped in shock. Then the two men took Charlie inside, and when the front door opened a little later and the big man came out to get the bags, I darted out, startling him. He reacted instantly, dropping both bags, and bending his legs as if he was expecting me to jump him.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“Is he agreeing to look after the kid?” I asked, and the big guy seemed confused.

“Who… what… Yeah, of course?—”

“He read the letter?”

“Yes, but?—”

I was gone before he could say anything else. Heading to the car where Zach now sat behind the wheel and had backed up. I climbed into the passenger seat, and we were gone before I’d even buckled in.

Zach was quiet, his knuckles white, but as we neared his house, he cursed under his breath, and froze after he’d parked and turned off the engine, gripping the steering wheel, his breathing shallow.

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