Page 88 of Inevitable Secrets

Derrick’s phone started to ring, cutting into Taylor’s thoughts. Derrick glanced down at the screen but made no move to answer it.

“You should get it—it could be important,” Taylor told him.

So Derrick answered. “Yeah,” he said. Instantly his forehead scrunched up in agitation as whoever was on the other end spoke. “How the hell did you get my number?” he barked into the phone. “Okay, well I guess that makes sense.”

“Who is that?” Taylor asked.

“The beatnik,” he answered her. “Yeah, I call you that. Get over it,” Derrick said into the phone. “Well then, tell me what you know,” Derrick said tersely into the phone. Taylor could tell he didn’t like the response, though, as she watched his nostrils flare. “No, you should stay there.” Derrick listened for a few seconds more and then rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine, come here then,” he said and hung the phone up.

“What was all that?” Taylor asked.

“He said that wasn’t the real CIA or anything like it who took Henry.”

A shiver rolled hard through Taylor’s body. “How does he know that?” she asked.

“Said Henry somehow signaled him when he was taken, and when he started to look into it, he discovered those were not government officials. He said he and Henry had an agreement that if shit went bad, he would help us, and that even though I think he is the lowest life-form on the planet I had to trust him.”

“He said all that?” Taylor asked, her head spinning and having a hard time keeping everything straight.

“Not in so many words,” Derrick relented. “He asked if we were home, said he’s going to meet us.”

Home? The word felt like a pop in Taylor’s mind, followed by a bright light bulb of realization.

“Derrick,” she said slowly. “I think I know where Cedric left that page.”

* * *

Taylor and Derrickmade their way to the garage and picked out Derrick’s Tesla to drive to Taylor’s childhood home. Derrick had called back the number Ben had called them from and alerted him of their location change.

“It’s quiet,” Derrick said, “and no one has ever seen me in it. Paparazzi will be expecting an SUV.”

“Okay, good point,” Taylor said climbing in the passenger side, taking in the car’s pristine condition and overt new car smell. “Wait a second, when did you get this?” Taylor asked Derrick when he climbed in.

“Recently,” he confessed.

“When did you have time to car shop?” she asked him. The man had lost his father and been shot, just to name a few things on his busy agenda. How the hell had he found time to buy a car?

“It was pre-ordered months ago, and delivered a couple of weeks ago. This is actually my first time driving it.”

“We really need to talk about your spending habits, rich boy,” Taylor scoffed as they exited the garage.

“Yeah well, when the smoke clears we can work on the budget, dear, but for now let’s just try and find out who the hell is trying to kill you, okay?” Derrick asked as he exited the Fletcher gates, which were oddly deserted.

“It’s really quiet,” Taylor said quietly herself.

“Yeah,” Derrick said. “It works to our advantage right now so let’s not question it too much,” he advised, and Taylor thought that was a great idea.

The drive to Preston Manor wasn’t very long, and tension crept its way into her shoulders as Derrick moved along the remotely familiar terrain. It’s funny how even when things change there are still memories ever present. There were some new houses on the route to Preston Manor since Taylor had been there last. A piece of land now had a mansion on it, but it used to be woods where Derrick, Marty, and Taylor would play. A few older mansions had changed their facades, updating their looks to meet the new owners’ sense of style. But other than that it was achingly familiar. Every emotion she had ever felt toward this house—good, bad, and in-between—flooded her.

They drove in silence to the mansion, but Taylor clung to Derrick’s hand with both of hers as she took in the passing landscape with wide eyes. As they turned down the dark and lengthy wooded drive to the Preston Estate, Taylor’s heart hammered in her chest.

The Tesla pulled up to the gate. For a place that hadn’t had staff within its walls in years the outside was immaculate, and Taylor was shocked. The huge wrought iron gate before them was black and polished as if it had just been installed. The tall green shrubbery behind it was so well-groomed and thick, there was no way you were seeing through it.

“Taylor,” Derrick said, breaking her thoughts from the gates. “Try to get in,” he suggested putting his window down and flicking his head to the security box before the gate.

Taylor shook her head as she looked at the security box like it had landed from another planet. “That was put in after I left, Derrick,” she said. “I have no idea what the code would be.”

Derrick looked back at the device, examining it. “It’s print activated,” he said. “Try it.”

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