Page 70 of Finding Us

“Should we sit down?” he asks Garret.

“Yeah.” Garret leads me over to the couch.

Pearce sits across from us on the chair. “So after the meeting today, I went out for drinks with Roth. I asked him about the encounter he had with you the other day at the restaurant.”

Pearce just needs to spit it out. I can’t take some long-winded story.

“And what did he say?” Garret’s much calmer than me. I don’t know how he remains calm like that but I’m hoping someday his calmness will rub off on me.

Pearce leans back and takes a breath. He looks exhausted. His eyes seem tired and his face is covered in a thick layer of stubble since he probably hasn’t shaved since early this morning. “Well, obviously I didn’t come right out and ask him. I had to talk around the topic and see if I could get anything out of him. And I had to wait until he had a few bourbons in him.”

“Yeah? And?” Now Garret’s getting impatient. “You’re killing us here, Dad. Just tell us what he said.”

“It’s exactly what I told you. He’s not happy with how things turned out with you. He chose you, Garret. He’s the one who started all this. He said he’s been watching you since you were just a young boy. He saw potential in you. And now his plans for you are over.”

“Did you know about any of this? I mean, about Roth watching me all these years?”

“No, not until tonight.”

“But he’s not trying to get Garret back, right?” I realize I’m squeezing Garret’s hand really tight. I loosen my grip. “Sorry,” I say quietly to him.

He puts his arm around me and kisses the side of my head. “It’s okay.”

“He’s not here to do anything to you,” Pearce says to Garret. “He’s just trying to scare you, like I said. He’s trying to show you who’s boss. Make you think he could do something even though he knows he can’t.”

“How do you know he can’t?” I ask.

“As I said before, this group is very strict about following rules. And the rules say that when the members have voted and the decision has been made, that decision cannot be changed.”

“Then why did this guy let Garret go in the first place? Garret said high-up people like this Roth guy can override the member vote.”

“Garret, you shouldn’t tell her things like that,” Pearce scolds. “You know everything that happens there is strictly confidential.”

“Yeah, well, too late now.” Garret says it so casually I almost laugh.

Pearce sighs and looks back at me. “Jade, I can’t tell you the circumstances that led to Garret being released from his obligations. I think you understand why.”

Warm, friendly Pearce that we saw at Grace’s house is back to scary, threatening Pearce that I’m used to dealing with.

“Yes. I understand.”

“Good.” He stands up. “I should go and let you two get some sleep.”

“Who’s watching Lilly?” I ask as he walks to the door.

“She’s staying in Grace’s room tonight. The meeting went until 10 and then I left to have drinks with Roth, so I just had Grace keep Lilly for the night. By the way, how did it go today? With Lilly?”

“Great,” Garret says. “We spent the day on the beach.”

“I’m glad she was able to spend some time with you. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow. I have a meeting in the morning, but my afternoon is free so we’ll be over sometime after lunch.”

“Frank and Ryan will be here, too,” I say. “Sean’s making everyone dinner.”

“See you tomorrow then.” Pearce leaves. No goodbyes or hugs this time. He’s cold and serious. All business.

“Can you relax now?” Garret asks, dragging me back upstairs.

“I guess. But that Roth guy still freaks me out.”

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