Page 67 of Old Money
He pops the handle on his suitcase and stands.
“Wait, Alex,” I say, turning in my seat. “I don’t understand, why are they sending you to a rehab?”
“Like I said, I’m good at faking it. So I did. I had a few benders,fucked up the guest house.” He shrugs. “It didn’t take much convincing. I think they’re all relieved to know I’ll be locked up and under guard for the next thirty days. At least.”
I start to ask whyhe’dwant to go, but that seems instantly, abundantly obvious.
“Well, bye,” he says, reaching for a baseball cap in his back pocket and shaking it out. “I hope that helped with—I don’t know, whatever you’re doing. Don’t tell me.”
He puts the cap on and turns swiftly toward the terminal, the suitcase rumbling behind him.
I stand abruptly, banging my chair into the table behind me. I apologize to the cashier as I run past.
“Alex!” I call, my voice echoing off the terminal ceiling.
He turns, perturbed, but only mildly. I slow to a walk.
“Did you leave a note in my brother’s mailbox?”
Alex squints, his mouth a circle.
“Did I— Your brother? You have a brother?”
“Yeah, he went to Wheaton too,” I say, knowing Alex would never have noticed him back then. “Theo Wiley? He’s running for Congress.”
“Okay? Good for him. Look, I have to go.”
“Alex, wait. Can I call you?”
“No,” he says simply. “They take your phone.”
“After, then. When you’re out.”
He doesn’t answer—just looks at me.
“You’ll need more than me,” he says, finally. “You need to talk to other people.”
“Who?” I press, closing the gap between us.
“Anyone,” Alex murmurs. “But I’d start with the parents.”
“Caitlin’s parents?” I ask, my volume ratcheting up. “Why?”
“Just—” Alex hedges.“I don’t know. But Patrick went to see them after the case was closed.”
“What?” I whisper. “Why?At their house? What did he say? Alex you’ve—”
“I don’tknow,” he repeats sharply, holding up his hand again. “He told me the day he went to see them, and then his dad shut him up.”
I feel breathless, my mind whirling like a top.
“Okay.” I nod. “Who else?”
Alex tuts, a flare of aggravation crossing his face.
“Like I said, anyone. Members, club staff, anyone who was there. Jesus, I’m not the only one who lied that night.”
“I know,” I say automatically, still only half hearing him.Patrick went to see Gregory and Barbara?
