Free ALoveSoDeep by Lili Valente Page B

become. She thought the tumor had changed you, made you…ruthless and cold. I think those were the words she used.”
    I grunt. “Amusing that she could accuse someone else of being ruthless with a straight face.”
    Caitlin turns to me, her brow furrowed. “But she did. And she was really upset. She was crying her eyes out, just…shattered. I never doubted for a second that you were really dead, not until Sherry started trying to find out where you were being buried, and the pieces didn’t add up.”
    “So I’m guessing getting me on the plane to Michigan wasn’t an easy job.”
    Caitlin’s frown deepens. “They might have drugged you or something.”
    “Seems extreme, but after learning they dumped half a million dollars on a house in Hawaii…” I curl my fingers into Caitlin’s hip as I turn the chair away from the desk to face the window, where the moon is rising. “But I still have no idea why. They could have kidnapped me, and taken me to the clinic, but the doctors wouldn’t have operated without my consent. And why would I give consent in a situation like that, without at least calling you first?”
    She shakes her head. “I don’t know, but until we do, you need to stay away from Darby Hill. And we have to make sure your parents don’t know the kids and I are in town. I was considering having the kids skip the funeral anyway, because it will be so upsetting, but now I’m definitely having them stay with Sherry.”
    “What about you?” I ask. “My parents know what you look like.”
    She curses. “I know. And with your dad being so big in the law community, I don’t know how I’m going to find a lawyer to represent me without him finding out about it.”
    “We’ll hire someone from Charleston if it comes time to lawyer up,” I say. “But I’ve been thinking about this thing with your sister, and I think we should make sure we’ve exhausted all our options first. A woman with her history must have a few skeletons in her closet she won’t want the court finding out about.”
    Caitlin’s cocks her head, shooting me a look out of the corner of her eye. “So you think we should do recon? Look into this perfect new life in Florida? See if we can find any holes in her story?”
    “I do, and I think you should skip the funeral. My parents were acting very interested in whether or not I planned to attend. They may come by to check on the festivities.”
    “I’ll go get a hat with a veil tomorrow morning, or something to cover my hair and face,” she says. “No matter how mad I am at Chuck right now…he was my dad, and I don’t want to miss his funeral. At the end, he was sorry for what he did.”
    “Too little, too late,” I say, having no empathy for anyone involved in this deception.
    “Not really. I might not have come back for the funeral if it hadn’t been for the emails he sent. But your parents aren’t sorry, Gabe. I want you to be careful.”
    “You’re afraid they’re dangerous.” I clench my jaw, the thought of my parents ripping Caitlin and me apart again making me want to pack our bags and leave Giffney tonight.
    “I know they’re dangerous,” she says. “Do you have anywhere you could tell them you’re going where they won’t ask questions? A friend’s house, or something?”
    I shake my head. “I’ll just get a room at the hotel where you’re staying.”
    “Okay, but you’ll need a story to tell your parents, and we’ll have to park your car somewhere else,” she says. “Just in case they decide to check on you. Surely you have someone you can count on to keep a secret, or who will at least let you park your car in their driveway.”
    I make a face, because there is only one person I can think of, and I burned that bridge on the way to Caitlin’s hotel.
    “What?” she asks, a smile teasing the edges of her lips. “Is it a girl?”
    I shrug, and Caitlin laughs.
    “Call her. If you were really just friends, she might still be cool.”
    “And