Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
The hours between breakfast and Aaron's arrival felt like years, but finally Waterhouse showed up with Aaron in tow. The two of them sat down with Wymack and Betsy to discuss the parameters of Aaron's release. Neil, Nicky, and Kevin listened from out of sight in the hallway. Aaron was theirs until the trial, but this was a long way from being over. Waterhouse would maintain contact with him and send over any documents he needed signed, and Aaron would need to alert Waterhouse anytime he left the state, but other than that Waterhouse was optimistic.
When the couches creaked at the end of the meeting, Nicky and Kevin scattered. Neil stayed where he was until Wymack and Waterhouse passed, then stepped into the doorway to look in at Aaron. Abby was sitting on the couch by Aaron, but the gap between their bodies was telling. Aaron was leaning forward with his arms folded over his knees and his stare on the floor.
"Aaron," Abby said carefully, like she wasn't sure of the reaction.
"Go away," Aaron said.
Abby got up and left. She reached for Neil as if to turn Neil out into the hallway ahead of her, but Neil evaded her questing hand and went to Aaron. Abby waited, likely expecting Neil to get kicked out as well. When Aaron said nothing about Neil's presence, Neil looked at Abby. She shook her head and left them in peace. Neil watched to make sure she'd gone, then crouched to get a better look at Aaron's face.
"He's already gone, isn't he?" Aaron said.
"Yes," Neil said. "They tried to make him stay, but he wanted to be gone before you got back. He didn't want to talk to you."
"There's a change of pace." Aaron's mocking tone fell flat.
"Are you at all sorry?" Neil asked. "You took his family away from him."
If looks could kill, the one Aaron shot Neil should have flayed the skin from his bones. "That man was not his family."
"Technically, he was only a couple signatures away from being Andrew's legal brother. I didn't mean him, anyway. I meant Drake's parents, Cass and Richard Spear," Neil said. "They were going to keep Andrew. Drake was an inconvenience Andrew was willing to live with in exchange."
"An inconvenience," Aaron echoed as he surged to his feet. "You fucking—"
"And now Drake is dead," Neil said. "Do you think Cass will ever forgive Andrew? It doesn't matter what Drake did to him. She won't be able to look at Andrew without knowing her son is dead because of him."
"I don't care." Aaron gave a savage jerk of his hand. "I don't care if Andrew never speaks to me again. I don't care about Cass or Drake or anyone. What Drake did—no. If I could bring him back from the dead and kill him again I would."
"Good," Neil said quietly. "So now you understand why Andrew killed your mother."
It was not at all what Aaron was expecting. He was so angry it took a couple seconds for the words to really register, and then he recoiled from Neil. "Why he—what? That isn't the same. He didn't do that for me."
"He told me he did," Neil said. "I didn't even have to ask him. He warned her to stop hitting you and she wouldn't. He had no choice but to get rid of her. Just like last night, right? Drake was hurting Andrew, and you made him stop.
"Except I lied," Neil said, getting to his feet. "Unlike you, he's not angry that you interfered. I just said that because I needed you to understand."
"You don't know anything," Aaron said.
"I know you've got a couple weeks to think about it," Neil said. "When Andrew comes back sober you're going to have to talk about this. You won't get anywhere if you start with Drake, so you might as well start with your mother. Now let's get out of this city."
They hadn't brought much with them, so there was nothing to pack except the scant remaining groceries. Neil waited on the porch while Nicky locked and checked the door, then said, "I can drive if you want to sit in back with Aaron."
"Andrew doesn't let," Nicky started, but stopped, belatedly remembering Andrew had given Neil his car key. Nicky still had to think about it, but a glance in Aaron's direction sealed things. "Yeah. Thanks."
Neil had the car key on his key ring by the time he crossed the yard. He unlocked the doors for the others and loaded his racquet into the trunk. Wymack and Abby were standing to either side of Wymack's car, waiting for the Foxes to get settled. Neil wordlessly got into the driver's seat and pulled the door closed. That was the cue they needed, apparently, because Wymack and Abby got into their car and started the engine. Neil pulled away from the house first, and Nicky offered subdued directions from the backseat until they were on the interstate. Then he went silent, and no one else spoke.
It was only an hour to campus, but it was one of the longest drives of Neil's life. He watched Wymack's car disappear from the rearview mirror outside of campus and continued onto Perimeter Road. He expected to feel some sort of relief when he spotted Fox Tower in the distance, but the dorm was where the others were. Neil didn't think he had the energy to deal with his teammates today. He was tempted to park and go for a run, but he'd promised Andrew he would stick with Kevin. That meant following Kevin and the cousins inside and upstairs.
Wymack or Abby must have called ahead, because the upperclassmen were waiting in the hallway when they got off the elevator on the third floor. Neil was a little surprised to see them there, considering how rocky things had always been between them and the twins, but even Allison was present. She looked more uncomfortable than broken up, but that was still more than he expected. He wasn't the only one caught off-guard, it seemed, because when he stopped to let the others go ahead of him they went still as well.