“You’re the only one who forgets anything when it comes to The Fence,” Jackson says. “Sophia, I understand you want to keep things… simple. But if he can’t prepare for what he might face out there, you likely only have two options: tell him the truth so that he’s ready if something like this happens again, or separate yourself from him.”
“I’m not leaving him,” she snaps.
“They’d have taken Waylon too if he didn’t know what to do,” I say.
“FUCK,” she shouts, and I think she startles Cam with that one.
He clutches her shirt. “Mom, I’m scared.”
“I know, baby. So… okay. I’m going to tell you everything, but first, we need to tell the police that we found you. We’re going tomake up a story and you need to do your very best to remember every second of it.”
“Why?” he asks.
“Because… because the people who took you… that was only a part of the family. We can’t let the rest find out that Teo took you or they might come after you again. I have to protect you,” she says. “I used to work for that family. They were not good people. But I was young, younger than you, and I was on the streets. I just… I had nowhere to go and when they offered me a place to belong, I took it. I want to say they forced me or coerced me… but they really didn’t. I just had nothing left and someone offered me a speck of hope. You don’t remember most of it, since you were only in that life with me until you were five, but I knew I couldn’t let you grow up like that.
“I took you away. I ran, but that family doesn’t let anyone leave. I had to fake my death so I could protect you. I tried so hard to keep you out of it, but now they’ve found me. I don’t know if the main house knows I’m alive, but this one does… and if they tell them…”
“Like… what did you do for them?” Cam asks. “I’m so confused.”
Sophia closes her eyes. “Just… I’ll tell you later, okay? For now… I need you to know they’re not good people. I wasn’t a good person, either, but I’ve changed. I’m a better person now. And I don’t know if you can ever forgive me for causing you to end up in such a situation, but I’m truly sorry.”
He nods, though I think at this point, he really doesn’t understand what’s happened. And maybe he never will if she doesn’t open up to him, but that’s a decision she’s going to have to make.
NINE
JACKSON
When we roll up to Sophia’s house, Ellis’s car is in the driveway along with an unmarked car that I know belongs to Detective Patel.
“That woman sure knows how to break up a party,” Leland mutters while he hurriedly hides his weaponry. “Tavish, look alive.”
“I am alive!”
“Ah, the expression on your face looked so grotesque that I got confused.”
“Here,” I say as I take my outer shirt off and hand it to Tavish to pull on. It doesn’t fit him too well, but it hides the dried blood. The look Leland gives him tells me that he’s not overly pleased by Tavish wearing my shirt.
“You remember the story?” Sophia asks her son.
Cam seems anxious but nods. “Yeah.”
“Stick with it, okay? We’re sticking with it.”
He nods again, but he looks a bit lost and confused, and I’m pretty confident he’ll break easily. Leland leans into me, likely noting the same thing judging by the way he’s staring at the teen. “We just have to hope no one questions him too hard. He reallyis so inferior to our son,” he whispers. “Our son knows how to look the police in the eyes and lie away. He even lied really well to us. You remember that?”
“Why do you act proud aboutanyof that?” I ask, quite uncertain.
“Are you not proud of our child?” Leland asks disbelievingly.
“Yes, I’m very proud of him when he brings home all As and tells us that he had the highest score on his mock exams.”
“And how exactly is knowing pi going to protect him in the real world?”
I just raise an eyebrow because when it comes to Leland, I’ve found that’s the best reaction.
We step out and Detective Patel is immediately there. “I see you’ve found Cameron. We’re so glad to have you safe and sound,” she says as she smiles at Cam.
He doesn’t really smile back. I think he’s still too shaken up to do much.
