Page 61 of 2nd Strike

Forget the side eye. I full-on turn my head to Charlie. She’s the headshrinker in this dynamic duo. Maybe she knows what to do.

My sister remains silent.

“Gee,” I say. “My hero.”

I turn back, once again giving the boys my best tell-me-or-die look. “What do you know? One of you better start talking.”

A few seconds in, Jon lifts a shoulder, lets it drop. “We know I’m the real Ethan Havers.”

My pulse continues to brutalize me.Pound, pound, pound.The pressure drains me, makes my thoughts fuzzy.

They know.How?

Bluffing.

They have to be. I’m not falling for it. No way.

“Well, I don’t know what you think you know—”

“We listened in by the door.”

Oh.

Shit.

Charlie whips into the burger joint and slams the car into park before whirling in her seat. “How? We left you with the receptionist. She wouldn’t just let you wander around.”

Clearly unafraid of Charlie’s bitchy tone, Jon straightens. “We watched you go into that guy’s office so we said we had to take a piss.”

Ethan nods. “Yeah. We were polite and told her we’d both go so we wouldn’t get lost. We were all ‘we’ll be quick, we promise. We just really have to pee. Please?’ She went for it and gave us visitors’ passes. On the way there, we heard Charlie’s voice and eavesdropped.”

These boys. Unbelievable. It shouldn’t surprise me though. From the start, Ethan has been wily. I collapse, resting the side of my head against the cushion. Not a break to be had here and between the serial killer case and now this, I’m beyond exhausted. Mentally and physically.

I have to shake this off though. We have two teenagers in limbo and they deserve better from me. I lift my head and peer over the seat at the boys.

An odd burst of pride anchors me. They aren’t my family, but I couldn’t be prouder.

“Before we say anything else, you both need to know you’re remarkable young men. Most kids would be acting like…well…assholes…right now.”

Ethan lets out a snort. “Language, Meg.”

I smile at him and we share a laugh. One day, I hope to have a son like him. Smart and funny and level-headed.

Jerome’s question seeps back to me, nudging me in a direction that terrifies me.

I could have a good life with him. A great life.

With kids.

I love him. At least, I think I do. I know I can’t lose him. That would wreck me. When this is over, I owe him an answer.

For now, I slide my pointed finger between the young men. “What did you hear?”

“I’m a ninety-nine percent match,” Jon says.

Charlie releases a hard breath. “Yep. They were listening.”

“We have to tell my mom and dad.” This from Ethan who stops talking and looks at Jon. “Well, Jon’s, I guess.”