Page 106 of Her Dark Lies

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The Truth, at Last

“Jackson!”

Will seems so happy to see his grandson I can’t help but smile, though it quickly flees when I see Jack’s face. He looks as thunderous as the sky.

“Everything okay?” Will asks, clearly sensing the mood.

“No.” Jack pours himself two fingers of Oban. He offers to top off mine, but I shake my head. I’m feeling quite warm enough, thank you. Warm, but...lighter. Alcohol always has loosened my tongue. Confessing, even to an old man who will probably forget all I’ve said or twist it around, has helped me. I’ve never spoken the words aloud:I killed my father.I feel shriven.

Eventually, I will be able to say the rest.

I killed Shane.

I killed Malcolm.

But for now, admitting to my first murder is enough.

Jack tosses back the Scotch. “No, things are not okay. But I hope we’re at least on the path to normalcy. Did you two have a nice visit?”

“We did,” Will says. “And now I sense it’s time to leave you alone.” He rises, slowly, with a small groan. “Don’t get old, Jack my boy. It’s a pain in the ass.”

Will takes my hand. His blue eyes are sad, but he smiles. “My dear. It’s well past time for you to stop punishing yourself. Let it go.” He pats my hands sweetly, and takes his leave.

“What was that about?” Jack asks.

“I’m afraid your grandfather got me drunk and I confessed all my sins. It’s a tragedy that he’s suffering from dementia. He’s a kind, dynamic man. I wish I’d gotten to know him sooner.”

“I wish you had, too. He is a great guy.” Jack settles into the chair his grandfather vacated. “Sins, is it?”

Oh, Jack. You have no idea.

“First, what happened out there? Did you... Is Malcolm’s body gone?”

“Yes.”

“Is that why you look so fearsome?”

“Actually no. I had a bit of a tiff with my dick of a brother. Elliot,” he adds, unnecessarily. I know he doesn’t mean Tyler, who is the sweetest and worships Jack’s very being.

“Want to tell me about it?”

He sighs. “I think I have to. Because I’m starting to believe my brother killed Morgan.”

I listen, incredulous at first, then with a general wariness, as Jack talks of his former wife for the first time.

“I hardly know where to begin.”

Why did you love her? Why did you choose her? Was it her red hair, her sky eyes, her talent, her voice? The way she made you feel? Will I ever be enough?

Though I already know the answer, I settle for, “Start at the beginning. Tell me about your first meeting.”

“We were at a cocktail party, in Tiburon. We were both on the back deck, staring over the bay. The wind was blowing, her hair was flying around in the breeze and she didn’t move to capture it. It whipped around and she looked wild, and free, and lovely, and so alone, and I fell, hard. I found out later that she had just gotten a massive round of VC funding and was celebrating. We didn’t talk much about the important things. We simply started hanging out, and she was beguiling.

“I found out after it was all a ploy. She knew I was going to be at this party. She positioned herself so I would notice her. She wanted an in to Compton. She wanted my father to buy her out. Which, for the record, he did. She could have taken that money and retired on the spot, but for some reason, she wanted to stay in the game. By that time, she decided she wanted me, too.

“I was flattered. She was stunningly gorgeous, and smart, and charming in the way only a true sociopath can be. But she was deeply, deeply disturbed. More so than I ever knew.”