The Truth About Us

“Sitting. And I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s going on and what’s in that book of yours.”

Abby glanced over at Kaden, wide-eyed, looking for help, but he had nothing. “Aren’t you going to be late for your appointment?” Abby asked.

Cammie shrugged and leaned back in her chair like she had all the time in the world. “No biggie. I’ll just reschedule. Gives me another excuse to miss school.”

“Cammie!”

“What? Go ahead. You two finish working on your school project. I’ll just listen in, maybe learn a thing or two. If you’ve got nothing to hide, then it’s fine, right? Kaden, you don’t mind, do you?” she asked, gazing at him expectantly.

“Uh...” Kaden looked at Abby for an answer.

“Fine. I’ll tell you what’s going on. Just not right this second. If you leave, I’ll fill you in.”

Cammie took a sip of her coffee. “When?”

“I don’t know. Maybe later this week? Not right now.”

Cammie shook her head. “Not good enough. This guy knows,” she said, stretching her arm toward Kaden. “And I don’t even know him. I need a time.”

Abby sighed. “Friday? We’ll hang out, and I’ll tell you about it.”

Cammie pursed her lips, absorbing the answer, then finally stood and pointed a finger at her. “Fine. But if you don’t, I will hunt you down like a bloodhound on a raccoon. And you will tell me. Lucky for you, I’m going to choose to forgive this transgression since you don’t have much experience with being a good friend.”

Abby opened her mouth to protest but snapped it shut. She kind of had a point.

“And I’d better see you sitting with this girl at lunch tomorrow,” she said, pointing to Kaden. Turning, she slid the sunglasses out of her hair and over her eyes before she left, looking none too sorry.

“Wow. I’m not gonna lie. That was slightly terrifying,” Kaden said, watching her leave.

“I know, right? I don’t think I realized how intense she was until my grandmother died.” And perceptive, Abby mused.

“Any chance she’s letting this go?”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“What are you going to tell her? Kaden asked.

“I don’t know. I’ll have to think of something.”

Abby had already confided in one person against her better judgment. The more people who knew, the more reckless it felt. She needed to be more careful. If Cammie suspected something was up, then it was only a matter of time before her parents noticed. And the last thing she needed was them finding out.

“Come on,” Abby said, grabbing her bag. “Let’s drive to the precinct, and you can read some of the journal entries. Tell me what you think. The sooner we figure this out, the sooner I can lay it to rest and stop sneaking around.”

ABBY FOLLOWED KADEN’S father, as he guided them through the precinct, his expression grim. It was just a hunch, but she guessed Kaden didn’t drop by often. His father’s expression at seeing his son there went from concerned to annoyed as his gaze flitted from Kaden to Abby.

The inside of the police station was different than she expected—sterile yet not unlike most workplaces. Laughter filled the air as they stepped inside, along with the scent of strong coffee and fresh paper off the printer. Several pairs of officers clustered around, talking while sipping from paper cups. Most of them didn’t even acknowledge Abby and Kaden as they passed, but the ones that did simply offered a nod of the head and a small smile. The clacking of a keyboard filled the background with constant punctuation to the voices. Not what she imagined a place of the law would be like.

She followed Kaden, trying to keep up with his long stride as they rounded the corner and passed the coffee pot to some sort of office in the back. Kaden’s father turned after they entered and closed the door behind them. He wore his gray and black uniform well. It gave him a slightly intimidating demeanor combined with his dark hair and stern expression. His blue eyes surprised her, considering the chocolate shade of Kaden’s. It made her wonder about his mother. Did the similarities they shared remind Mr. Oliver of all he had lost?

Abby took in the room before allowing her gaze to land on Mr. Oliver, who stood in front of them, hands shoved in his pockets and his expression tight.

He didn’t sit. Instead, he leaned against the table, letting it be known he didn’t plan on chatting long.

“What’s going on? Why are you here and not at home?” he asked.

His father’s gaze shifted to Abby briefly, then back to his son, and she had to fight the urge to remain still and not squirm under the scrutiny.

“Uh, Dad, this is Abby. Abby, this is my dad,” Kaden said, gesturing between them.