Secrets in the Attic (Secrets 1)

Still disbelieving what I saw, ,I shook my head. He laughed harder.

"You're not supposed to be here until Sunday," I finally managed.

He shrugged. "I made a spontaneous decision. I wasn't enjoying myself knowing what you were all going through back here. Mom can try to hide it, but her voice betrays her, and I've learned how to read between Dad's sentences."

"Do they know you're here?"

"Not yet," he said. "Just arrived about two hours ago. I drove my car around behind the garage to surprise them."

I remained standing there, looking up at him. Two hours ago? What about Karen? Did she realize someone was in the house? Did she do anything to give herself away? Did she hear him drive up? Did he hear anything? I held my breath, expecting the second shoe to drop, but he continued smiling.

"You coming in, or are you planning on camping out tonight?"

"What? Oh."

I. walked up the steps, and he stood there until he could reach out to hug me. It came as such a surprise that I almost dropped my books. I couldn't remember him ever hugging me like that.

"Sorry about what you're going through," he said. Then, feeling embarrassed by his show of emotion himself, he released me quickly and went into the house.

I followed, my confused heart thumping from fear and from joy.

"So?" Jesse said, folding his arms across his chest and standing in the living-room doorway. "How are you doing?"

"Okay," I said.

"Come on," he urged, leading me into the living room. I followed. He sat on the sofa and looked up at me. "Tell me about it."

"What do you want to know?"

"You must have had some idea, some inkling, it had gotten so bad. What happened?"

I sat in Daddy's chair but held on to my books. I had no doubt my father would tell him what I had revealed, so I had no reason to keep any of that secret anymore.

"I told Daddy everything I knew."

"Which is what?"

"Her stepfather was coming into her room at night."

His eyes widened. "You mean, to have sex with her?" I nodded.

"Holy smokes." He sat back, shaking his head. "I didn't know Harry Pearson much at all, but what I saw of him, I'd never have thought it. He was always such a pleasant guy. He seemed to be trying very hard to get Karen to like him, to accept him as her father."

I just sat there staring at him

"She told you all about it?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Wow. So, what about her mother?"

I explained it the way Karen had explained it to me. He listened, shaking his head.

"Boy, she had it real tough," he said. "I feel sorry for her now. Before, I just thought . . . but flow. She should come forward and tell the police. It would make a difference, especially if she were fighting him off at the time."

"She doesn't think anyone would believe her, because her mother won't or hasn't said anything about it and would deny it. It would be her word against her mother's, and if your own mother doesn't support you . ."

His eyes narrowed as he looked at me, nodding slowly. "You sound as if you've spoken to her since, Zipporah. Have you? Well?" he followed quickly.