a tired father would give his daughter when his daughter, for the hundredth time, asked to do something he didn’t want her to do.
But I wasn’t his daughter, and ultimately whatever decisions I made were mine to make.
“I don’t think you should go,” Ollie said, tapping his fingers along the edge of his desk.
“I know, but I want to.” Simple, honest. I was hoping me trying to keep this thing short and sweet would help this little meeting move along. Still had to tell my mom, after all.
Ollie’s next words made me sigh the moment I heard them: “Jacob will be following you.”
“But—” My attempt at using Vaughn and Dante as my backup instead of Jacob would never work. Jacob had told Ollie what we’d discussed at the cemetery, at least about Mr. Anonymous and the finger I’d found in my locker. Not about his past. That much I knew Jacob would never willingly speak to anyone else ever again.
“But nothing. Jacob will be your tail,” Ollie spoke, firm in what he said. “Have you spoke to your mother about this?”
I swallowed, running my palms against my jeans. “Not yet.”
“Then I suggest you use the fact that Jacob will be following you to your benefit,” he advised. “Piper kept you on a short lease your whole life. It’s not strange to me that you want to live now—it’s just not a good time, Jaz.”
My eyes fell to my lap, and I mumbled, “I know.” If anyone knew it wasn’t a good time, it was me. Me, the murder suspect. Me, the girl everyone assumed had something to do with all the other deaths of late. Me and my psycho dogs, Dante and Vaughn.
I really hated everyone around here. I did. All except a select few.
“I’d go talk to her now,” Ollie said. “Do you want me there to try to help ease the blow?” For someone who was so against me going, he was supportive nonetheless. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was how a father was supposed to be. I never had one, so I didn’t have anything to compare him to, but…but it was nice.
“No, that’s okay,” I said, getting up from my chair. “I’ll do it.” I started toward the door, but after opening it, I paused, half in the hall and half still in his office. Tossing a look over my shoulder at him, I gave him a smile. “Thank you, Ollie.”
He returned my smile, although it faded fast. “I’m trying” was what he said, and since I didn’t know what to say to that, I simply left.
He was trying. So was I. That’s all we could do.
I wandered through the house, finding Mom in her room. I was about to crack a joke that she wasn’t working for once, but then I saw she was in the midst of putting away clothes. I supposed, since keeping the entire house clean was one of her duties, it was technically still work.
Before wandering in, I knocked on her door. Mom paused before her dresser, having just put something away. Green eyes vibrant as they looked at me, Mom actually appeared to be doing better than she had a few days ago. Somehow, even when times were strange and you were accused of murder, you got used to it.
“Hey, honey,” Mom spoke, giving me a smile. “If you’ve come to ask about dinner, I…I haven’t figured it out yet.”
Okay, point taken. I did tend to bug about food when it was late in the afternoon and I was hungry, but this wasn’t about that. In fact, I wasn’t very hungry to begin with. My appetite all day had been thrown off; probably because I was so nervous about tonight with Archer.
Was it an official date, or were we trying to take things slow? And if Vaughn, Dante, and Jacob were there…they’d watch me like hawks, never wanting me to be alone with Archer.
“I didn’t come to bug you about dinner,” I said, carefully stepping inside, as if there were landmines on the floor I had to avoid. My mom stared at me quizzically, and before I had the chance to mentally prepare myself for the argument that was sure to commence, I blurted it all out: “I’m going to a party tonight.”
My mom’s jaw tightened, and she shot me a frown that would’ve frightened me, had I been, you know, eleven years old. “You will not be going to any such thing!” She rose her voice, trying