Page 178 of Promising You
“I thought it was sweet. She just wants you to be happy.”
“She shouldn’t have asked you that. I can find my own girls.” He picks up his soda from the center console and takes a drink. “So what’s Garret been up to all week?”
“The rule still applies for the trip home. No talking about Garret. But to answer your question, he’s been playing with his little sister, watching movies, and swimming. He has a movie theater in his house. And an indoor pool.”
“I saw his show last night. Did you watch?”
“It’s not his show, but no, I didn’t see it.”
“He—or the fake Garret—took Ava skiing in Vermont. They rented a suite at a lodge. They mostly showed Ava talking to the camera, so Garret wasn’t on that long.”
“He wasn’t on the show at all! It wasn’t him!”
“Yeah, but you know what I mean.”
“I’ll be so glad when this is over.” I check my phone and still have no messages from Garret. I send him another text.
“Do you have to check in with him every hour again?” Carson asks.
“I don’t have to, but I was going to. He went somewhere with his dad and his phone is off. I’ll have to try later.”
We drive for six hours and I don’t hear anything from Garret. No phone calls, no texts. Nothing. I’m getting really worried. I’ve been calling him and texting him and I can’t get any response. I even called his dad, but the phone went straight to voicemail.
At 8 Carson and I stop to eat dinner. There’s plenty of food in the cooler but we need to get out of the car.
We’re back on the road at 8:30 to begin the overnight drive that I’ve been dreading. Another night of no sleep as I try to keep Carson awake with loads of caffeine and nonstop conversation. My mind is a mess worrying about Garret and why I haven’t heard from him. Every time we stop for gas or bathroom breaks, I tell Carson I’m calling Garret so he won’t pick up on the fact that something’s wrong. The last thing I need is Carson coming up with reasons for why Garret isn’t returning my calls.
By 6 the next morning, I can’t take another minute in the car. I just want to get home. I call Garret again but his phone goes straight to voicemail. I try calling his dad again but he doesn’t answer. I leave messages for both of them to call me back even though I’ve already left the same messages several times now and gotten no response.
I’m now beyond worried and I have no outlet for my nervous energy. I need to get out of the car and run for an hour to burn off the stress, but instead I have to sit here for at least two more hours.
“Jade, I want to say some things before we get there.” Carson says it in the tone he uses when he lectures me about Garret. “I’ve been waiting to say this until now because I know you’ll be mad when I tell you.”
“If I’ll be mad, then don’t tell me.”
“It’s about Garret and his family.”
I tip my head back toward the roof of the car. “Carson, please do not start with this. I’m so tired and I’m not at all in the mood to hear your conspiracy theories or whatever bad things you’re going to say about Garret’s family.”
“Just listen. You need to hear this.” He pauses. “I think Garret’s dad belongs to some type of secret society.”
Shit! How the hell would Carson know that?
I react as I always do when he tells me stuff like this and act like he’s crazy.
“Garret’s dad does not belong to a secret society. Those things don’t even exist.”
“Of course they exist. You never heard of Skull and Bones? The one at Yale? They even made movies about it.”
“Well then it’s not that secret, is it?”
“There are other ones that very few people know about. Like the one I think Garret’s dad belongs to. My uncle told me about it. He said it’s been around for over 100 years. It’s made up of very rich, very powerful men. Women aren’t allowed in. You’re born into it so if I’m right and Pearce Kensington is part of it, then Garret will be a member soon, if he’s not already.”
“That’s a funny story. I’m going to sleep. Wake me when we get there.” I lean my pillow against the seat and pretend to sleep.
“This group finds out stuff about its members—things they don’t want to get out. That’s how they keep people in line. You can’t ever leave this group. You’re in for life. Members have to do things, Jade. Bad things. That’s why some people try to get out.”
“I’m not listening,” I tell him, my eyes still closed.
