Always Us (The Jade Series #8) (46 page)

“Why wouldn’t it?”

I roll my eyes. “Seriously? You really think that would work? This is real life, Carson. This isn’t a movie where the bad guys get taken down at the end and the good guys walk off into the sunset. In real life, the bad guys get together with other bad guys and they usually win.”

“And you’re saying your dad and this group are the bad guys.”

I sigh. “No. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m not talking about my dad. I’m talking about how bad people don’t just go away. And if you go after them, you could be putting yourself in danger. It’s like when you’re a kid and some bully starts bothering you on the playground. What happens when you go tell the teacher?”

“She tells him to stop.”

“Yeah, and then he gets pissed that you told on him and he beats you up even more. Do you get what I’m saying?”

“This isn’t elementary school. And I’m not telling the teacher. I’m telling the FBI.”

“And what if the bully had friends in the FBI?”

He looks down, his eyes darting to the side. I don’t think he thought about that. Shit, he’s really naive. He has no idea what he’s getting himself into.

He looks back at me. “Do they?”

“This is hypothetical. There’s no secret group. What I’m saying is that bad guys almost always have people on the inside. That’s why they don’t get caught.”

“If this group had people on the inside, the agent we’re working with would know.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. The point I’m trying to make is that if this was really going on, you wouldn’t be able to stop it. And if you keep making allegations against people, especially rich, important people, you’re going to piss them off. They could destroy your reputation. Prevent you from ever getting a job. Are you really willing to risk that?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“And you think if you got rid of these so-called bad guys, new ones wouldn’t show up in their place?”

“Not if the government did their job and made sure groups like this couldn’t control the system.”

“The government is run by politicians. People who get into office by lying, cheating, and making promises they have no intention of ever keeping. People who will do most anything to make sure they win, even if those things are illegal. And you’re trusting these people to keep the bad guys away?” I laugh. “Sorry, I don’t mean to laugh, but I can’t believe you really think that way.”

“So what’s your solution? Just let the bad guys win? Do nothing?”

“I don’t have a solution. I just know that things aren’t always what they seem. Just because someone has a lot of money doesn’t mean they’re doing bad things or that they belong to some secret group. Sometimes the people you think are good are the ones you need to watch out for the most. Like this FBI guy you’re working with. Are you really sure you can trust him?”

“He’s doing this on the side, not as part of his regular job. There’s no open case.”

“And why would he do that? What’s he getting out of this?”

“He wants justice. He wants to bring these people down.”

“That’s it? He’s spending his free time helping Hanniford just because he wants justice? I don’t believe that.”

“Why else would he be doing it?”

“I’m not going to stand here all day and analyze his motives. You need to think this through yourself. I need to go inside. I want you to leave now and I want you to stop coming over and stop following my family around.”

The speaker attached to the gate comes on. “Garret, do you need assistance down there?”

It’s the security guy. I waved at him when I came out here so he’d know I didn’t need him. But he’s probably wondering why this is taking so long.

“No, I don’t need any assistance.” I look at Carson as I say it. “Carson was just leaving.”

The speaker clicks off.

“You need to leave now, Carson. I’m not joking around here. I don’t want to see you again.”

As he walks away, he says, “I’m not giving up on this, Garret.”

He needs to give up. He’s wasting his time. The organization can’t be brought down. And even if they could, another group just like them would take their place.

I tried to warn him but he wouldn’t listen. There isn’t anything else I can do. He’s determined to pursue this, and in doing so, he might get killed.

JADE

Garret never came to the kitchen, so I went looking for him and found him coming in from outside. He’s holding that device that tests for hidden microphones.

“Where were you?” I ask him.

“Out talking to Carson.” He takes his coat off and hangs it in the closet.

“Carson was here?”

“He followed us this morning and he’s been sitting out there on the street for who knows how long.”

“Why do you have that wand thing?”

Garret sets it in the study, then comes back out into the foyer. “I had to make sure Carson wasn’t recording me.”

“What did he say?”

“That he’s not giving up. That he’s determined to find out who the other members are.”

“So he still thinks your dad is one?”

“Yeah. That’s why he’s following him. Carson’s convinced that my dad will lead him to the other members.”

“You need to tell your dad this.”

Pearce appears just as I say it. He’s talking to Lilly. “Go up and change and then we’ll go.” She runs up the stairs. “We’re going out for an early dinner,” he says to Garret. “I gave Charles the night off.”

“Dad, Carson was just here.”

“Who’s Carson?”

“That guy, Justin. Jade and I know him as Carson. Anyway, he followed us this morning.”

“Yes, I know.”
 

“And you’re okay with this?”

“I wanted him following us. I was recording him. I have it all on video. And I told the driver to lose him before we got there so Justin wouldn’t find out our location.”

“Why were you recording him?”

“I’m collecting evidence to prove that Hanniford’s not giving up in his mission to expose the organization. Justin will keep following me until he finds what he’s looking for. If I’m able to show the members how determined he is, I might be able to distance myself from the organization.”

“You think they’d let you out?” Garret asks.

“Not completely, but they might be forced to release me from some of my commitments. If I’m constantly being followed, it puts the other members at risk. They don’t want to have to worry about their identities being revealed or the group being exposed. It would be easier if they kept me at a distance, meaning I would no longer attend the meetings or be involved in their activities. I’d continue to run the company and give them access to whatever they need there, but that would be it.”

“How long have you been planning this?” I ask.

“For several months now. I’ve already shared my concerns about Hanniford with the members, and at the meeting this afternoon, the topic came up again. I explained how I’m being followed everywhere I go and that there’s a good chance Hanniford will eventually discover the identities of some of the other members. Everyone agreed that it would be best if I step away for a while.”

“But they could easily end this,” Garret says. “They could just kill Carson.”

“He’s not the only one who’s been following me. There are others, including that FBI agent. Getting rid of Carson, I mean, Justin, won’t make this end.”

“So they’re not going to kill him, right?” I ask Pearce.

“I can’t control what they do. What Justin is doing is dangerous and he’s putting himself at risk.”

I get a sick feeling in my stomach. Carson annoys me, but I don’t want him getting hurt. Or killed.

Pearce continues. “The members aren’t worried about Justin right now. He’s young and a nobody, so if he told his theories to the press, it’s unlikely they’d take it seriously. Hanniford is the one they’re concerned about. He’ll be the one they’ll go after. He’s been voicing his theories to anyone who will listen. So far, his theories haven’t gotten much traction. People aren’t taking him seriously. But if he was able to provide evidence to support his theories, it could cause problems.”

“Problems, as in it could destroy the organization?” I ask.

Pearce laughs a little. “No. That would never happen. And even if it did, nothing would change. Hanniford doesn’t understand that we aren’t the only group trying to manage how things are run in this country. If we weren’t in charge, one of those other groups would be. And as much as you don’t like the organization and what they do, those other groups are far worse. It’s better us than them. And at least now you’re on the inside. You’re protected.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

Pearce puts his arm around me. “You and Garret need to go on with your lives and stop worrying about this.”

“What are they going to do to Hanniford?”

He smiles. “Jade, I just told you to stop worrying about this. Focus on school and your future with Garret.”

“I just don’t like people getting hurt. I don’t want Carson to end up like his sister.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Pearce lets me go as Lilly comes back down the stairs.

We leave for dinner, and when we get back we play a board game with Lilly. There’s no more talk about Carson or Hanniford or the organization. I ask Garret about it later when we’re in bed and he repeats what his dad says. I’m not to worry about it. We’re done with this. We’re not looking back. We’re staying out of it and focusing on the future. It’s exactly what I want to do, but I think it’ll take a while for me to put this behind me and accept that this is over. That the organization will finally leave us alone.

The next morning, Pearce drives us to the private airport where he keeps his jet. I’m not thrilled about getting on a small plane, but all the regular flights were booked with people flying home after Christmas. If we wanted to fly commercial, we’d have to wait until later this week and we can’t. We need to get home. We promised Sean and Harper we’d meet them in LA tomorrow.

On the drive to the airport, Lilly’s sitting next to me in the back seat. When we’re almost there, she says, “Do you have to go?”

“Yeah. Garret and I are going to see Sean and Harper tomorrow in LA. We’re spending New Year’s with them.”

Lilly tugs on my arm. I lean down and she says, “Sean is cute.”

I laugh. “He
is
cute, isn’t he?”

Garret’s in the front seat, but he heard us talking. He whips around and says to Lilly, “Did you just say Sean is cute?”

She nods, a shy smile on her face.

“Since when do you think boys are cute?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know.”

He sighs and turns back around. I swear, he will not survive if we have girls.

I feel Lilly staring at me, specifically my stomach. “Are you having a baby?”

“Baby? No, I’m not having a baby.” I look down at my stomach. I don’t look pregnant, so why would she say that? “Why would you think I’m having a baby?”

“Mom’s having a baby. Why aren’t you?”

Pearce turns the radio down. He must’ve heard Lilly.

“I’m kind of young to have a baby. Usually you wait until you’re a little older. I have to finish college first.”

“And then you’ll have a baby?”

Garret looks back at me and smiles.

“Um, probably. Or maybe a few years after college.”

I see Pearce eyeing me in the rear view mirror. “I have to wait that long to be a grandfather?” He smiles.

This is awkward. I’ve never talked about this with Garret’s family. I just recently talked to Garret about it.

Before I can answer Pearce, Lilly says, “You should have it now. Then I’d have another sister to play with.”

“The baby would be your niece, not your sister,” Garret says. “You’d be an aunt.”

“Like your Aunt Caroline,” Pearce says. “Remember her? She came for Christmas one year.”

Caroline is Katherine’s sister who lives in France. Garret never mentions her. I think he’s only met her that one time at Christmas.

“I didn’t like Aunt Caroline,” Lilly says.

“I’m not a fan of her either,” Pearce says quietly to Garret.

“Max said babies don’t come from storks,” Lilly says.

That’s just great. Garret already doesn’t like Lilly’s friend, Max, also known as bow tie boy. Now Garret will hate him even more, knowing he’s telling Lilly the truth about babies.

Garret turns back to look at Lilly. “Where did he say they came from?”

“He didn’t say. The bell rang and we had to go inside.”

“Don’t listen to him.” Garret faces forward again. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The stork brings babies. That’s all you need to know.”

“Garret, don’t confuse—”

“Dad, she’s seven. It’s not time yet.”

Lilly holds my hand. “I hope you have 10 babies and they’re all girls and they all wear pink and have long blond hair.”

Garret laughs. “So you basically want 10 copies of yourself.”

“I just want someone to play with,” she says quietly.
 

I smile at her. “I’ll see what I can do, okay? But 10 is kind of a lot.”

We arrive at the airport, which is just a big square building. It doesn’t really look like an airport. A man comes out and takes our luggage. As we approach the door to the building, it swings open and Victoria storms out, wearing sunglasses and a long black coat with fur around the neckline.

She sees me and abruptly stops right in front of me. “You! How dare you and your whore of a mother destroy my family like this!” She reaches up like she’s going to slap me, but Garret and Pearce both grab her arm before she does it.

“Get away from her!” Garret’s in front of me now, still holding Victoria’s arm.

“Garret, let me handle this,” Pearce says. “Take Jade and Lilly inside.”

Lilly’s behind me, holding on to my coat. I’m sure she’s scared after hearing Victoria yell at me like that and seeing her almost hit me.

Garret picks Lilly up and takes my hand. “Let’s go.”

We go inside, but I can still hear Pearce talking. “You come near my family again and I’ll make sure you—”

I can’t hear the rest of what he says because Garret’s pulling me away from the door. He doesn’t want Lilly hearing any of that.