Becoming Us(8)
“They would’ve what?”
I don’t want to say it. I don’t even like thinking about it.
She sits back on the couch. “They would’ve killed me.”
“Which is why I always tell you not to talk about the stuff you’ve seen, or any of the stuff I’ve told you that I probably shouldn’t have.”
She’s staring down at her hands, which are fidgeting in her lap. “So what story did your dad give them?”
“He told them Royce came to the house that day and accused my dad of having an affair with Victoria, and that when my dad told him it wasn’t true, Royce went crazy. He said Royce took his gun out and threatened to shoot me if my dad didn’t admit he had the affair. So my dad said he went along with it and admitted to the affair, which made Royce so angry that he shot me to get back at my dad. And that’s when my dad shot him.”
“And your dad just came up with that?”
“Royce was always accusing men of sleeping with his wife. He was paranoid about it and everyone in the organization knew that. Plus Royce had been acting really strange in the weeks before it happened, I think because he was freaked out about you. He thought you knew about him and he thought you’d tell the media and ruin his chance for the presidency. Anyway, the story my dad told them was so believable that nobody questioned it. Then Arlin found that file about you and he went to talk to my dad and my dad told him what really happened.”
“Why did he tell him the truth? He could’ve just lied.”
“I don’t know. Maybe Arlin didn’t believe my dad’s story. Maybe he threatened to have the organization look into Royce’s death. If so, my dad would’ve had no choice but to tell Arlin the truth.”
“But your dad doesn’t want William knowing?”
“No.” I wish she’d stop asking these questions because I know she won’t like the answers.
“Why can’t William know?”
“Because my dad doesn’t know him that well.”
“Your dad’s been friends with the Sinclair family for years.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean anything. My dad knew Royce since college, but he never would’ve guessed he was the type of person who would do what he did to your mom. Or the type of person who would try to kill his own daughter.”
“So your dad doesn’t trust William. Is that why I wasn’t supposed to tell William your dad knew about me? I wouldn’t have told him that if I’d known it was such a big secret.”
“It’s not so much a secret that my dad knew you were Royce’s daughter. It’s the timing of when he found out that’s a secret.”
“Why? What’s the timing have to do with it?”
“Because like you said, members must disclose all information, including information they have about other members. But if you find out something after the person is dead, you’re not required to disclose it, although they would like you to. Anyway, if my dad didn’t find out about you until after Royce died, he can’t be punished.”
“You think William would’ve told on your dad if he knew the truth?”
“Maybe. I don’t know William well enough to say, and until I do, we need to be cautious around him. I don’t want him knowing our secrets.”
“What does William do for the organization? You said they get rid of people and cover it up. What else do they make the members do?”
“I’m not talking about this, Jade. I never should’ve said that. I was just angry and it came out. I don’t want you knowing what goes on there. And I don’t want you thinking about my dad that way. He doesn’t want to do this stuff. And I’m sure William doesn’t want to either.”
I can’t tell Jade what goes on at the organization. I don’t even know half of it, but I do know they make their members kill anyone who knows too much. A reporter who keeps asking questions and searching for answers. Someone who saw or overheard something they shouldn’t have. A person the organization hired to do their dirty work who threatened to expose them. They’ll basically kill anyone they suspect might tell their secrets.
The members don’t do the killing themselves. They hire people. When my dad says he’ll get ‘his people’ working on it, he usually means the people he hires to take care of shit, meaning get rid of whoever’s on the organization’s hit list.
It’s similar to the mafia, but the organization would kill you just for saying that. They think they’re better than that. They think they’re saving the world. The way they explained it to me last spring is that they put the right people in positions of power in order to keep the world from the chaos that would ensue if they let just anyone take over.