Weight of Silence(58)
“Fine, it’s over.” When Jace pushed a little more, Jordan said, “I swear!”
He considered giving Jordan’s junk a good stomping on anyway, but reigned in the impulse. They’d made a bargain after all. He wasn’t altogether positive Jordan would abide by it, but he needed to believe it or he’d never be able to walk out of this bedroom and face his sister.
“Your face is bleeding,” Jace said flatly. “You should be more careful about walking into doors, Jordan.”
Jordan snuffled but didn’t reply. Gavin stepped around Jace to squat next to Jordan. He spoke too softly for Jace to hear, but the way Jordan’s eyes widened in fright got the point across. He didn’t need to hear the threat to know Gavin would follow through if Jordan made himself an issue ever again.
They walked into the hall together, and in the shadow of the next doorway, Gavin yanked him into a tight hug. Jace returned the embrace, his entire body vibrating from his ebbing adrenaline rush. He was proud of himself for not panicking during the entire altercation. He’d stood up to the devil and the devil backed down.
“Did he hurt you?” Gavin asked.
“No, not this time.”
“I’m sorry—”
“Don’t. This was all on Jordan, so don’t you dare apologize for anything. You got here just in time, hero.”
“He won’t bother you again.”
“I know.” Jace pressed a kiss to the side of Gavin’s neck, grateful for him and unable to express how much. “You ready to get out of here?”
“God, yes.”
On their way through the downstairs of the house, a new level of excited chatter had broken over the party participants—so much so that Jace forgot all about leaving. People were texting or talking on their cell phones, and he heard snippets of conversations that made no sense. He led Gavin into the kitchen where he cornered Molly near the extra bags of chips.
“What’s going on?” Jace asked.
She glanced at Gavin, eyes wide. “You haven’t heard?”
“Obviously not, Mol.”
“Lucy got a text from Vanessa, who was at Casper’s big party in Harrisburg tonight, and Vanessa said that the police broke the party up less than ten minutes ago.”
Gavin tensed. Jace reached back and grabbed his hand without thinking. “Why did they break up the party?” Jace asked.
“They arrested Casper.”
“For?” Gavin asked. He looked dazed. He and Casper were friends, and this night had been one crazy shock after another for him.
Molly bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure, but it’s something to do with the Laundromat fire back in May.”
Gavin had his cell phone out and was dialing before Jace caught up to the action.
Gavin knew before the call connected. He didn’t know how, but he did. He knew it before Detective Kramer answered and confirmed Gavin’s suspicions: the flash drive Kai Hale bargained to the police contained information linking Anthony “Casper” Blonsky to the fire that burned down part of a town block six months ago. Kai was hired to start the fire, paid by Casper to do it professionally and then leave town—half the money ahead of time, half the money in six months as long as the police didn’t catch on. When Casper refused to pay the rest of the money he owed Kai—because God only knew what kind of parties and drugs Casper had spent it on—Kai decided to get the flash drive so he could force Casper to pay up.
Kai was getting a deal for providing the information, but he’d still face at least ten years in jail—which meant Mama could divorce him on fault grounds without worrying about Kai hurting either one of them.
Jace drove them over to Dixie’s Cup in the Jeep while Gavin processed everything he’d learned. His sperm donor wasn’t only a deadbeat dad, an abusive husband, and a mean drunk. He was also a paid arsonist. And a guy he’d defended, who he’d known since grade school, had turned out to be a first-class fuckup. Casper had been part of a horrible crime and Gavin had never even suspected. What did all that say about Gavin?
He didn’t know what to think, so he didn’t think at all until they got to the Cup. Mama was working a night shift, but the look on her face when he and Jace walked into the diner said she’d already heard.
Only two people were eating at the counter while Old Joe read a magazine, so she sat in a booth with him while Jace served them all coffee. Several times, he caught Mama wiping away silent tears. He reached across the table and held her hand while they sat together.
At a few minutes until midnight, Jace pulled out his phone and found a live stream of Times Square. They gathered around the phone and listened. Old Joe joined them during the countdown to midnight.