Page 148 of The Innocent

“So is it true?” Ghost asked.

“Is what true?”

He shrugged. “You know that whole ‘the truth will set you free’ bullshit? Did it?”

“I don’t feel very free right now.” Her voice cracked, and she looked up at the sky. It had been overcast all day with an impending storm coming through. Not a star in the sky.

“What do you feel?”

She swallowed the knot in her throat, trying to rein in her emotions. “Like a fool.”

Ghost nodded, taking another puff. “I get that.”

The last person she should be discussing her father with was a stranger. Or maybe it was the best person. Either way, she spoke without hesitation.

“I really believed him,” she whispered.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t you? He’s your dad. He’s swearing to you he didn’t do it. Add in your loyalty to him. Your dad being innocent, and you wanting him to be innocent. Those are two very different things. But when you’re in it, the lines get blurred.”

So blurred. Tears streamed down her face, and she didn’t even bother wiping them.

There was a long stretch of silence.

“Sometimes we get it wrong, Imogene.”

That was an understatement.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “Except everyone else got it right. It was laid out in front of everyone and they could see it. Why couldn’t I?”

“You saw it tonight.”

She nodded and wiped the tears from her cheeks and scoffed. “A little too late.”

“But you see it, Imogene. That’s what matters.”

I hope so.

****

Jekyll stood just inside the room. Listening.

He and Hyde arrived at Penny’s twenty minutes ago. She was in the living room eating and told him that Imogene and Ghost were upstairs on the roof. This brother and a roof. It had always been Ghost’s go-to place. Jekyll didn’t get it. Most of the brothers didn’t either.

When he’d attempted to go upstairs, Penny stopped him.

“Ghost is good therapy.”

Jekyll didn’t particularly like that answer. But he accepted it, knowing it was the truth. After twenty minutes he was prepared to break it up and take her home. She’d been through a lot tonight, and he wanted her safely nestled by his side.

Jekyll hadn’t planned on eavesdropping, but he took advantage.

“You’re a good listener,” Imogene said, which made Jekyll crack a smile.

Penny was right, Ghost was exactly what she needed at the moment.

“Let me ask you something.” Ghost paused, briefly. “You think you’ll ever forgive your dad for what he did?”

“No.” There was zero hesitation on her end.