Page 12 of Broken
“You grew up here,” Jarvis says.
“Yes.”
“But you moved to Phoenix.”
“Yes, when I was eighteen,” I tell him.
“Did you know Chance Bridger?”
“I did. But not well,” I reply.
I don’t consider the words a lie. IthoughtI knew him well. Trusted him. Believed in him.
“Hmm,” he says.
“What’s up?” I scan the papers and try to organize them into piles.
“How old’s Grady?”
My hands still. “Fourteen.”
“Huh.”
A chill races down my spine…and it’s not from the freezing-ass air conditioning in this place.
“What?”
“Met Chance Bridger today. He’s a handsome man.”
“Great, you should date him.”
He laughs. “By your tone, it sounds like you don’t like him.”
“I don’t. He’s an asshole.”
In my job, I’m always direct, but this comment seems to surprise him.
“Always been one?”
“Always.” Because he lied to me every second we were together. What I thought was real and genuine was a ploy to get into my pants. He said I was his first. What a crock.
“So you think he’s into illegal chemical disposal like his old man?”
We pretty much have Jonathan Bridger for interstate crimes, even though he’s dead and we can’t put him behind bars, but nothing indicates that Chance was, oris,involved.
“No. I’m saying he’s an asshole.”
I’m not sharing more. No way. Being back here makes me nervous that my biggest secret—literally the biggest since Grady’s close to six feet tall at only fourteen—will get out. Get back to Chance.
“Are you headed back here? I could use another set of eyes on all this paperwork.” What an understatement.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in ten.”
I put my phone down and stare absently at the papers. Does Jarvis suspect Chance is Grady’s father? They look a lot alike. I confirmed that when we were face to face once again the other day. I knew when he was born that he took after him, and as he grew, it was obvious he looked like a Bridger. But Grady and Chance now? Clearly son and father.
It doesn’t matter. If Jarvis asks, I can lie. McGuinness sent me here specifically because I’m from Bayfield. He’s smart and knows that people know each other’s business in a small town like this. Chance and I are the same age. McGuiness didn’t keep me from the investigation because of any possible connection. In fact, I think he did the opposite. The more inside intel we have on the Bridgers, the better.
Although I don’t think he imagined sharing DNA with Chance counts.
