Page 9 (1/2)

"Did you happen to father another daughter? I don’t know, ainst my will?"

His face turns white He immediately starts to deny, turns his body away from me, and calls me crazy But I saw the panic on his face, and I know I’

"Did you hear the last part ofup appearances?" He turns his head to look at er soft "She kidnapped me," I say "Kept me locked in a room in her--our--old house"

His Ada what to tellon her property," he says finally "She said you were acting irate You had no idea where you were She didn’t want to call the police because she’s convinced you’re doing drugs, so she kept you to help you detox She had my permission, Charlie She called s," I tell hiainst their will?"

"Would you rather she called the police on you? You were talking crazy! And you broke into her house in the ht now The only memory of that experience I have is in the notes I wrote to irl is my half-sister? Cora?"

He stares at the tabletop, unable to ame "It’s in your best interest to be honest with me Silas and I came across a file that Clark Nash has been desperately searching for since before your trial"

He doesn’t even flinch His poker face is too perfect He doesn’t ask me what file I have He just says, "Yes She’s your half-sister I had an affair with herto a character on a television shoonder how the real Charlie would take this Burst into tears? Get up and run out? Punch this dude in the face? From what I’ve read of her, probably the latter

"Wow Oh,Does my mother know?"

"Yes She found out after we lost the house"

What a sorry excuse for a nates another woets caught?

"God," I say "No wonder she’s an alcoholic" I lean back in"You never claiirl know?"

"She knows," he says

I feel hot anger For Charlie, for this poor girl who has to go to school with Charlie and watch her live the life she didn’t get to have, and for this whole screwed up situation

I take a ather myself while he sits in silence I wish I could say he ing in guilt, but I’uilt

"Why do they live in the house I grew up in? Did you give it to theht shade of pink He pops his jaw as his eyes dart left to right His voice is quieter when he speaks, so that only I can hear him "That woman was a client of o, a reement of sorts That I would be present financially, but nothing else It was better for everyone that way"