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“When were you going to tellto blackmail you?”

Sighing, Jake considered his answer carefully “Probably never”

“Mirl?”

“What girl?”

He crossed his arms “Don’t treat me like I’m stupid, Jake Allen Warrick You haven’t been able to fool me ever”

The light changed and Jake followed the minivan into the intersection He drove in silence for another three blocks with his father staring a hole into his head Damn, he never should have told Velma about Claire Of course she’d told his dad But it was too late Claire didn’t need so wheel tight and tried to ignore the pain eating him up inside

“I’hed into a white handkerchief

“Did Vel minivan “I should have just kept my mouth shut”

“Doesn’t oing to do about it”

“Nothing It’s over”

“Bullshit” The old man spat out the word “Do you love her?”

Reht all was lost in Harvest, anger and regret burned through his veins “She’s better off on her own”

“That’s not what I asked Tell me the truth, do you love her?”

Yeah, he did, for all that it mattered “No”

“You knohat’s worse than lying? Being too chicken to go after what you want Be careful, son, it looks like there are feathers sprouting from your ears”