Page 30 of We're All Liars

This is weird. Entertaining, but odd. “About what?”

“Your father. What else?” he says impatiently before he whispers again. “Visitation starts in an hour. When I say that you have to hear me out, I really mean it. Your life and your brother’s depend on it.”

Is he bluffing? Trying to set me up because he knows I played a part in him being caught? “Are you fucking with me?”

“No. See you in an hour.”

I keep the phone to my ear for a few seconds after the line goes silent. Why would he try and reach out to me? And what is he talking about? My life and Ryder’s?

“What was that about?” Cade asks.

I consider lying, but I can’t sort out the conversation in my head and have to say it aloud. “Thatcher. He asked me to go speak with him at the jail. Said that my life and Ryder’s depend on it.”

“He’s probably screwing with you. Or just needs a way out of his mess.”

“Then why not call my dad or even my mom since they were fuck buddies. Why me? He knows I’m not going to help him.” I have to find out why. I start looking up how to register to visit the jail.

“You’re really going, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going too.” Cade tosses his hoodie and a T-shirt at me. “Put that on and change out of the leggings. Just put on some jeans or something not revealing.”

I clutch the hoodie to my chest and study as he moves around the room. His movements edgy. “This isn’t the time to be a protective caveman.”

He finally stops his agitated pacing and faces me. “They won’t let you in dressed like that. It’s for your safety, not my sake.” It hits me that this isn’t his first time visiting the jail. “You saw your dad when he was there, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. It was the last time I saw him up until this year.” He seems upset but acts nonchalant as he checks his phone then shoves it in his pocket.

“Are you okay to go with me? I can do this alone.”

He finally meets my gaze as he flatly says, “No promises.”

28

MORGAN

We’re finally finished with the visitor check-in process. And now I see why Cade had me change clothes. They have rules and follow them strictly. I thought for a second we wouldn’t be able to get through because of some list, but apparently Thatcher had Cade and me added to it. The guard said Shelby King was on it too. Which surprised me. But now I’m more curious to know if my mom has actually been here.

After being escorted to the second floor, we’re instructed to sit at one of the round tables.

“Well, this is fun,” I mutter, glancing around the room.

Only one other inmate is speaking with a woman holding a small child on her lap, and I don’t realize I’m staring until Cade asks me, “Are you good?”

“Yep.” I think. “Just felt a bit like I was going to jail with that pat down search.” Not to mention they took everything from me—my phone, my keys, my wallet. Cade had warned me to stash my purse in the car and not bring it in. But I wasn’t expecting to be patted down and stripped of my possessions. “I’m not built for prison.” The words ring familiar from what Ava said, and I shift against the hard chair. I need to find out what Thatcher is talking about, but I have the insane urge to stand and leave. There’s only one person on this planet that I trust less than him right now, and that’s my father. I need to know what he’s up to.

It’s about five minutes before Thatcher appears in the doorway, his hands cuffed in front of him as the guard ushers him to the table where he takes a seat across from us. The guard rattles off a few instructions to Thatcher: keep his hands on the table; don’t get up; let him know when he’s ready to leave and he’ll be accompanied up from the table.

Thatcher glances to Cade. “Figured you’d tag along.”

“Yeah. So, why are we here?” I ask as he nervously looks to where the guard has perched up against the wall. I’m sure he could still hear the conversation if he really wanted, but he doesn’t look like he really cares and is talking to another guard.

“Your father double-crossed me.”

“Okay.” I shrug my shoulders. “How is that my problem?”

“Because I want you to help me get him back. And in return, I’ll tell you what he has planned for you, your brother, and your mother.” Thatcher glances back at the guard again before continuing. “He won’t even take my calls anymore. And neither will your mother.”