Silence Reveals Hidden Answers’ by Michael Anderson novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Harvey Prescott.

10

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Jennifer emerges from behind a tent, pushing her hair back from her face. I shove past a clump of kids to get to her.

“Where the hell did you go?” I ask.

“You guys decided not to fight again-”

“Yeah. I could’ve. But I noticed you were gone.” I look down at her. She’s fine. No scratches. No panic in her eyes. Still, my jaw tightens. She was out of my sight in an amusement park in Italy where I have a few enemies….that isn’t the place to disappear alone.

“Let’s just go home, hmm.”

She nods, that small, obedient motion that does nothing to calm the heat under my skin. We both turn and see Baxter standing there like a bad smell. This idiot is still here.

“We’re going home.” I tell him, just in case he wants to ride the damn Ferris wheel since he claims he came here alone. Jennifer walks past him but before I follow, I stop and give Baxter one last glance.

“Maybe when you sit your parents down and explain how you were “drunk,” you can also tell them the truth about what really happened that rainy night. Since it’s obvious you’re never getting Jennifer.”

“Two weeks isn’t over yet!” he grinds and stalks off.

I catch up to Jennifer just as she reaches the car. I hit the key fob and the locks snap open with a thunk. She gets into the passenger seat, and I get behind the wheel, firing up the engine. It roars to life, a loud, aggressive rumble that makes heads turn in the parking lot. I see Baxter walking past, heading to his own overpriced sports car.

As Jennifer clicks her seatbelt, she speaks. “So, did he agree?”

“Yeah.” I say, my eyes on the rear–view as I pull out of the spot, cutting off a minivan without a second thought.

I can feel her watching me. “Is this how it is?” Jen asks. “Baxter lies about you, and instead of just telling the truth, he says he was drunk so he doesn’t look like a liar?”

“Welcome to the fam, Jen.” I glance over at her, catching the way her eyes trace over my arms, the tattoos, the tension coiled. there. Is she attracted or is she…worried about who I am especially after the dude in the hoodie?

“That’s problematic, Harvey.”

“I know.”

“So let me guess….” she continues. “Baxter has done this more than once. Is that why you’re so comfortable with it? You’re not even showing any anger that he’s lying on you-”

“I’m not showing anger because they don’t mean shit to me. No one in that family does.” I cut in. “Alright?”

“Not even your grandmother?”

I exhale sharply. “She already sees the best in me, so…”

Jennifer turns in her seat to face me fully now. That’s never a good sign.

“But she’s really sweet to you. She looked so happy knowing you have a girlfriend. I think she deserves to see you care. Even if it’s just for her.”

15:09 Tue, Feb 3 M.

Chapter 24

“It doesn’t matter.”

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The words come out colder than I intend, and I feel my face harden into the mask I wear around them. It matters. It matters because it was her….Grandma’s insistence, her “wishes“-that sent me to the Prescott estate that rainy night. And when everything went to hell, she was the one who went to my mother and brokered the deal. If you let him go, I’ll clean it up and make sure he doesn’t go to jail.

They made my mother say yes without letting me explain. Without letting me say goodbye. That was selfish.

“But-”

“Stop it, Jen.” I say and she falls silent.

I just cannot for my life get myself to answer these questions again. so, therefore, the rest of the drive is heavy with words

unsaid.

I know exactly who sent that guy with the camera.

A woman. Someone I met two years ago. Jealous. Possessive. The kind who smiles sweetly while planning damage. Sending someone to take pictures of the new girl in my life? Yeah. That’s exactly her style.

I sigh knowing I’ve made it awkward between Jennifer and I.

When we pull up to the villa, Baxter knocks on my window before I even shut the engine off. I roll it down.

“I’m about to do it now. Come on.”

Before I can even glance at Jennifer, she’s already unbuckling and getting out.

“Jen,” I say, my own door swings open as I step out too.

“I’m tired. See you tomorrow. I just got a message that Nisha is having the bridal shower tomorrow, so I have to meet the team to prepare.” Jennifer’s voice is soft, but the wall is up.

I nod. I know why the wall is there. Because I put it there first.

“Sleep tight.” I shut the car door, and she walks away across the lit landscape, each step making the embedded path lights glow under her feet.

“You see,” Baxter’s smug voice cuts through, “that’s how I know you can never be her real-”

I don’t let him finish. I turn and start walking toward the main house, forcing him to either shut up or follow.

He rushes ahead and gets into the house before me. When I enter, the atmosphere is already thick.

His dad, Francis, is standing by the fireplace. Winny is on the edge of a sofa and Grandma is standing. They called a family meeting immediately after everything went down but I didn’t show. Missed calls stacked on my phone…from Grandma, from Francis Prescott, from his assistant. Even a message threatening to send the cops to look for me.

It ends here.

“Where have you both been?” Winny’s voice is sharp as a blade. “Nisha said you left the shoot, and you-” Her eyes land on me, full of venom. “We should have had him rot in jail for what he did to my son-”

“About that, Mom.”

Baxter clears his throat and all eyes swing to him. “I’m sorry, but… Harvey didn’t do it.”

“What!?” Francis’s voice booms. “Excuse me?”

15:09 Tue, Feb 3 M.

Chapter 24

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Baxter flinches when he sees the disappointment already loading onto their faces. The moment he realizes he doesn’t want to be the son who looks like a liar in front of his father.

“Uh, Dad… hold on.” Baxter stammers, running a hand through his hair. I just stand there, arms crossed, waiting. Let him dig his own grave.

“What are you saying?” Francis steps forward. “You said Harvey pointed the gun at you. We all heard the shot. Are you telling us that was a lie?”

Baxter’s eyes dart to Grandma, then to the floor. “I was on some shrooms,” he mumbles. “I’m… not sure what happened.”

“Shrooms?” Dad repeats, staring straight at me like he wants to drill through my skull.

“I didn’t know it was shrooms, Dad,” Baxter says quickly. “Someone gave it to me at the club. I took it that morning. I guess it messed with my head…. I started seeing things. I took Harvey’s gun and fired it myself.” His voice cracks. “I was hallucinating I–I’m sorry.”

Baxter dares to look at me, pleading with his eyes for me to play along. I stay silent. A statue.

“No, there’s no way!” Winny hisses like a broken glass. She points a manicured finger at me. “Are you sure it’s not Harvey who gave you the shrooms? He owns a casino. Before that, he was exactly the type to deal with things like that—”

“Winnifred, please!” Francis shouts. He turns his focus back to Baxter. “So you’re saying you lied about Harvey?”

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