The Dead of Winter (Seasons of Jefferson: Book 2) by Julie Solano, Tracy Justice Page B
Authors: Julie Solano, Tracy Justice
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didn’t mean to lose my wallet … or my locket! My dad can be such a jerk!”
I’m quiet for a minute trying to let her cool down. Mr. Woodley was right about that wallet. Who knows what someone can do with all that stuff? I should defend him, but I don’t want to say the wrong thing and piss her off even more. There’s no way she’s gonna take me to Peyton if she’s fired up. I bite my tongue and focus my attention on Mr. Brownell shoveling his walkway.
“Well?”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you going to say anything?”
I shake my head, quickly back and forth. “I’ve got nothin’.”
She turns up the radio and slams her foot on the gas, screeching away from the sidewalk and sliding through the first stop sign. I pull on my seatbelt and shift my weight to gain better balance in my seat. I forcefully swallow the bitter chunk of mid-afternoon snack that resurfaces upon take-off. “Ease off the gas, Jenna! This isn’t Fast and Furious! It’s icy out here, and you don’t have your studded tires on.”
“I can’t hear you!”
I turn down the music, “I said, ease off the gas! I’ve already pressed my luck once this month.” I can see she feels bad about making me lose my shit as she begins to slow down. “Do you want me to drive?” Why did I ask that? What if she says yes? Please say no.
“No, I’ve got this.”
Phew. She slows the car to a normal speed for a snowy, residential area. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I’m better. So you don’t mind going to the bank with me?”
“No. Let’s get it over with. It’ll give the officers time to finish with Peyton, and then we can head on…”
“Peyton? Is that why you wanted out of the house? So you could go get your heart broken again? Really? Caden, do you seriously think her parents are gonna let you see her? They didn’t even tell you she was being released!”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know, but I’m going to try. I can’t handle this ostracism for one more day. You know how screwed up things are between us right now, and you know that in order for me to get past this, I need to go over there and straighten it out. I’ve got to know why she won’t talk to me. I mean for God’s sake, Jenna, maybe she can’t even talk. And for whatever reason, her parents won’t let me see her. Geez, is she dying? Disfigured? What is it? I need answers, and I need them today. You’ve got to take me. Please!”
Relief comes over me as I watch understanding replace her anxious sneer. “I will help you,” she nods. “But, I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
THE TRIP TO THE BANK went well. There was no sign of activity in the report. Jenna’s dad will be happy to hear that she changed and secured her account. I’m sure she’s relieved. I know I am. We crunch through freshly fallen powder as we make our way to the car. The latest snowstorm must’ve begun while we were inside. I guess we were in the bank longer than I thought because there looks to be a good two inches on the road.
Progress is slow, as Jenna is extra cautious driving her VW in these conditions. We painstakingly crawl from block to block. She’s turned the music off. I know the soundlessness helps her concentrate, but it’s grating on my nerves. I study her face in the rearview mirror, trying to take my mind off of the never-ending drive of doom. Her lips twist from side to side while her eyes squint and release. I take a deep breath and release it with an audible sigh.
“I can see the look on your face. You’re scheming again. We’re not playing with this one.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. No more games. We’re going to pull up to the house. I’m going to march down her front walk, knock on that door, and confront my demons. No more sneaking around. I already learned my lesson at the hospital. It’s time to face the music like a man.”
“You’re pretty dense. You know that, right?” Jenna shakes her head and takes a
I’m quiet for a minute trying to let her cool down. Mr. Woodley was right about that wallet. Who knows what someone can do with all that stuff? I should defend him, but I don’t want to say the wrong thing and piss her off even more. There’s no way she’s gonna take me to Peyton if she’s fired up. I bite my tongue and focus my attention on Mr. Brownell shoveling his walkway.
“Well?”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you going to say anything?”
I shake my head, quickly back and forth. “I’ve got nothin’.”
She turns up the radio and slams her foot on the gas, screeching away from the sidewalk and sliding through the first stop sign. I pull on my seatbelt and shift my weight to gain better balance in my seat. I forcefully swallow the bitter chunk of mid-afternoon snack that resurfaces upon take-off. “Ease off the gas, Jenna! This isn’t Fast and Furious! It’s icy out here, and you don’t have your studded tires on.”
“I can’t hear you!”
I turn down the music, “I said, ease off the gas! I’ve already pressed my luck once this month.” I can see she feels bad about making me lose my shit as she begins to slow down. “Do you want me to drive?” Why did I ask that? What if she says yes? Please say no.
“No, I’ve got this.”
Phew. She slows the car to a normal speed for a snowy, residential area. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I’m better. So you don’t mind going to the bank with me?”
“No. Let’s get it over with. It’ll give the officers time to finish with Peyton, and then we can head on…”
“Peyton? Is that why you wanted out of the house? So you could go get your heart broken again? Really? Caden, do you seriously think her parents are gonna let you see her? They didn’t even tell you she was being released!”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know, but I’m going to try. I can’t handle this ostracism for one more day. You know how screwed up things are between us right now, and you know that in order for me to get past this, I need to go over there and straighten it out. I’ve got to know why she won’t talk to me. I mean for God’s sake, Jenna, maybe she can’t even talk. And for whatever reason, her parents won’t let me see her. Geez, is she dying? Disfigured? What is it? I need answers, and I need them today. You’ve got to take me. Please!”
Relief comes over me as I watch understanding replace her anxious sneer. “I will help you,” she nods. “But, I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
THE TRIP TO THE BANK went well. There was no sign of activity in the report. Jenna’s dad will be happy to hear that she changed and secured her account. I’m sure she’s relieved. I know I am. We crunch through freshly fallen powder as we make our way to the car. The latest snowstorm must’ve begun while we were inside. I guess we were in the bank longer than I thought because there looks to be a good two inches on the road.
Progress is slow, as Jenna is extra cautious driving her VW in these conditions. We painstakingly crawl from block to block. She’s turned the music off. I know the soundlessness helps her concentrate, but it’s grating on my nerves. I study her face in the rearview mirror, trying to take my mind off of the never-ending drive of doom. Her lips twist from side to side while her eyes squint and release. I take a deep breath and release it with an audible sigh.
“I can see the look on your face. You’re scheming again. We’re not playing with this one.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. No more games. We’re going to pull up to the house. I’m going to march down her front walk, knock on that door, and confront my demons. No more sneaking around. I already learned my lesson at the hospital. It’s time to face the music like a man.”
“You’re pretty dense. You know that, right?” Jenna shakes her head and takes a
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