“Everett, stop it. I know why you’re upset, and we need to talk about that too.”
When he grabbed her hand and tried to pull her toward the door, she yanked her hand back. “Stop that.”
Alex’s mouth was a tight line of serious concern as he stepped toward the pedestrian gate. She hadn’t locked it, but he stayed outside, his gaze shifting from Lily to Everett, one eyebrow cocked in question.
“Whatever he says, don’t listen to him,” Everett cried, and her chest ached at the sound of fear in his voice.
“Alex?” she asked. “What’s going on?”
Everett bleated out a sound of protest or alarm. His entire body coiled tight with tension as if he were about to flee, and she was already reaching toward him to try to hold him still. But then he froze, his face setting into a firmer expression. She watched the struggle on his face, bravery trying to defeat his panic, and her heart broke for him. Finally he planted his feet and squared his shoulders to face Alex through the links of the fence.
After a long moment of silence, Alex sighed. “Well, Everett went to visit my uncle today.”
She’d been ready for that. Josephine’s message had been concise. He went to go see Mr. Bennick today & he thinks the Alex Bennick you know is dangerous. I’m not sure what’s true but I’m worried about it and think you should know.
But Lily had thought she’d be the one explaining this to Alex. Had Everett upset the old man?
“I saw Everett walking out,” Alex said, answering her as if she’d asked. “Apparently he was there to ask my uncle a few questions.”
Lily squeezed her eyes shut in shame. “I’m so sorry.”
“Mom, he’s not who he says he is!” Everett protested. “He’s Alex Bennick’s son! He lives in his house, and there’s someone else there too, I don’t know who.”
“What house? What are you talking about?” Dumbfounded, she gaped at Alex, waiting for an answer, but his head was bowed now, fists braced on his hips as he stared at his feet. “Alex, what is he talking about?”
“Well, I’m definitely not his son,” he finally answered with a sad smile.
“I know he has a son!” Everett shouted. “He told me!”
“He does have a son. I’m his nephew.”
“Why are you named after him, then, huh?”
“We’re both named after my grandfather. That’s all.”
Lily’s mind spun, buffeted by deception from every side. “Wait. Everett, how would you know anything about where Alex is living?”
Alex cleared his throat for a longer period than seemed necessary. Then he grimaced. “I think Everett might have broken in.”
“What?” The word left her throat like the fall of an axe, cracking through the air hard enough to make Everett wince.
“No, I . . . I just looked inside,” he whined.
Lily’s world seemed to tilt. She’d thought she knew what this new trauma would be, and now it was a monster with a whole new shape. “Looked inside what? What is happening? Alex, you have a house? I thought you were living in a hotel!”
“I, um . . . No, I never said that.”
She shook her head. “You let me think that, though. Didn’t you?”
“I’m sorry,” Alex said, holding up his hands. “It’s really complicated. It’s not my house, and . . . It’s my uncle’s home, and my cousin lives there. Brian. His son. He moved back home this winter after his wife left. He’s . . . yeah. Brian has had some problems. But he’s doing better now, and I’m just staying with him for a little while.”
“I don’t believe him,” Everett snapped.
Lily rounded on him. “Did you break into this man’s home? Tell me the truth.”
Her son shook his head, the tips of his ears bright red against his pale skin.
“Alex? Did he?”
“On Friday, while I was gone, my cousin thought he heard someone downstairs. He found a broken picture frame on the floor. I think maybe . . .” He trailed off, waiting for Everett’s reaction.
Everett sniffed hard and scrubbed a hand over his eyes. “I knew something was wrong. That’s all. Something isn’t right, Mom! I wanted to protect you. I didn’t break in. It was unlocked.”
Lily blinked back her own tears. She wanted to scream at him. Wanted to squeeze him and never let him go. She tried to calm her breathing. “Alex, I’m very sorry. You have every right to be furious. I didn’t realize how far this had gone. I—”