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Zack and Cooper exchanged a brief but worried glance. Daniels was becoming more upset, his face growing redder. He’d jumped up from his chair and was pacing the small space between it and the window, mumbling to himself.
“Dad never told us about the giants,” Cooper said, his tone even and almost soothing. “I wish he had. Clearly, we’ve missed out on something important. How tall are these giants? Where are they being hidden?”
That’s it, Coop. Ask the important questions. Shit.
“They can be as tall as seventeen feet,” Daniels answered. “They’re being hidden underground in government bunkers. They have been for over a hundred years. My dad told me stories about them. He worked in one of the facilities. He made friends with them. He told me that we didn’t need to be afraid when it was time.”
Since Joel Winslow had basically admitted to being Sarah’s biological dad, Zack believed it to be true. However, after hearing Lloyd Daniels go on and on for the last few minutes, he wouldn’t have been shocked if the whole parentage thing was simply a delusion.
Cooper opened his mouth to ask what was probably another inane question about the existence of giants, but he stopped when Zack dug his elbow into his brother’s ribs. While he was okay with humoring Daniels about this, he didn’t think it was necessary to extend this visit any longer. At this point, he couldn’t trust what Lloyd Daniels had to say.
If giants did at some point take over the earth, he’d apologize profusely and personally to Lloyd.
Daniels didn’t appear to be hurting anyone or himself with these thoughts, so Zack wasn’t going to try and change the older man’s mind. If it made him happy to believe in giants, then more power to him.
Thanking Daniels, Zack dragged Cooper back to the car, and headed back to Winslow Heights to let Lucy know that they hadn’t learned much that was useful. Lloyd had confirmed that Sarah was going out, but he didn’t know where or with whom. His information was suspect at best.
“You didn’t let me ask my questions,” Cooper chuckled. “And I had lots of them. For example, who benefits from keeping giants a secret? If they’re so powerful, why would they agree to be hidden? Who brought them here? Are they aliens? How many people would have to be in on this to be able to keep it a secret? After all, I unwillingly know far too much about the Kardashians, and I’m actively trying to stay away from people telling me about them. A giant is much more interesting than a Kardashian, although others might feel differently.”
“I didn’t let you ask those questions because it would be like making fun of an old man. He seriously believes it.”
“I know,” Cooper declared. “I wasn’t making fun of him. I truly wanted to find out the basis and extent of his beliefs. I’ve known people who believed far more outlandish crap, and I stayed friends with them. I wasn’t questioning his beliefs. I was trying to learn about them.”
Cooper was always trying to get into people’s heads and figure out what made them tick. He should have been a psychologist.
“Either way, we weren’t going to find out anything about Sarah that we could trust.”
“He confirmed that she was partying, and with the way Ed Farrow acted when you tried to talk to him, I have to say that I’m mighty suspicious that she might have been hanging out in his bar.”
“That’s why we’re going back to talk to my friend Jay. He knows more, and I’m going to have another shot at getting him to talk.”
“Let’s do it then. Maybe if we tell Jay that we already know what Sarah was up to, he’ll spill the beans thinking that he’s not telling us anything new.”
“That sounds like something out of a bad detective novel. Do you honestly think that he can be tricked so easily?”
“It works in the movies. Why not give it a try? Do you have another plan?”
Zack did not, which meant that they might as well try Cooper’s.
Maybe - just maybe - Jay might finally tell them the truth about Sarah.
23
Zack and Cooper had walked Lucy to the bookstore before heading off to meet Lloyd Daniels. It was nice to be back at work and in some sort of familiar routine, especially when her world felt like it had been turned upside down.
“You can stay with me as long as you need to,” Jane said, placing a latte in front of Lucy. “If you’re not comfortable staying with Cooper. I bet he’s a slob.”
“He seems to do quite well cleaning up after himself. And thank you for the offer. I think I just need to suck it up and go back home today. Finn sent me a message that they’ve released the condo, and I can go in anytime. It’s my home, although it doesn’t feel like it at the moment. Plus, my parents are a bit miffed that I didn’t stay with them last night.”
“If I were a betting woman - and I’m not, although my ex was - I’d place money on your mom and dad showing up here today to make sure that you’re okay. They’ll want to see for themselves.”
“That sounds like my parents,” Lucy sighed. “They’re wonderful, but sometimes they fuss a bit.”
“Did they suggest moving back home?”
“Yes, and as nicely as I could told them that it wasn’t an option. I’m not going to move home when I’m in my mid-thirties. I love my mom and dad, but I need to be independent and have my own place.”
“Zack could stay with you at your condo,” Jane suggested, waggling her eyebrows playfully. “You two are getting serious. And don’t deny it because it’s as plain as the nose on your face. The way you guys look at each other would be nauseating if you weren’t my best friend in the world.”
