Page 101 of The Pilot

“Smart-ass,” Harper said with a small smile. “And you’re going to get a hundred, of course.”

Kash grinned. “Of course I am. You don’t have to be able to see the future to know that. But seriously, Mom, Donny had everything all planned out. If they didn’t have those videos, you guys would’ve had someone track my phone eventually, and it would’ve led straight to Donny. Everyone knows that phone signals can be traced. He might’ve been smart enough to trick people for a couple of days, but he was never going to get away with it. Besides, he said he was gonna go back to the island and get us on Tuesday. I’m not sure I believe him, but it doesn’t matter now. I heard that Owen and Scott are cooperating with the police. They’re singing like canaries . . . wait . . . where did that idiom come from? I need to look that up.”

Linc frowned. “How do you know about what Owen and Scott are doing?” he asked. He and Harper knew, because they were keeping in close contact with the police chief about the progress with the case.

“Duh. Everyone knows. It’s all over school. They’re gonna get a slap on the wrist because Donny was the instigator and because they’re cooperating with the investigation. Donny’s in juvie, and the DA is considering charging him as an adult because of how serious everything he did was. I’m guessing he might get a few years. But it’s possible he could only get a few months, since we weren’t hurt, and he swears he was going back out there to get us. Even though he can’t prove it.

“Anyway . . . between the phones, my robotics trip ending, and all the school videos, he was always going to get caught. Ginger and I were never going to be on that island for weeks, like he probably wanted us to think. And the whole thing was stupid anyway. He was just trying to punish Ginger, which is ridiculous.

“My point is, there was no way you could have known he’d do something so crazy, or that it was Donny texting. And once you realized I wasn’t where I was supposed to be, you got to me twenty-four hours later.” Kash studied his mother. “Stop feeling guilty, Mom. Seriously. You need to let this go so you can sleep. You don’t look good.”

“Gee, thanks,” Harper said sarcastically.

But Kash didn’t even crack a smile. “I mean it.”

“It’s not that easy,” she said. “Linc and I were . . . well, we were having fun while you were suffering.”

“The world doesn’t stop when bad things happen,” Kash said simply. “And you didn’t know. If you and Linc were partying it up while you knew I was missing, that would be different. But you weren’t. I love you, Mom, and if you keep feeling guilty, then I’ll start feeling guilty. I’ll stop sleeping right along with you, and probably stop eating too. And we all know I can’t afford to lose any weight. I’m a growing boy, I need my nutrients. I’ll sink into a depression and drop out of school and have to live with you and Linc for the rest of my life . . . playing video games all day and eventually gaining eight hundred pounds.”

“Dramatic much?” Harper muttered.

“Learned it from Ginger. That girl is the biggest drama queen ever. But seriously, you’ll stop feeling bad about what happened, right? It wasn’t your fault, you got to me as soon as you could. I’m not messed up in the head over it, and Linc is right, we have to look at the good things that have happened as a result of the bad.”

“I’ll try.”

“Let Linc help you. He makes you happy.”

“He does,” Harper agreed. “And I’ll do my best, as long as you promise to talk to me if you ever start to get depressed about what happened.”

“Deal. But I’m not going to get depressed. I’m good. Can we go soon? I’m hungry, and Zach said he was making some good old-fashioned comfort food. Tacos.”

Linc chuckled. He wasn’t sure when tacos became comfort food, but if that’s what Kash wanted, that’s what he’d get. He grabbed his SUV keys off the counter and held them out to Kash. “Want to go start the car? Pull it around?”

“Seriously?” Kash asked, pulling out of his mom’s arms. “I can drive your SUV?”

“You can pull the car around,” Linc repeated. “That’s not exactly driving, but yes, you can.”

“Sa-weet!” Kash exclaimed, snatching the keys out of Linc’s hand.

“Jacket!” Harper called out as he jogged toward the door.

“No need! It’s hot out!” Kash hollered back.

After he was gone, she rolled her eyes. “It’s warmer, yes. It’s not hot. Why are kids so reluctant to wear coats?”

“Don’t know. But does it really matter? Are you okay?” he asked, wanting to see where her head was at. Kash had made some very good points, and he hoped Harper really took what her son said to heart.

“I’m better,” she admitted. “I still feel guilty that we were having wild monkey sex all over this house while my kid was suffering. But Kash is right. We didn’t know. And . . .” She hesitated, then licked her lips as she looked at Linc. “I have to admit that last weekend was . . . amazing.”

“It was,” Linc agreed.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Are you ready for today? It’s going to be crazy.”

“I know. But I think we all need this. Need to be around the people we love the most.”

“Agreed.”