The Matching Game. Everyone Knew The Answer. Except Me novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: What He Wrote

I don't remember getting up.

I remember my chair, and the long walk to the front hall, and the smell of the Rooke family's lemon polish.

I remember my mother saying, "Sit down, Vicki, let him finish," and then saying, much louder, "Not you, Carson."

Then the cold hit my face and I was out on the lawn.

The grass was wet. A streetlight lit the maple at the curb.

I heard the door open and shut behind me.

Boots on the walk.

"Vicki."

I turned around.

Elias stopped about six feet away, on the flagstones, with his hands open at his sides.

"Nine months," I said. "You've known for nine months."

"Yes."

"You ate dinner with me every Sunday."

"Yes."

"And Monday." My voice cracked. "You knew on Monday."

"Yes," he said. "I knew."

I had thought he would defend himself. I wanted him to, so I'd have something to hit.

"We made a rule," I said. "I said, nothing guessed. I said, if you know something, you say it."

"I know."

"You said okay."

"I did."

"So say it now."

He took a breath. He kept his eyes on mine.

"In January I drove to Carson's work to give him back a drill. I saw them in Cass's car in the parking lot." His jaw moved. "I knew what I was looking at."

"What did you do?"

"I went to his apartment that night. I told him to tell you or I would."

"And?"

"He said you already knew."

I stared at him.

"He said it was an arrangement, you three, a thing you'd all agreed to. He said you hated saying it out loud, and that was why you had the game. So nobody had to."

"And you believed him."

"For about six weeks." His voice was low and rough. "Then I watched you at dinner and I knew he was lying. By March I was sure."

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