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h as usual.
“Okay... Oliver.” Frank took hold of the sides of the boat, sliding forward
where he more or less forced Oliver to make room for him on the narrow ben
ch at the back of the boat. “Can we stop for a second?”
“Right now, Frank?”
“Right now,” Frank insisted, and to make a point, he reached around Oliver t
o kill the engine, leaving the boat adrift on the water, and the two of them
in silence until he broke it. “I wanna know why you’re not talking to me.”
Oliver cocked his head, baffled. “I’m talking to you right now, Frank.”
“You’re avoiding me,” Frank replied, matter-of-factly. “You’ve been doing
it all week. And Mrs. Woodmoore told me about the problems at her house.
”
Oliver crossed his arms. “She’s lying,” he was quick to say, and Frank’s fr
own only deepened.
“You don’t even know what she told me,” Frank pointed out, and when Oliver
turned his eyes down, he sighed. “Look, just because they noticed some mo
ney missing doesn’t mean anyone’s accusing you of doing it, Oliver. Jenny
doesn’t think you did... and I... Oliver, I’m not going to ask if you did
it. You know... I don’t think I even care. I was talking about the other s
tuff. I wanna know why you’ve been acting weird ever since you saw your br
other. Did David tell you to stop talking to me or something? Or to Jeremy
? Because you don’t call anymore, and every time I see you it’s because I
come dragging you out of your room. And I see the way you’ve been looking
at Jeremy when he can’t see you. Did he do something to make you mad, beca
use if he did, it better be good if he catches you grinding your teeth at
him... or is this something else?”
“Something else?” Oliver repeated, suddenly seeming uncomfortable with Fra
nk’s eyes so close to his. He stood, having no trouble with his balance as
the boat rocked beneath him and he slowly stretched.
Frank looked up. “Yeah,” he replied, his voice beginning to sound unexpect
edly cold. “I guess I’m trying to figure out what the hell happened betwee
n now and when you last talked to David.”
Oliver returned his gaze to Frank, the corner of his mouth twitching as he it
ched his shoulder, and then released a small laugh.
“What?”
“It’s an easy question, Oliver,” Frank replied, finding his way to his feet
, somewhat slower than Oliver had. “Did something happen with your brother?
I think he said something to you... maybe he did something that wasn’t goo
d. I’m just wondering, because it’s not like you’ve talked to me about any
of it.”
Oliver snorted and reached out to take a playful swipe at Frank’s shoulder,
seemingly oblivious to the way even the light touch forced Frank to retake h
is balance. “That’s silly, Frank. I just saw my brother. He can’t say anythi
ng bad. You’re my friend.”
Oliver grinned widely, but for once, Frank wasn’t eager to smile back as he
slowly reached out and placed a hand on Oliver’s shoulder, mostly to conti
nue holding up his own balance. “I wanted to be your friend. But I’m wonder
ing,” Frank said, dropping his voice into a secretive tone, “when you just
saw your brother, David, did you tell him the same thing before you left hi
m trapped where you’re supposed to be?”
Frank snatched his hand back, and something sparked in the other boy’s expr
ession. The boat rocked beneath their feet, and Frank fought to keep his kn
ees securely locked as a small bout of lightheadedness reached him. He’d do
ne things that weren’t very well thought out, and he’d spoken out of turn b
efore. But this time, on a little boat hidden out of plain sight, and facin
g something he hadn’t realized that he feared until now made him feel as if
his words were about to cost him. Suddenly not trusting his own legs, or t
he boy in front of him, Frank could only stare, his instincts becoming defe
nsive as hazel eyes stared back at him, and the crooked smile that faced hi
m a moment later was far from comforting.
“How long have you known?” David finally asked, and the attempted commu
nication surprised Frank.
“I don’t know,” he said honestly. “Maybe before now...I didn’t want to thin
k it. Why? You could have...”
“Waited? I was sick of waiting, Frank.”
“So you used your brother?” Frank snapped.
“I didn’t use him,” David replied. “I asked for a favor. Did it ever occur to
you that I didn’t force him, Frank? He’s not as innocent as you wanna think he
is. Got a little bit of me in him... and he knows I did this for us.”
“David, I know Oliver wanted you to get out... I wanted you to get out, but
after everything that’s happened if you don’t do this the right way you won
’t have any kind of life. Unless you plan to keep hiding, and if you’re gonn
a do that, it isn’t going to be behind Oliver’s face. You have to go back. Y
ou know that, don’t you?”
David lowered his head, his shoulders sagging as if his body was processin
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