“About what?” Jane said.
“Trevor, please excuse us. This is a family matter,” Laurel said.
“He’s staying,” Jane said.
“Trevor,” Laurel said. “Please go. I won’t ask again.”
“Jane wants me here,” Trevor said. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Norton, but no.”
Laurel looked at the two men, jerked her head toward Trevor. Both men quickly moved forward and grabbed Trevor by the arms. As big as he was and even with his Security shirt, these guys were bigger and professional, and Trevor was hustled out quickly into the parking lot.
“Mother,” Jane said.
“This is for your own good.”
“What? Bribing a psychologist to lie to me? Manhandling my friend?”
“Jane. You are not getting better. I can’t let you lead your life this way. Adam can’t keep you in his dorm room and you’ve said repeatedly you won’t live at home, so I had no choice. Kevin and Adam are both willing to testify as to you being a danger to yourself.”
Wait, what. “Adam?”
“Yes.”
“No. He wouldn’t.”
“He will.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure he’s thrilled about your renewed friendship with Trevor.”
That felt like a fist in her stomach. Adam’s former girlfriend, Bettina, was right; she had misread her relationship with Adam, and what he wanted from it. And now he was getting his revenge for her not feeling the same way. She looked at Kevin. “Do you hear her?”
“Jane. Listen. What you’re doing is dangerous. It’s very hard for people to accept responsibility. To accept the blame of others. What you’re doing…”
“What I’m doing?”
“It’s a very nice facility. You’ll thrive there. You’ll remember more.” Kevin tried to smile.
“I am remembering,” she said, to see what reaction she got. “I’m remembering more and more.”
“Then the hospital will help you process it,” Laurel said.
“Mom, this isn’t the nineteen fifties, this won’t work. I’m lucid.”
“You’re a homeless amnesiac tied to arson and burglary.” She stated this as if it pained her. She would be convincing to anyone that asked. “You’ll be safe there.”
“Tied to arson? No. I was in Adam’s room the night those houses burned.”
“Adam now says you took his car. It’s in the commitment papers Kevin has drafted.” Her voice was steady with the lie. It would make a good impression on a judge or a doctor.
Kevin said, “We know about you making Internet threats, Jane. The Liv Danger persona.”
“That’s not me!” The world, closing in on her like a collapsing building. Wouldn’t a judge have to sign those? Wouldn’t someone else have to examine her? Or how much had her mom greased the right palms? “Why are you doing this?” Her voice rose.
“To save you.”
“No. It’s for your book you want to write. I’m just the supporting player. I thought I was your daughter. I’m just a damn prop in your life.”
The jab about the book scored a hit—Jane saw her flinch—but Laurel kept her composure. “That’s so unfair.” She looked at Kevin as if he would agree.
“So what, you’re going to prosecute me? Tell the police these lies?”
“No. If you cooperate, I won’t say a word to the police, and neither will Kevin.”
“How long am I supposed to stay there, Mom?” Her voice broke. Her life, slipping into a grayness, much darker than the limbo she’d let herself fall into. “What, until you and Cal get married?”
Her words were like a shove. Laurel actually stepped back.
“Excuse me,” Kevin murmured, going out the front door.
“That’s a lie,” Laurel said.
“I have a picture.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yeah, I do. You and Cal, kissing. Dad was still alive.”
“You’re lying.”
“I stole it from Randy Franklin’s files.”
Her mother’s mouth trembled. “So I can add burglary to your list of misdeeds when we arrive at the hospital.”
“Go ahead. Did Dad know?”
“Jane, I have never—”
“If you deny this one more time, Mom, I actually will go insane and turn on you. Stop. Lying.”
Laurel took a deep breath. “All right.”
“Did Dad know?”
“No.”
“Are you sure? Did it make him depressed or suicidal, finding out that you were cheating on him with his business partner and next-door neighbor?” She said the words like they were hard punches.
“That wasn’t my fault. His death was an accident.”
“You’re paying off Kevin, you’re encouraging Adam, why stoop to this? Why do you need me tucked away?”
“Can you not trust me?” Her voice cut to a whisper. “It’s for your own good.”
“Mom.” She could show her the papers from Franklin’s file. And have them promptly taken away by these hired goons. Her plan fizzled into nothingness.
The door opened and one of the men came back in. “Are we ready, Mrs. Norton?”
“What?” Jane screamed. “I’m not going anywhere with you all.”
Laurel said, “Jane. Don’t resist. These men are here to protect you and to make sure you safely reach the hospital.”
“Where am I going?”
“It’s a very nice hospital in the Hill Country. Chic, even. Like a spa.” The excitement she tried to add to this announcement was the most ghastly thing Jane had ever heard.
“And when do I get out of this spa?”
“When the doctors say you’re well enough. Let’s not prolong this. Let’s not make it ugly. I need you to trust me. Give me your phone.”
Jane did. Her fingers brushed the papers folded in her jeans pocket. She hadn’t yet given them to Trevor.
But then the man reached for her and Jane raised a warning finger at him; he brought his hand back and just opened the door for her. He gestured, almost gallantly, for her to step outside. In the parking lot, Adam Kessler stood next to Kevin, arms crossed, upset and defiant, and Trevor sat on the asphalt, hands into fists, the other man standing over him.
“You need to agree, or it will get ugly. You don’t want these two men beating up Trevor.” Her mother said this to her from behind Jane, her voice a harsh whisper.
“He’ll go to the police.”
“And we’ll all say he interfered with your removal to the hospital. I’ll file charges. This is happening, and it’s for your own good, his own good. For everybody’s good.”
What did that even mean?
“Just get in the car, Ms. Norton,” one of the men said.
“Jane, I did this for you,” Adam called to her. She showed him her middle finger.
“Jane?” Trevor stood. “Jane?”
“It’s OK, Trevor,” Laurel called. “It will all be OK. We will take good care of her.”