Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Guilt pressed on Tex.

He shouldn’t leave. Yet he couldn’t stay either.

Because as soon as Chelsea had touched his arm and electricity had zapped through his blood, Tex had been sent reeling back in time.

Back to when he had to leave town.

It had been one of the hardest days of his life. He’d known if he had to tell Chelsea goodbye, that he wouldn’t leave. That he’d stay in this area for as long as Chelsea wanted. That he’d do whatever it took to make her happy.

But that wasn’t a good plan.

He needed to get away from Gilbert. He needed to figure out a way to support himself. To find a respectable job.

That was why, when he’d been approached about enlisting, he’d said yes.

He knew that wasn’t the traditional method used when the military recruited people. At the time, he’d found it odd that they’d come to him and asked him to join. But on the other hand, it had been a relief. He’d felt honored.

Little did he know at the time exactly what the military had in store for him. He’d had no clue about the experiments they wanted to put him through to make him into a super soldier of sorts. They’d even gone as far as to implant devices in his body, devices he’d only recently had removed.

He was still trying to comprehend all of it.

He took one last glance back at Chelsea’s house. Saw her in the kitchen window waving to him.

A pang shot through his heart.

Chelsea was one special girl. Too special for him. He was too messed up, and Tex had always known it.

Maybe another part of him had wanted to go to the military just so he could make himself into someone worthy of someone like Chelsea. But after what he’d been through, he wasn’t sure that would ever be possible. Maybe he’d come out even more messed up than he’d been when he’d left.

He made his way to Gilbert’s house. He went to the back door, which Gilbert had left unlocked for him.

After stepping inside, he paused and glanced around.

He halfway expected to see Gilbert sitting at the kitchen table having a late-night snack. He used to eat Golden Stuffed Oreos with a tall glass of milk there after games.

But everything was quiet around him. It was quite the change from when Tex had lived here as a foster kid.

Back then, there’d always been something going on in the house. Though Gilbert liked order, sitting around in their rooms wasn’t an option. All the guys had helped around the house. When they were done with their chores, they were expected to be outside tossing around a football or taking a jog or doing something constructive.

Gilbert had pushed too hard at times, however. He’d been harsh with them. Insulted them if they failed his expectations. He’d never given them time to rest.

Tex saw a piece of paper on the kitchen table and picked it up.

It was a note from Gilbert.

I’ve gone to bed. Help yourself to anything in the fridge. You can stay in your old room. I changed the sheets so they’re clean. If you need anything, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll see you in the morning.

It was signed simply with a G at the bottom.

Tex glanced at the time. It was just past midnight.

If Gilbert were sleeping, was this the opportunity Tex needed to snoop in the man’s office? This might be one of his only opportunities to do so since Gilbert was now home for Christmas break.

That settled it. If Tex was going to do this, he needed to do it now.

He stepped from the kitchen, through the hallway and into the living room. He paused on the area rug in front of the couch and stared at the door to the office. It was closed.

Tex could easily slip inside. He knew how to be quiet, knew he could look through the files and see if anything was there that could give him a hint about what was going on.

But even if Gilbert was doping the kids on the football team, that didn’t mean there would be any proof of it in the office. Gilbert was too smart to keep receipts—not that drug dealers offered them.

Still, what did Tex expect to find?

He needed to figure out what to do before the opportunity passed.

Chelsea had tried to sleep but couldn’t. She had too much on her mind, and her adrenaline was still pumping after the break-in.

Though she’d assured Tex she’d be fine here, she felt anything but fine. If someone had been able to get in before then they could get in again. It didn’t matter that she’d checked all the windows and doors three times.

She’d read her Bible, and she’d prayed. That had helped some. It always did.

But she was wired.

She was about to get up and check the locks for the fourth time just to try to soothe her anxious thoughts.

Finally, she got out of her bed and padded through the house. She walked to her kitchen and shoved the curtain aside to look out the window at Gilbert’s house.

The lights were all out, at least on the side of the house facing her.

What was Tex doing inside? Were he and Gilbert catching up like old friends? The thought made her stomach churn.

But she couldn’t see Tex doing that. He wasn’t the type to put on a facade for people. She’d always liked that about him. Though Tex’s rough edges had bothered him, they’d never bothered her.

Her parents, however, had been a different story. She was nearly certain they’d been happy when he’d left. They’d hoped she’d find someone with a background more like hers—stable and loving.

A few years ago, they admitted to her that they’d been wrong.

She figured they said that because she was still single. Her mom desperately wanted grandkids. Maybe their only chance of having grandkids had left when Tex did.

Both her mom and dad had changed a lot after her mom had been diagnosed and then overcome cancer. Their perspectives on many things had been altered.

What would they think if they saw Tex now?

She was fairly certain they would let her make her own decisions without trying to influence her.

Just then, a buzz sounded. She nearly jumped out of her skin.

She let out a breath when she realized it was just her phone. Someone was calling her.

She nearly laughed at the jump scare.

Except it was after midnight. Why was someone calling her so late?

When she saw the number on her screen, she knew why.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she answered.

Chelsea hoped this person wasn’t calling for the reason she assumed.

But she was about to find out.