Chapter 90: A Thousand Words

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Grace

My mind and heart started to race as I realized that someone had found the photo in my room. If only I had more time, I could've hidden it. I just hoped they didn't find my gun in addition to that. I'd be in for a world of shit of that were the case.

"Hey, boss? You're gonna wanna see this." The savior said as they made their way over to Negan.

"Fuck." I muttered under my breath.

"What? They took our mattresses, it sucks... but it could be worse, right?" Carl tried to calm me down.

"It is worse. They found the picture." I reached my shaking hand out for his, needing some comfort in that moment.

"Well, ho-ly shit!" Negan exclaimed, pausing in between syllables.

"Is this what I think it is? Is this a damn picture of Jeffy and Little Miss Grit? Well I'll be damned!" He held the photo in his hands as he walked towards me.

I clenched my jaw instinctively and I tightened my grip on Carl's hands.

Negan came closer to us, holding the photo up high in front of him like it was a trophy.

"Now this is an interesting piece of history," he tilted his head at me, "Lookie here at Little Miss Grit sittin' cozy with her Momma and... Jeffy boy? I mean, what the fuck is this? I don't remember anyone tellin' me that you two were old pals." Negan studied the picture once more.

I didn't say a word. I couldn't, I didn't even know what I could say. My heart was pounding so loud that I thought the sound of it might've drowned him out, but it was hopeless. His voice, his presence... it cut through everything.

"You know... Jeff's always been a real stand up guy. He does what he's told, he never steps outta line, he don't get carried away. Hell, he might be the reason that you are still alive and breathing, Grit. If it weren't for him, I bet Simon woulda bashed your pretty little face in!" Negan looked in the air, as if he was trying to recall a memory.

"Yet, this little photographed moment makes me think that there's a whole lot more to ol' Jeffy than I ever realized." Negan furrowed his eyebrows.

"So what? It's just a picture. It might not even be him." Carl stood beside me.

"Oh, just a picture? No no, my one-eyed wonder. This here is a goldmine. A little clue that Little Miss Grit might be keepin' some pretty damn big secrets from her buddy Negan over here!" Negan shifted his gaze to Carl, then back at me.

"I don't even know him, Jeffy. He's just some guy that my mom used to work with. I doubt that he even recognized me. That picture was so long ago, and it was the only one I was able to get out of my house after my mom died. That's all." I lied, trying to make my story sound as believable as possible.

"That's all, huh? So it was just a coincidence that Jeffy had to... what was it? Oh yeah, beat the ever-lovin' shit out of you? He said it's because your people might have retaliated if Simon killed a kid, but now I'm thinkin' that it's something more than that." Negan raised his eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my lie.

"Yeah, that's all." I said, trying to appear as confident as possible.

"You know what? I'll tell ya, you've got balls, Little Miss Grit. But see, I've got one of the best damn noses for bullshit out there. And what I'm smellin' right now?" Negan flicked the photo with his finger for his dramatic flare, "this smells like grade-A, freshly squeezed, crap."

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