Secret Deception (Jonathan Black's Love Story)

Chapter 40: Run

Later that afternoon Jasmine found me in the garage where I was working on laundry.
"You do your own laundry?" She asked.
"Of course I do." I laughed.
"I'm sorry. I just... You have everything." She stammered.
"Including my humility. It how I was raised. As if you can call how Jonny, Cam, and I grew up 'being raised'. The one thing it did teach me was that nothing will ever be handed to me. Money helps but it's definitely not everything." I smiled at her.
"That's not saying I don't employ people to take care of the homes I have in New York and Texas and someone comes to tend the yard. I handle the inside of the house."
"This place is huge." She mused.
"Yeah. It's a never ending process." I laughed again.
"What do you guys do for Thanksgiving?"
"Oh yeah, that's coming up huh? Uh... We normally go to Cam's. Dina hosts Easter, Jordan hosts Chinese New Year, Gunther hosts Fourth of July, Cameron hosts Thanksgiving, and Jonny and I host Christmas and New Year's." I answered.
"Oh." She muttered.
"Why?" I asked.
"Just curious." She said with a faux smile.
My ringing phone pulled me away from her.
"Carter." I answered.
"Lucas Dorian flew into Virginia from El Paso on October 31st. He rented a car at the airport that he returned the day the HR-V was stolen. He made multiple purchases at the corner store near the FBI office but during the last week no purchases. His cell phone pinged outside the Fire and Ice Cafe across from Spirt Networks Law Firm on Monday, then outside Divine Brews on Tuesday, Accentbooks Law on Wednesday, Quiet Rose Espresso Bar on Thursday then Pleasant Mirror Coffee and Blueforce Law on Friday. Yesterday he pinged at Universal Fountain Cafe." Penelope said.
"That's the local coffee shop." I mused.
"Ask Gavin Park and Robyn Woods to find him and bring him to the office so I can talk to him, please."
"I'll let you know when they bring him in."
"Thank you."
I hung up, dropped my phone into the laundry basket, and looked up at my sister.
"It is him, isn't it?" She asked.
"It's looking that way, yeah. When my agents bring him in I'll go talk to him."
"You'll talk to him?" She asked, fear flashing on her face.
"Is there something I should know?" I asked.
"I just don't think it's a good idea. He lived with me all our lives and he's still so willing to come after me now. What is he capable of wanting to do to you?" She rambled.
"I do understand that. I'll send David in to talk to him before I go in. They'll keep an eye on me. I'll talk Jonny into staying here with you." I touched her shoulder before picking up the basket and walking back into my house.
"Do you ever spend time in here?" Jasmine asked, motioning around the basement theater.
"Not a lot. Jonny and I ended a stay in date here watching a movie." I mused.
"I don't feel I need to come down here often, unless we're all watching something."
"It's nice." She said.
"Yeah it is. Thank you. You're welcome to it whenever you'd like."
I climbed the stairs to the ground floor.
"Did you want to take your laundry down and I can toss it in with the rest of ours?" I asked setting the basket down on the couch.
"No, that's okay. I'll do my own. Then maybe I won't feel like such a feeeloader."
"You're not a freeloader Jasmine. I know you're trying. How did the interviews go this week?"
"Good. I think." She sighed.
"See? Progress. Every day you keep trying is progress." I smiled at my sister.
"I've brought you so much stress." She muttered.
"What? This?" I motioned to the window.
"I've been through worse things than this."
"I mean everything..."
"I'll tell you the same thing I told Jonathan when we talked about taking you in. I understand anger and I understand pain. You were afraid and alone and broken and I understand that. What you did was wrong and it changed all of our lives but you also brought us closer and you're trying to make amends. That's the important part."
She smiled at me as my phone rang again.
"Carter." I answered.
"Director Carter. This is Agent Gavin Park." A deep voice said.
"Yes, Agent Park?"
"We found Lucas Dorian but you're not going to believe this." He said.
"What is it?"
"He's dead, Director Carter."