Read Online Condemned by Barbara Huffert - Free Book Online Page A

being paranoid. Brett may be stressed but he’s capable of taking care of
himself. Tell me to shut up and we’ll talk about something else.”
    “I’m here for you, dearest. Whatever you need. Remember?”
    She laughed as he’d hoped. “Thanks, dearest. But I met his
mother. She’s great and he doesn’t need another one. Can you tell me how your
day was today or did it involve too much Secret Squirrel business?”
    “Oh no. They have you saying it too,” Jesse complained with
mock horror before he chuckled with her. “Actually, I spent the day with Wyatt
and Frank. We were doing some research for a system that we’re quoting on.
It’ll take a few months to finalize exactly what’s needed but we’ve worked with
this guy before. He hems and haws more than I like but he’ll give us the job.”
    “Wow.” That’s the first time you actually answered that
question with something I understood.”
    “I wish I could tell you more. Don’t think that I don’t
trust you. I know you won’t repeat the things I say but it’s force of habit.
Other than Shane, I haven’t ever talked to anyone about the stuff we do.”
    “It really is okay, Jesse. It just feels like you give so
much more to me than I return. You listen to me bitch about everything and
rarely complain back. I feel guilty, like I’m taking advantage of you.”
    “Damn, you’re sweet.” Jesse parked the car and kissed her
nose before she could hop out. “Andie, don’t worry about me. If I need to talk,
I know where to find you. Knowing that I have your friendly ear is more than
enough most days. And Frank and I spend plenty of time, griping to each other.”
    “What about Wyatt?”
    “Hmm, Wyatt. Don’t get me wrong, I think my cousin is the
greatest. He’s not someone I would ever describe as communicative though. Holly
definitely got all the personality in that family. Wyatt may have the ability
to design more than you could ever even begin to imagine but I doubt if we’ll
ever know about most of it. He only speaks when it’s absolutely necessary. The
rest of the time, he’s too busy tinkering with things or planning them in his
mind. Probably both. He doesn’t have time to bother with anything as trivial as
conversation. He’s always been that way.”
    “Even when you were young?”
    “Yeah. I remember hearing some teachers discussing him one
time. We were in middle school and there was a new science teacher for eighth
grade. She was asking my seventh grade teacher if he was slow or something
since he always stared at her before he would answer a question.”
    “What did your teacher say?”
    “He advised her to stop asking Wyatt questions. He said that
Wyatt already knew more about science than either of them ever would and there
was no point in forcing him to participate. He explained how far beneath him
her questions were and his hesitation was his way of forcing himself to be
patient with her.”
    “Why didn’t he get pushed ahead? He must have been bored.
Wouldn’t he have been happier with more advanced classes?”
    “They wanted to but he refused. He insisted that he wouldn’t
go to school at all if they tried to do that to him. He was determined to stay
in class with Frank, where they could keep an eye on me and Holly or he wasn’t
going to play any of their games. It was kind of cool, being his cousin. No one
else ever knew how to act around him. It was funny, watching him be amused by
everyone else, teachers and kids alike.”
    “I don’t think I understand him.”
    “That’s the beauty of it,” Jesse declared, gleefully. “No
one understands Wyatt. But he would make these comments to Frank and me
sometimes that were so bizarre and hilarious. The anticipation would almost
kill us, waiting for him to say something else but when he finally did it was
always worth it. I think he’s really very witty inside his mind. He just
doesn’t feel it’s necessary to share too often.”
    “But Holly’s so