Truth Read Online Free PDF

finished, instead of breaking down or crying, although her chin did quiver once, she said, “That’s ridiculous. Pops is not a drugger.” Fire lit her eyes. “I’m going to tell that . . . that crow-faced woman who bullied you . . .” She smacked her fist into her hand.
    “Deeds, calm down.” I quickly surveyed the other passengers, to be sure no one was watching us. I don’t think I’d ever seen my little sister so visibly angry. “Wei is going to talk to her dad. He’ll help. Right now we need to get home and find out exactly what happened.”
    She bounced back in the seat, a determined set to her mouth. “Nobody is going to take me away from Pops. Nobody.”
    I hoped she was right.
    ***
    When we got home, Gran and Pops were in the middle of a heated debate, which stopped as soon as Dee and I entered the room.
    She ran to Pops’s side. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said, curling her arm around his shoulders. “I don’t care what anyone tries to do.”
    “So you’ve heard,” Gran said to me.
    “Uh-huh. CPS came to my school and questioned me,” I said. “I told Dee on the way home.”
    “I’m calling my friends,” Pops growled. “We’ll take care of this. Get me that dang—”
    “Hush up!” Gran wagged a finger at him, but left the room, then returned with the scrambler, taken from its hiding place above the chiller.
    Dee watched her plug it in and turn it on. “What is
that
?”
    “Keeps prying ears from hearing everything we say,” Gran said.
    “It scrambles sound waves so that audio surveillance can’t understand what we’re saying,” I said. Gran had showed it to me a few weeks ago and explained how to use it. I’d gotten some good use out of it when Ed was still alive. But Dee had never even known it existed before now. I didn’t think she’d even known something like that could exist.
    “Surveillance? Why would they listen to us?” Dee glanced from Gran to me. “Because of your father? He’s dead. Don’t they know we’re not a problem?”
    “The GC doesn’t let the past lie,” Gran said. “They’ll hound us till we’re in our graves.” She turned to Pops. “Now, don’t forget, old man, when it starts beeping, turn it off.”
    Brushing her away, he said, “I know. I know. It’s my machine, remember?” He fumbled with his PAV receiver until he got one of his cronies on the other end.
    Gran motioned Dee and me to follow her into the kitchen. “We will fight this thing.” She sat at the table, rubbing her chest. “You know, arguing with your grandfather takes it out of me. I’m not as young as I used to be.”
    “Are you okay?” I asked. She was breathing hard, her face ashen.
    “I’m . . .” She paused, taking a ragged breath. “I’m not used to getting all het up about things.”
    Dee glanced at me, a concerned frown creasing her forehead. I mustered as much reassurance as I could into a weak smile.
    Gran slid a paper across the table. “Here’s the writ. I can’t imagine who could’ve done such a thing. Why would anyone think that we’re unsuitable to take care of our own grandchildren?” She drew in another uneven breath. “I wonder if it’s because of Dee’s father? Maybe he isn’t missing. Maybe he’s—” She took in Dee’s expression and quickly changed course. “I have the papers from Ginnie, signed and notarized, appointing us as guardians to both of you. There should be no question . . .”
    “Are you sure you’re okay?” I’d never seen Gran so pale. “Maybe you should lie down? Or I could call the clinic doc downstairs.” That was one thing about living in a building full of retirees: there was an on-site medical clinic, open twenty-four hours, every day.
    She shook her head. “It’s the shock of getting that.” She jabbed a finger at the paper. “Give me a moment, I’ll be right as rain.”
    I poured a glass of water and gave it to Gran. Her hand trembled as she took a sip.
    “Gran, I should show