When I walked back into Howard’s room at 8 a.m., Jasper was back in his chair.
“Hey, you get some sleep?”
“I know what really happened, Jasper,” I said. “And I know you coached Howard to lie about it.”
Howard looked between us, his eyes wide with fear. “Dad said—”
“It’s okay, baby,” I said, moving to the bed and taking Howard’s hand. “You don’t have to explain anything.” Then I looked at Jasper and pointed toward the door. “You, on the other hand. You’re going to step out into the hall so we can talk.”
“I know what really happened, Jasper.”
The second we were in the hallway, and the door clicked shut, Jasper rounded on me.
“I don’t know who’s been telling you lies—”
I cut him off with a sharp, bitter laugh. “You’re the liar here, Jasper. And the fact that you pulled our son into covering for you is just… It’s pathetic. How could you do that to him?”
Jasper licked his lips, his eyes darting around the hallway. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
