"You told me she was hiding money."
"This is crazy," he said.
I shook my head. "No. Crazy is using your mother to search my bedroom because you were afraid I’d find out about your debt."
Kathryn turned to him. "You told me she was hiding money."
"You said you were worried," I said. "You told her to check the desk, the dresser, the back drawers. That’s just Mom, right? That was your answer until I proved she was doing exactly what you asked."
Austin’s face hardened. "You had no right to go through my messages."
"He didn’t force you to open my drawers."
I laughed.
"You mean the messages on the family tablet you leave open on the kitchen counter? The same way you thought your mother had every right to go through my drawers?"
He said nothing.
Kathryn looked between us, suddenly uncertain.
"He lied to you," I said. "But he didn’t force you to open my drawers."
"And I am telling you that you no longer have permission to use it."
Her mouth tightened. She knew that was true.
I held out my hand.
"Give me the spare key."
She blinked. "Austin gave me that key."
"And I am telling you that you no longer have permission to use it."
Kathryn hesitated, then reached into her purse and placed the key in my palm.
Austin stepped forward. "This isn’t necessary."
I looked at him. "You don’t get to decide what is necessary anymore."
Kathryn hesitated, then reached into her purse and placed the key in my palm.
That seemed to hurt her more than the binder. Not being caught, but being denied access.
Austin looked from me to his mother. "What do you want?"
It was the first honest question either of them had asked.
Kathryn found her voice first.
"I want you both out of my bedroom," I said. "Then I want you gone for the day while I call my lawyer."
He stared at me. "You’re serious."
"Yes."
Kathryn found her voice first.
"Austin, say something."
But now he was angry at her too, because cowards always want someone else to blame when the lie stops working.
Neither of them were sorry, just cornered.
"You kept reporting every little thing," he snapped.
She drew back. "You asked me to."
And there it was. Neither of them were sorry, just cornered.
