Face of Madness (A Zoe Prime Mystery—Book 4) by Blake Pierce

Author:Blake Pierce [Pierce, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2020-08-12T18:30:00+00:00

***

Zoe paced back and forth restlessly, unable to stay still. There were so many things moving around in her head: Uncle Mike and Aunt Julie with their coldness, the fact of her mother’s death, Shelley’s condescension, the fact that she cared enough to try, the leftover food, the hunger that clawed at her belly but refused to be satisfied.

She went to the desk and opened the bag, drawing out a small paper box that had been carefully folded shut. In it was a full sandwich, cut in half to fit inside the box—thick white bread, lettuce, bacon, juicy slices of tomato. They weren’t leftovers. Shelley had bought her a meal.

Zoe took a bite, found it to be surprisingly good. She closed her eyes as the mouthful slid down her throat, feeling the painful clench of her empty stomach crying out for more. She devoured the rest of the sandwich quickly, keeping her eyes closed except to fish out the second half. There was a storm building right between her eyes, and if she just kept them closed, the water couldn’t leak.

With the sandwich gone, she felt better—at least, fuller. Her stomach was no longer raging and pinching in, and that was an improvement. But the rest was still there, swirling around, a storm cloud gathering force and darkness.

There was only one person in this whole town—this whole state—who cared enough to help her weather that storm. She was only being stupid, pushing her away. Zoe could see that now. Before she could change her mind, she walked outside and knocked on her neighbor’s door, hoping that she hadn’t already gone to sleep.

The door opened after just a moment’s pause, revealing Shelley, dressed in a floral nightgown and with her hair, for once, hanging down around her shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” Zoe said, quickly, before Shelley had the chance to open her mouth. It was important that she get that bit out, before anything else. “I was being unfair. I am upset, and I was trying to take it out on you.”

“I know.” Shelley’s face and voice were soft, unaccusatory. “I shouldn’t have tried to get it out of you like that. I’m sorry, too.”

Zoe’s lips quirked into an imitation of a smile. “You don’t need to apologize,” she said. “Can I come in?”

Shelley stepped aside, letting her in before closing the door behind her. They both sat down on the lone bed, a double with enough space that they could sit side-by-side, propped up against the thin pillows.

Shelley waited patiently, not saying a word. Zoe understood that it was her place, now, to open up, if she wanted to. Somehow, she found that she did.

“I went to visit family,” she began, her voice holding steady. Detached. It was the only way she could look at these things, even within her own mind. “My aunt and uncle. They were not happy to see me.”

“Why not?” Shelley asked. If there was judgment in her voice, it was only toward those who had hurt Zoe. She could understand that now, after enough time as Shelley’s partner.

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