Unforgiven by Stephanie Erickson

Author:Stephanie Erickson [Stephanie Erickson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pickles Press
Published: 2015-06-09T07:00:00+00:00

11.

Owen was waiting for me in the gym, but I walked right past him without really seeing him. I had tunnel vision. I planned to head straight for the work floor, pore over the file, find out who was responsible, and then…

And then what? The thought almost brought me to a stop right in the middle of the stairwell, and that was when Owen, who must have been trailing me for a while, alerted me to his presence.

“Hey!” He tugged on my arm. “I heard you were back, but by the time I got down here, you were already sequestered to David’s office.”

I looked down at his hand on me. “Hey.” I blinked at him a few times, trying to bring myself back into the moment.

“How was the job?”

The job. The scientist. The chimps. The chemical. “You were right. David was right,” I said, turning and continuing on my path upstairs.

Owen jogged to catch up to me. “Right about what?”

“That he was evil.”

“Hey, can you stop for a second?” He was a little out of breath when he paused on the steps.

I turned to him, confused. He didn’t understand. But then again, how could he? He didn’t know what was in the file under my arm. He probably thought it was about the scientist.

“This is the first I’ve seen you in two days. How about we start over?” He climbed the stairs slowly, holding his hands out toward me, acting like I was some skittish dog that was about to take off on him.

Realizing how tense my entire body was, I tried to force myself to relax.

He leaned in close and rested his forehead against mine. “Why don’t we go somewhere quiet and talk about it?”

I shook my head. “No. There’s more to do.”

“It can wait. You have today and tomorrow off.”

“No, I have today and tomorrow to work this out, then I have to start thinking about the scientist again.”

Clearly, he was confused, and my cryptic answers weren’t helping. Part of me really did want to stay right there in the stairwell, wrapped in his arms. Part of me wanted to let him offer me the comfort that my soul desperately needed. But the folder was heavy under my arm—it weighed on me, demanding answers, retribution.

Owen seemed to notice the file for the first time and pulled back. “Why do you still have that if you’re off for the next day and a half? What is it?”

“Something that requires my attention.” Why was I being so secretive? Did I think he’d try to talk me out of finding more about Maddie? Or was I just not prepared to take the time to explain it to someone? Either way, it didn’t seem like a good way to treat someone you cared about. Guilt made me pause, and my mouth opened in preparation to tell him the truth. It was all there, ready to spill out. He might even help me read through the file. David’s words came back to me. The information in there won’t be easy for you to read.

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