Balance by Georgia Beers

Author:Georgia Beers [Beers, Georgia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781310787263
Amazon: B00J413SPU
Barnesnoble: B00J413SPU
Goodreads: 22415935
Publisher: Georgia Beers
Published: 2014-03-18T03:00:00+00:00

***

I manage to get almost four hours of rest before my BlackBerry alarm wakes me up at 1:30. Sitting up against the headboard, I scroll through the e-mail that arrived as I slept and see the information I’d asked for from Hayley. Apparently, Todd Bennett has a brother in Seattle and his mother lives in Florida. Doesn’t look like he has much contact with either of them. I can’t really call what flows through me relief, but it’s something along those same lines.

As I sit and think about calling Hayley, the phone rings in my hand and it’s her, which spreads a grin across my face. We’ve always had this weird connection. We can finish each other’s sentences, know what the other is thinking, stuff like that.

“Hi, sweetie,” I say as a greeting.

“Did you get some sleep?” I can hear the love in her voice, even after so long together, and it grounds me.

“I did. More than a couple hours, even.”

“Very good. And did you get my text?” When I hum my positive response, she continues. “Megan couldn’t find any records of Todd having taken a flight to see either his mother or his brother, and there’s nothing to indicate either of them have been to visit him. There aren’t even any recent phone calls. Last time he spoke with his mother was from prison last year.”

“Sounds like she got fed up with him.”

“Wouldn’t you?”

I snort my answer, not mentioning that it’s been nearly two months since I last spoke to my own mother.

“So? Are you going to tell me what the deal is?” She knows me so well and, if I’m honest, it’s actually almost liberating that she does. I don’t have to try to hide things from her because I couldn’t even if I wanted to. She can see right through me like I’m some clear stream, and my innermost thoughts and fears are just variously colored stones on the bottom. Fighting her is nothing more than a waste of time and energy, so I don’t bother. I tell her all about Todd Bennett’s apartment, the pictures, the camera equipment, the lack of anything other than his very basic needs for survival. She listens quietly, not interrupting, taking in the information. “Ugh,” she says finally, and hilariously, it’s the perfect word. It’s exactly how I feel.

“I think we should call Pax.” There. I said it. I don’t feel any better, but at least it’s out in the open.

“I think so too,” Hayley says, her voice grave, and again, something like relief floods my system. Hayley doesn’t move without thinking. She doesn’t make snap decisions or judgments, and she knows how hard it is for me to say the words I just did. “I’ll make the call.”

“Okay.”

“It’s all right, Norah.” Her voice is softer this time, gentle, soothing. “It’s all right. Just think about the balance.”

“Okay.”

We hang up with her promising to get right back to me with the results of her call. I feel heavy, which is not unexpected, so I drag my ass out of bed and open the curtains.

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