Page 66 of Erase Me
Perhaps it was wrong to use Judy, but being desperate I had no other choice.
When I discovered Nadine’s name on the kill list, I was cornered, frantic to protect my family and ensure my own survival.Before arriving here, I knew Reed had lost his mother to cancer when he was ten years old.The science and the program she created would eventually save many terminal patients...like Nadine.But the development process was slow, and Judy hadn’t had the chance to benefit from it herself.
Still, the meticulous plan I’d devised for this moment now seemed, in a way, so poorly thought out because I’d come to know him.I’d come to care for him.As a result, I felt like a brute for putting him through this pain.
But I still had no choice.And Reed was a professional, I reminded myself, when it came to inflicting pain.
“Can I pour you a glass of wine, or would you prefer a beer?”I asked him, my tone casual, as if there was nothing wrong in the world, and this was merely a friendly visit.
“Can I see you in the kitchen?”he asked instead, releasing Judy’s hand.
“Sure.”I turned to my new friend, who settled back down on the sofa.“By the way, why don’t you take a look at the menus of the places we were talking about and decide where we should have dinner.Knowing Reed, he’ll probably join us and insist on buying dinner.”
“Sounds good.”Judy pulled her phone from her pocket.
I followed Reed as he stomped from the room.From behind him, I could see that the tips of his ears and the strip of his neck visible above the collar of his t-shirt were red enough to be on fire.He closed the kitchen door as soon as the two of us were inside.
He put his face close to mine, our noses almost touching.“What thefuckare you doing?”
His eyes had been spewing fire in the other room.Now, there was cold fury in his face.He looked dangerous...no, lethal.
My training as a fighter locked in.I was glad I had that, for Reed was a man to fear.
“Do you have something against me bringing guests to your apartment unannounced?”I asked.“You said you wanted to see me again.”
“You know who that is, and I could break your neck right now,” he snarled.“Who the hell are you?What do you want?”
There was no beating around the bush here.
“An eye for an eye,” I said coolly.
“What the fuck does that mean?”he snapped.
“I’m Nadine and Xander’s granddaughter.Layla’s daughter.As you noticed, they already have a baby.And as you might have already guessed, I jumped from the same year that you traveled back from.”
I let the information sink in, watching his expression, hoping that he would back off.But he didn’t.
His cold eyes and stony expression told me that he’d already determined this.When he was walking through Nadine and Xander’s house, I’d watched him pick up the family photos in the master bedroom.Then, I texted him.
Xander had an over-the-counter surveillance system delivered to the house earlier today and installed it.It was separate from the main unit and had none of the bells and whistles.At the same time, it couldn’t be shut down by an outsider.I’d been able to watch Reed’s movement through the house on my phone.That was how I knew when he was out of his apartment, and it was safe for me and Judy to make ourselves at home here.Of course, she had no idea about any of this.
All day she’d gone where I’d taken her, spoken to who I asked her to speak with.The entire time, delighted to find enthusiastic interest in her project.And when the meetings were over, she was totally game to come out with me for a drink.
“I’m here to stop you from murdering my grandmother and cutting off my family line,” I continued, satisfied that he was at least listening.“Earlier today, Judy met Xander and Nadine.Also, Xander contacted certain connections he has.They now have everything they need to know about Judy.And they will act if anything ever happens to Nadine and his daughter during their lifetime.Like I said, an eye for an eye.”
I knew that was a low blow.Judy would die at the age of fifty-one, and Reed was well aware of it.But I could never show him how I felt about him.As far as he was concerned, I had a heart of stone, and whatever we’d shared meant nothing.
“It’s a fail-safe measure, if you know what I mean, depending on what happens now.”
Reed looked hard at the kitchen door and then back at me.
I wasn’t done yet, though.“But there’s another side to this.Today, promises were made.Judy secured an enthusiastic investor for her projects.She might be able to?—”
“What projects?”
“Cut the bullshit,” I snapped, matching his tone.
A seven-year head start on her work could mean the difference between life and death for the young woman sitting in his living room.According to my research, her ideas weren’t funded until her postgraduate work was completed and she was already engaged in research for someone else.By then, she was twenty-eight.
