Page 88 of Lake
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Bridget
I knew even before I set off for home, that something was wrong. And I may have wanted to believe that while I’d been gone Art had somehow had case after case fall into his lap, I knew that wasn’t it. And sure, maybe something big could have happened. Like a missing dog case with a fat reward. Or something. But I just had this feeling of dread in my gut.
I didn’t even go home, choosing to drive all the way past my apartment and straight to the office. I whipped into a vacant parking space right out front. Even as I jumped out of my car looking like a crazy person on a mission, I saw the darkness behind the glass pane on the door. I felt the stillness of the office as I walked up.
Bringing my hand up, I tried to see inside. There was still a glare but I couldn’t miss the lack of anything in the small space. I tried the handle, jerking it violently back and forth when it didn’t turn.
“No,” I said a little too loudly. “No!” That time a little louder.
My hand beat against the glass like someone inside would hear me and come running to let me in. Only, there wasn’t anyone there.
Frantically, I fished my key out of my bag and even as I tried to slide it into the lock, I knew it wouldn’t work. The handle was too new indicating that it had been replaced very recently.
I looked in again. A few papers were scattered on the floor. The table that held the coffee pot was still there, looking as rickety and sad as the last time I’d seen it. The plant that was half dead still perched on the left side but the coffee pot and cups were gone.
My desk was gone.
My chair was gone.
The coat rack, the filing cabinet, my dad’s desk— they were all gone.
I turned around, my back hit the door so hard it jarred my whole body. My knees gave out and my butt hit the tiny concrete stoop before I could even register that I was going down.
My phone started ringing from the depths of my bag. I tossed my keys on the stoop beside me with an angry flick of my hand.
Lake.
Seeing his name on my phone caused a tiny smile to push at my lips though it didn’t cure the ache I had in my heart. It may have even made it hurt more.
“Hey,” I said as coolly as I could manage. I wiped my eyes and cleared my throat, but I knew there was no hope in covering up my pain.
“Hey,” he said and I could hear the worry in his voice even in that one simple word. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing,” I replied trying my best to pull it together. “I just got into town.”
“I don’t believe you. Let me see your face.”
There was a heavy sigh from me and I knew I wouldn’t deny him. It didn’t matter that I was a weeping mess on the side of the sidewalk or that anyone walking by would be able to hear everything.
“Hi,” I said after we’d switched over to video and his adorable face filled my screen.
“Bridge, what’s going on?”
He sounded so sweet and it made the tears come a little faster.
“It’s all gone. The office, everything.”
“What? Why? How?”
I had an idea about most of those answers but I really needed to hear it from the source. There were a few things that I hadn’t quite been able to work out and I almost feared for the reasons behind all of this. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like it, not even a little. Hell, I didn’t like it right now. I was sad and I knew once I got all the tears out, I was going to be furious.
“I’m not sure yet. I’m going to get answers now, though.”
“Hey, look at me,” he said softly and I hadn’t even realized that I was staring blankly over the top of my phone. “Hold it together and go do your thing. Find out all the answers before you break down. Okay?”
“Yeah, okay,” I said with a weak smile.
