Page 80 of Puck with Karma
“We obtained the recording from the apartment building.” She sounds so excited about it, like she hit the jackpot. “Your signature at the bottom of the incident report is just a technicality. Either way, thank you for your help.”
“I’m not helping!”
My voice sounds loud and obviously upset.
“And I know what you’re trying to do. You want to get rid of Xander so that Cole Samson can take his spot in the first line.”
Deafening silence meets my ears. Some shuffling can be heard from her end, followed by whispers back and forth. She is not alone, and she has me on speaker.
“Abigail, what you just said is absolutely outrageous. This is a respectable organization. I expect you to sign this report first thing in the morning.”
My head is spinning. There’s no way she’d be this insistent for me to sign it unless she really needed it.
“I won’t be in tomorrow morning.”
I hate that my voice is now shaking.
“Abigail.” Now it’s her turn to sound distraught as well. “If you’re not here tomorrow morning at eight o’clock, you’re fired,” she threatens. “Your chances of doing anything with that degree of yours will be zero.”
“I have a family emergency,” I sort of lie. “That’s why I was calling you. I’m on my way to the airport.” I lie all the way with that one.
“Abigail,” Laura yells at me. “You…”
I cut her off. “I’ll call you when I get back.”
I end the call and look around me in distress. I need to pack. But first… First, I need to buy a one way plane ticket.
Chapter 24
Abby
“I can’t believe you’re home!”
Hannah and Riley both jump on me at the same time, making all sorts of squealing noises.
“I can’t believe it either…” I try to laugh, but it comes out forced and uncomfortable.
The flight from Minnesota to Massachusetts was too short. I needed more time to regroup before facing my family at home. At the same time, I spent way too much time analyzing my last conversation with Xander.
No matter which way I looked at it, it was a mess. The realization only served to send me down a spiral of depression.
By the time I landed, I was exhausted from everything, and barely able to focus on much. But I did manage to send my two best friends a quick text to let them know I’d be in town. They wanted to pick me up from the airport despite the fact that either my parents or Wesley could’ve sent a car for me.
“How long are you staying for?” Riley asks. Her eyes look shiny and happy, so excited to see me. Unfortunately, I don’thave it in me to return the sentiment. Not because I’m not happy to see her and Hannah, but because my heart just feels so heavy right now.
“I’m not sure yet,” I shrug. “Wesley texted that he really needed me here for a few days. So I’m just doing him a favor.”
“Can we do lunch today?” Hannah interjects. “Or dinner? Something?”
The three of us walk together toward Hannah’s car that I’m pretty sure is parked illegally.
“Let’s get in before you get towed,” I tease her.
“Bah,” she waves me off. “This one security guy watched me parking here. He never said a word.”
I shake my head in amusement and throw my suitcase in the trunk before getting into the back seat. That leaves Riley to sit up front in the passenger seat. When she turns a little sideways to look at me, I want to shrink into the bench. She’s always had this deep and purposeful way of looking into someone’s eyes. It is now making me nervous.
“Something bad happened.” She’s not even asking, she justknows.
