Page 36 of Blind Trust
A vibrating noise rattled from the side table and the littles groaned.
Thomas looked up at him. “No calls during family night, Dad.”
“I know, buddy.” Brooks wriggled out from under Angelina and reached for his phone. He hesitated when he sawUnknownon the screen. It vibrated again. He stood and mouthed to Lydia that he’d be back. Thankfully the kids were too invested in the movie to notice him step into his office and close the door.
“Hello?”
“Enjoying a nice evening with your family?”
The voice on the other end caused Brooks’s skin to crawl. He moved to his window, peeking through the blinds at his quiet neighborhood. Was he out there? Watching him and his family? It was an invasion of his privacy, and it made him feel vulnerable. “What do you want?”
“The flash drive is gone.”
He took a calming breath. “Why are you calling me about this?”
“Because you answered, and I need to know what you want me to do with the woman.”
“What woman?” Brooks whispered harshly. He looked back at his office door and listened to the sounds of the movie playing on the other side. He moved deeper into his office. “What are you talking about?”
“The sister,” he said impatiently. “She got rid of the flash drive, and now I need to know what I’m supposed to do with her.”
His pulse pounded loudly in his ears. “You weren’t supposed to do anything with her.” Brooks closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “All we asked for was the flash drive.”
Silence filled the phone, and Brooks felt his heart beating much too fast.
“Miscommunication, I guess. You asked for the drive, and thatrequired a little up-close-and-personal conversation. She was resistant at first but eventually told me she gave it to someone named Lyla. Worked with her brother, I think.”
Brooks ran a hand over his head. Not sure his legs would keep him standing, he grabbed his desk chair and dropped into it. He forced himself to ask the question. “Is she...” His throat was dry. “Did you...”
“Dead? Not yet. Just waiting for the word.”
“No.” He said it too loudly and quickly covered his mouth, his eyes darting to the door. “That was never part of the plan.”
“Plans change. We can’t just let her go.”
How did I let it get this far?The wall of his accolades mocked him. Meaningless pieces of paper compared to what was sitting in his family room. It was never supposed to last this long. A single decision and—
“Tick. Tock.”
“Shut up.” Spittle flew from his lips. “Just give me a minute.” He gripped the back of his neck in frustration. “I sent you to retrieve the flash drive. Nothing else. You want to know what to do—you know who to call.”
With courage he didn’t feel, Brooks ended the call and turned his phone off. He slapped his cheeks and inhaled deeply before sliding the phone into his back pocket. When he stepped out of his office, he was met with Rascal Flatts belting the theme song forCars.
“Where’s your mom?” he whispered over Tori’s shoulder.
“In the kitchen making more popcorn.”
He eyed the mess on the floor and shook his head. The microwave hummed in the kitchen, where he found Lydia with her back to him, facing the window over the sink.
“I think we can make another bowl just by scooping the popcorn off the—” Lydia’s shoulders shook, and Brooks rushed to her side. “Honey, what’s the—” She faced him, her eyes rimmed red and her cheeks wet. “You’re crying.”
She leaned into his chest and cried. “They’re h-happy tears.”
He kissed his wife’s head and rubbed her back. “Are you sure?”
Sniffling, she pulled back and smiled up at him. “Yes. I was sitting there watching a silly plane who dreamed of being a racer and thinking how ridiculous it was, but then he does it.” She wiped her nose. “And it made me think about the dream I had as a little girl.” She gestured around the kitchen. “For this. A family. A home. A Friday night watching a cartoon movie with a popcorn mess and...and I got it.”
“You dreamed of popcorn messes?”
