Page 85 of Dominic Powers Duet Box Set
“Do you have any credentials on you?” Floyd asks.
Shadow pulls out his badge, showing he’s an FBI Special Agent. I try to get a look at his name but he flips the leather cover back over just as quickly as he opened it.
“I’ll need the official forms in my office first thing tomorrow,” Floyd says.
“They’re already waiting for you on your desk right now,” Shadow replies.
Without further questioning, Floyd takes us around the other safe areas of the charred remains of my house and I pick up the few personal items that are salvageable. A few pictures of my family are redeemable along with a few paintings. As I look around, unusual thoughts and feelings hit me.
There’s nothing in this entire house that I would really miss if I lost it.
Every single possession I own can be replaced, as if the original never existed.
This house has never been a home – except when Sophia was here with me.
For the nextthree weeks solid, my life consists of endless days at work and countless hours in the evening with the contractor to oversee the demolition and the beginning of building a foundation for a new house. Shadow has been, well, my shadow, every step of the way.
“You know you don’t have to be there to watch them work,” he finally says when he realizes I’m driving in that direction again.
“Yes, I do know,” I reply.
“You’re avoiding,” Shadow replies without emotion.
“I don’t avoid,” I deny. “I’m making deliberate calculations.”
“Keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day you’ll believe it.”
“Something you want to tell me?” I ask, fishing for information.
“I can tell you that before a sexual harassmentlawsuitcan be filed with the court, a sexual harassmentclaimis required to be filed with the EEOC. There is no claim on file with the EEOC. The paperwork Cheryl has looks real, but I’m ninety-nine percent sure it has been forged. Sophia may be telling the truth about not knowing anything about it,” Shadow reveals.
My mind is reeling at this news. I can’t form a complete thought, much less a response.
“But her signature was on it,” I contest.
“That’s part of what I’m still looking into, Dominic.”
