Page 100 of You'll Be the Death of Me

“That’s okay, you’ll feel better soon,” the woman answered. She pulled a file folder out onto her desk. “Now, Ms. Rodgers, my name is Amy. I am your transition specialist.”

“Cole Lewis is my transition specialist,” she interrupted.

Amy gave her a tight smile. “Not anymore. Please confirm your full name.”

“Verdella Marie Rodgers—Dell for short.”

“Thank you,” Amy said, and made a check mark on her form. “Date of birth?”

“Shouldn’t you already know?” Dell asked, and nodded at the form.

“Yes, but this is the final step to make one hundred percent sure we have the correct person.”

Despite her spinning head, a burst of defiance snapped on Dell’s tongue. “You don’t have the correct person. This is all a mistake, and I’d like to go home.”

Amy tutted. “You can’t go home. I’ve been assured you are approved for moving on.”

“Then why are we reviewing this list?”

“Protocol.” Amy’s lips stretched into another tight line. “Now please: date of birth.”

Dell was trying to buy herself time, to do what, she wasn’treally sure. Her fate seemed sealed. But perhaps giving Amy the wrong birth date would at least stall the inevitable.

She opened her mouth to recite Jason’s birth date right as they heard a commotion in the waiting room.

“Sir, you can’t go in there!” a deep voice called.

Dell whipped around to look at the closed door behind her. Sounds of a struggle muffled through the walls.

“I’m really sorry to have to do this, but you’ve given me no choice,” a second voice said.

Dell’s dead heart positively sang when she recognized it as Cole’s.

He’d come for her.

The first man let out an amused chuckle before a few loud grunts and a thud like he’d fallen to the floor. A few seconds later, Cole burst through the office door.

“Dell!” he called, red in the face and reaching out for her.

Amy and Dell mirrored each other and stood at the same time. Dell threw herself at Cole.

“What are you doing here? How did you—?”

“No time to explain. We have to go,” he said. He gripped her hand and pulled her toward the door.

“One more step and I’ll call security!” Amy threatened.

Cole ignored her and bounded through the waiting room, tugging Dell in his wake.

“Where are we going?” Dell asked, desperate with surprise and relief.

“Up.”

“Up?” Dell asked as he pulled her through the waiting room door and into the hallway. She gasped at the sight of her escortdoubled over on the floor, writhing like he’d been hit. “Didyoudo that?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yes. Turns out I know jiujitsu. It came back to me when I decided to come save you.”

“Well, that’s a handy skill to have,” Dell said, genuinely impressed.