Page 54 of Airborne
“He’s become a selfish man I no longer recognize. Life centers on him and his work.” Heather hesitated. “Truth is, I’ve changed, too.”
“God will see you through this,” Mom said. “Do you want your dad to pray?”
“Yes,” Heather whispered.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming message. Right now the world could take a number.
Dad finished the prayer. He even asked for supernatural power to forgive Chad. “We’ll be praying for you, the baby, those responsible, and investigators. Although I’m furious with him right now,I can’t see him resorting to murder unless his ambitions have left him deranged.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Do you still love him?” Dad said.
How did she respond? “I’m back and forth on it. Rejection is a hard pill to swallow.”
The call ended, and Heather brushed away tears beneath her eyes, filled with thankfulness for parents who gave her unconditional love. Weariness settled on her, a common occurrence over the past several weeks. She’d digest updates on her phone and take a nap. Her gaze settled on the words on her phone screen.
The media posted interviews and videos of families who’d been stricken with H9N15 and released grotesque images of the dead and suffering. An anonymous person sent several media outlets a photo of Chad and Braden Taversty together at a restaurant located near Lawrence Laboratories. She’d inspected plenty of altered images from editing software, and this one looked fake. Still it carried a buzz and that raised ratings.
Dread rolled through her veins. All the nights she’d sat home alone while Chad claimed his work kept him at the lab. Too tired when he got home to do anything but sleep. Sometimes she’d find him the next morning on the sofa still dressed. Had he lied or told the truth? She attempted to find any past behavior that plunged him into criminal status.
She believed his claims to be working all those empty nights.
She read nonverbal communication as habit, and nothing came to mind.
She hadn’t overheard phone conversations to rouse suspicion.
He did have unexplainable hours away from home.
He had the skills to develop a killer virus.
He had motive to eliminate her from his life.
If the FBI proved Chad’s participation in the virus, she’d lose confidence in her job as a special agent and behavior analyst.Confusion over her myriad mixed conclusions washed over her. Had she crossed the line from love to contempt?
Answers... she craved answers.
Heather pressed in ASAC Mitchell’s number. He responded on the first ring. “Who leaked the investigation? The media has charged Chad with murder.”
“We did our best to keep his name quiet.”
“The reports and the image of Chad and Braden Taversty are fake.”
“We’ve determined the same. How will you handle the verdict if Chad is charged and arrested?”
“I despise the implication. If he is—”
“Love’s blind, Heather. I have a meeting in five minutes.”
“Please, how did the media get the info?”
“We have no idea of the origination.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
HEATHER WALKED A FAMILIARrocky path to the eastern shore of Adam’s Island, past green maple, pitch pine trees, variegated brush, and yellow and purple wildflowers. Bleached white boulders lined the island’s perimeter like a fortress. Add to the rock formations the presence of the National Guard, and those who intended harm kept their distance. She waved at a soldier who held a solitary post.
Heather stopped to admire the quiet beauty, wishing the fraudulent cloak of peace permanently masked the turmoil. A wisp of a cloud spread across the sky, reminding her of a child who fought for autonomy... or a husband’s flight from a woman he no longer loved. With sadness engulfing her, she walked closer to the water.
