After the meeting adjourned, Agent Bronson escorted me home where I spent the rest of the day attempting to analyze the data we collected and ran experiments on in the lab on Friday night. I tried to keep my mind off my stressors.
To no avail, I begged and pleaded with Agent Bronson, as well as my father, to take me to the hospital to visit Janice, but she wasn’t allowed visitors, and with Gerald Smith still on the loose, I wasn’t permitted to leave the house until Monday to go to school.
I called the hospital and asked for Janice’s room, but the attending nurse told me she was unable to come to the phone, she was asleep. My mother said she had been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. I looked it up. Of course, the description deemed it a medical emergency, giving details of how the layers surrounding her brain and spinal cord were infected with bacteria. The mortality rates were variable, depending upon the strain of bacteria that infected her. I assumed she’d be undergoing some painful tests I read about, and my heart ached for her.
Luminal was still being detained at the vet’s office for observation. I missed my furry best friend. I spent Sunday in my room, lights off, watching scary movies and avoiding Haley like the bubonic plague. I would have snapped if she had antagonized me in such a fragile state.
Fighting urges to call Wolfe to reveal how I felt about him; I shuddered at the replays in my head of how hurt I was when he defended Camber. Realizing I would sound jealous, maybe even psychotic—I figured the best course of action would be to allow things to play out organically. If he chose to speak to me, he would call. Monday morning could not come soon enough.
The morning sunbeams rushed in and I scampered around to get ready, rushing off to school an hour early, my handsome black suit following closely behind. As I pulled into the parking lot, I was shocked to find multiple police cars parked with their red-and-blue lights flashing. After slamming the car into park, I jumped out of my car and rushed over to the agent’s Lincoln—he was viewing a report on his iPad. He unlocked his doors and pointed to the passenger’s seat. I scrambled inside, shutting the car door, amazed by the cleanliness of his car.
“Do you think it’s Gerald Smith?” I said frantically.
“No, Fiona. I’d have heard something if it were. They are following a few leads on Gerald, but cannot seem to locate him as of yet. Let me find out what is going on, sit tight.”
I had never seen a car as spotless as Agent Bronson’s. The dashboard was oiled, the fragrance in the car was more than sensational—a spicy, clean pine aroma. His floor mats were unsoiled, meticulously vacuumed with stripes—not a speck of dust. A supremely soft classical melody played from his car stereo.
He immediately got on the phone to find out what had happened at school. Moments later, a girl with platinum curly locks was escorted outside by officers. She was handcuffed and placed into the back of one of the police cars. Haley. Agent Bronson hung up from his phone call and looked at me with a serious face.
“Fiona, appears as though a young lady named—”
“Haley Frost. I see her—she’s my cousin.”
“Well, I don’t know how to tell you this, but it appears as though she broke into your laboratory.”
5 SUSPENSION
I was living one of the worst days of my life. My mind spun in circles, searching for an exit to this nightmare. I reluctantly ambled over to the crowd of police officers, Principal Dinges, and students who were watching the scene.
The superintendent of the school district, a middle-aged mousy-haired man with a huge belly, decided after a quick deliberation to shut down my program until further notice. He held his pudgy hand out for my keys, telling me they would have to file a report of the incident to my granting agency, the International Science Foundation. A wave of nausea hit me like lightning as he went on that I was not to undergo any further involvement with my lab or the police department until I heard differently, as he was deeply concerned about the security of my lab having actual case evidence and with Haley being related to me—he felt it was best to terminate the program until he could investigate thoroughly.
Forensic science was my life. I had poured my soul into the grant and the development of my training program. My juvenile delinquent cousin—who was supposed to have been away in New Zealand—had jeopardized everything.
I couldn’t help but mope during my morning classes. I pitied myself as I trudged off to calculus with a grim expression taking over my face. I met another blow as Wolfe, who had always sat across the aisle from me, had moved seats to the front of the class. I couldn’t help but take this personal. When the bell rang to end class, he didn’t wait for me in the hallway. A few steps down the corridor, I spotted him standing next to Camber Johnson. I wanted to break down, cry, and give up on my sanity.
The custodian passed with a lock fixture in his hand, tool kit in the other. I sulked past my laboratory door; a shiny new lock was already installed on the door, the lights were off inside. I wondered why the superintendent wanted my keys if they were to change the lock. Was he afraid I would rush to my lab in that short of time? To do what? Was I being looked at as a criminal because Haley was my cousin? It was my lab so why was I not trusted? Changing the lock seemed overly cautious—a dramatic kneejerk reaction.
As I opened my locker, I heard a group of girls gossiping about how Camber had a big crush on Wolfe. I pretended not to hear them as I pulled my backpack out, throwing my math book onto the shelf. One good thing came of it—at least they weren’t talking about me this time.
My face was in a fierce pout as I staggered to the cafeteria to meet with Maddie. I couldn’t help it. I decided to blab everything. She was my best friend and likely knew it all, nonetheless. We walked over to the cafeteria line, remaining a few steps back out of earshot from the people in front of us.
“I’ve already heard, Fiona, everyone’s talking about it. If I see Haley anytime soon, I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to hold back,” she sneered.
My face hardened as I hesitated for a short second.
“Yeah, we can’t go anywhere near the lab until they hear back from the grant administrators. They said we have sensitive data in there. They thought the lab was secure, but since Haley showed it wasn’t, we have to pay the price now.”
Intense curiosity invaded her eyes.
“How’d she break in, Fiona?”
I shrugged, sulking as I put a carton of milk on my tray.
“I can only guess she stole my spare key from my writing desk,” my voice cracked. I swallowed and continued, “Actually, there is no way to break in, I don’t think. They called it a break in because she wasn’t authorized to be in there, and she was stealing a bag full of stuff.”
Her eyes narrowed, anger fuming onto her face. We moved a few steps towards the buffet line.
“What! What was she trying to steal?”
I waved my hands in the air and shook my head in disgust. I paused as the girl in front of us nonchalantly turned to gaze at us, attempting to eavesdrop.
“She had Petri dishes, agar, gloves, and ethanol,” I said quietly as I fought a surge of tears, the taste of panic in the back of my throat.
“What? That doesn’t make sense. She was doing a microbial study or what?” she shrieked, pulling a cafeteria tray out of the stack and handing it to me.
I signaled for her to lower her voice, nodding towards the girl in front of us who wanted in on our conversation.
“No idea. Nothing she does shocks me, Maddie. Hate is a strong word, but it’s simply not strong enough to describe my feelings towards her.”
Switching from the norm of pizza and fries, I opted for a quick pita sandwich. I hadn’t actually gained my appetite back since my world had collapsed; food still tasted bland to me for the most part. We grabbed our usual seats in the cafeteria, and I couldn’t help but unload my problems.
“Janice was admitted to the hospital with bacterial meningitis. People actually die from that. My parents won’t allow me to visit because it�
��s contagious.” I choked out the words as the world around me blurred like a bad connection.
Her eyes were filled with sympathy. She appeared to contemplate her words carefully as she paused, tilting her head to the side.
“I’m so sorry, but I do have faith she will pull out of it in no time.”
I fought a swell of tears, compressing my temples to push the despair out of my head, before I continued, “And Luminal is still at the vet. They said he has a tumor in his salivary gland, and it is growing so large, it’s bursting the skin open in his neck. I never imagined that tumors could grow so fast.”
“Oh my gosh, how horrible. When is the last time you felt along his neck? I mean, how fast can this stuff grow?”
“To be honest, I usually pet his ears, back and belly. They might have been growing a while, his fur is pretty thick there, I wouldn’t have noticed. But the vet is removing them today, and there’s a chance that he won’t make it out of the surgery because the blood vessels are so intertwined with the tumor,” I said glumly as a lone tear streamed down my face.
Maddie’s forehead creased with worry, her eyes saddened as she reluctantly nibbled on her French fry.
“Oh, Fiona. I’m so sorry. All of this isn’t fair, is it? You are too good of a person to have to go through all of this.”
I sighed deeply, dropping my head towards the table. Principal Dinges startled me as he shouted on his bullhorn at some boys that were break dancing in the middle of the cafeteria. He demanded they immediately take their seats at the table.
“And I see you’re still being followed around by that agent dude—saw him parked in front of your house when I left for soccer practice this morning. No word on Gerald Smith, huh?”
“Of course not. When bad luck rains, it becomes a torrential storm. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before Gerald Smith shows up at my dad’s office to get him,” I sparked sarcastically, picking up my pita and inspecting it, searching my mind for a glint of appetite. Nothing. It looked like cardboard to me.
I raised my chin towards the ceiling to draw my tears back into the tear ducts. My heart palpitated as I drew in long breaths, and she rubbed my hand to comfort me.
I couldn’t stand it any longer. I threw my pita back down on my tray, deciding to just go for it.
“And I don’t know what is up with Wolfe. Why is he acting so weird towards me?”
I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. I wanted to tell her how I felt about him, and what he had said to me in the cave, but the words wouldn’t form. She inclined her head towards me, her eyes studying me, questioning me with furrowed brows.
“What do you mean, Fiona? How is he acting strangely? Because he missed the lab meeting and the meeting at Chuck’s Diner? I heard he had family commitments or something.”
“Well, I guess that’s not strange then,” I mumbled.
I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the cafeteria window, looking at a squirrel in the tree, realizing that spring was around the corner. I contemplated the possible reasons why Wolfe would have moved to the front of the classroom without explanation. It had to be for a calculated reason, and that reason was to get away from me.
I pondered about why he spoke to Camber in the hallway after I asked him not to do so, but I couldn’t come up with an explanation for it that I could live with. My bottom lip quivered, and I quickly stabilized it with my hand, blinking my eyes to fight the tears from forming.
“Fiona, are you crushing on him? I knew it! Maybe you should go for it? Didn’t he ask you to the prom? Or was he just joking because I said Carden asked me?” Maddie said as the room grew still.
I didn’t expect this reaction. My jaws clenched from shock as I surveyed her expression.
“I think…he was joking. We have to keep an honest working relationship for the good of the lab,” I said in a monotone voice, my subconscious still refusing to be honest.
“Whatever, I have noticed how you two look at each other and that hug thing you guys did after he saved you in the cave. C’mon, I’m no idiot.”
“Maddie, it’s nothing. We’re just friends, I promise. However, I don’t like the fact that he keeps talking to Camber Johnson. If he is going to work the case with us, he can’t befriend her because she’s a suspect.”
Her expression turned hesitant.
“You’re jealous. I’ve known you most of my life, you are not fooling me. Please just tell him how you feel before he does hook up with that Goth chick. You wouldn’t want him turning into one of the vampire kids, would you? Save him!” she giggled. “But keep it from Detective Chase; you know how he’d flip his wig.”
I had entered a Twilight Zone. She had previously lectured me about making things personal with him because of the club. Maybe because of her newfound interest in Carden Doyle, she was waning on this train of thinking? I couldn’t decide if I liked this change, as I needed my second-in-charge to keep me in line when I strayed.
“Get real, I would never intervene. If he wants to be with her, that’s what he wants, but I can’t allow him to stay on the case if he keeps associating with her. Already, he’s trying to defend that group and say they didn’t do it—when there is obvious evidence that says they most likely did do it! Or, at a minimum, they were highly involved. And we all know that Camber is outright lying to the police!”
A chill tingled along my spine, radiating towards my fingertips. I was infuriated, consumed by raw emotion. For the first time in my life, there was actually something I was envious of, but it was impossible to admit, even to myself.
“Wolfe’s never been wrong with profiling a case, Fiona.”
I sighed, scanning the happy faces around the lunchroom, wishing I could feel like them. They didn’t have the troubles I did, or at least they hid it better than me.
Maddie tapped on the table with vigilance as her eyes whipped towards the cafeteria entrance.
“Fiona! Your hottie agent’s coming!”
I spun around; Agent Bronson was rushing towards me. Students mumbled, staring at him as he approached. I staggered from my chair, meeting him half way.
“Get your things. We have to go. I have to take you home immediately. Gerald Smith was spotted in the parking lot only moments ago,” he ordered, extending his suited arm to lock with my elbow.
“Are you serious?” I darted over to grab my backpack from the floor and whispered loudly to a bewildered Maddie that I would text her.
Agent Bronson escorted me to my car, inspecting it thoroughly before I vaulted into the driver’s seat.
“You should ride with me, but I know how to tail you to where it’s like we’re riding together,” he said cautiously as he sprinted to his Town Car, the engine already running.
He followed me closely, with a radio pressed against his cheek, driving inches from my bumper. As we drove up to my house, I noticed a few more Town Cars in the drive—all with government plates.
“We’re sending somebody back to the school to pick up your assignments for the classes you are missing this afternoon. Your mother is due to arrive within minutes, and your father is already home,” he reported, standing outside of my car.
He escorted me to the front door of my house, ushering me inside with my father. Agents were scattered about my living room.
“Hello, Fiona. I apologize for having to get you out of school, but we thought it was best to have the family intact at home while they track down Mr. Smith. He was spotted at your school; the agents believe they know where he is,” my father reported as my frantic mother rushed in from the back door.
“Did you hear what Haley did this morning?” I settled into the sofa next to him, grabbing a tray of fruit from the coffee table.
The good thing about agents taking over my house is they always brought fruit and cheese trays. They worked long hours and always had snacks available.
“Of course, she was arrested for being in your lab at school. I posted bond, and she’s being driven home right now.”
/> I released a long sigh and popped a grape into my mouth, grabbing a throw pillow from the couch and placing it behind my back.
“Why not just leave her there, Dad?”
“Fiona, your mother would never allow that. Family is family. We’ll deal with her trouble-making with due process of the law,” my father said bluntly. “She claims she was borrowing supplies to do a citywide microbial sample experiment with her friends from biology class. They learned about it at school, and they wanted to test to see what surfaces were the filthiest in town.”
“Are you serious? That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Why wouldn’t she just ask me for the stuff?”
“You wouldn’t have given it to her,” my dad laughed, reaching for a piece of cantaloupe from the tray.
He was right. I would have said no.
“Good point.”
“She’ll be in trouble for this, no doubt. No family favors. I won’t let her walk free without being punished through the legal system. No worries,” he patted me on the shoulder.
“Oh, Lewis. You don’t have to be so harsh. Haley is family!” my hysterical mother rushed over, hugged me, and gave me a long, firm kiss on the top of my head.
“Emma, give me a break. If Haley acts like a criminal, she’ll be treated like one,” he barked, grabbing another piece of cantaloupe from the tray.
“How’s Janice, Mom?”
“Oh, she’s not getting better—I’m so worried!”
“She’s going to be fine, Emma. Stop worrying so much. Janice has hardly been sick a day in her life, she’s a strong woman,” he said sternly.
My mom plopped down on the loveseat adjacent to the couch, raking her bare feet on the rug.
“Fiona, I’m so glad you’re alright. I was beyond worried when I got the call Haley was arrested, and then after getting the word about the criminal man at your school, well, I almost had a heart attack,” she said, pushing one side of her silky hair behind her ear.
Fiona Frost: Order of the Black Moon Page 6
