Page 24 of Speechless
I reached for the sunscreen and flipped a page. I’d been out here long enough to reapply, and I was focusing so hard on these notes that Iwould forget if I didn’t do it now. Despite my being a crabby bitch sometimes, I wasn’t meant to be a lobster. Turning red wasn’t on the agenda today.
Holy shit.
Tracy had at least one source willing to blow the whistle. No wonder she had this file down at the back of the cabinet. She probably deleted the emails just in case. You didn’t fuck with sources like this. The emails were printed, two distinctly different sources, and based on these, she’d never gotten the chance to speak to them.
But I could.
Even more than the piece about Element, which was what I enjoyed, combining my interview skills with human interest, this was something else entirely. I’d never been a journalist who wanted to delve into topics this deep. Until actual reporting had been taken out of my hands. Now I was desperate for anything that would keep my brain busy and allow me to have a break from editing everyone else’s articles.
I wasn’t sure I was meant to be a manager. Sure, it was flattering, but I wasexhausted. Part of me felt like it would be a failure to admit I didn’t love the new title and responsibility. Everyone wanted to be a managing editor, right? Like that was the dream.
Until it wasn’t.
Closing the folder, I set it on the chaise next to mine and leaned back, letting my mind wander. I was definitely emailing those contacts on Monday to see if they were still willing to talk. Because if a story like this was happening, it could be a big deal. Not only for me and the magazine, but because there was clearly a lot of shady shit going on.
From beyond the bushes and taller trees that blocked the pool from the house, I heard my father’s booming laugh. I smiled. He’d been out when I arrived, so it was nice to have him home. And, if he was here, I wouldn’t have to sneak out in order to avoid his other pack members.
He’d been home so much thanks to Liz. But I didn’t move yet. If he was coming to the pool, he’d be here soon.
A breeze blew in off the ocean, raising chills on my skin. It was later in the summer, but still too early for the fall weather to come in. I glared at the sky. “Don’t even fucking think about it. You’re going to stay warm until the last possible second, you understand me?”
“Talking to yourself again, Rin?”
I looked over at my father opening the gate to the pool. “Always and forever, you know that.”
He laughed. “I do.”
Liz was right behind him, and I waved. “Hi, Liz.”
“Hi, honey.”
“Keeping him out of trouble?”
She rolled her eyes. “As if that’s even possible.”
When Dad came home from his latest adventure and announced he was getting married, I admit I didn’t have the best reaction. It wasexactly the kind of off the wall thing my father was known for. He went where he wanted, did what he wanted, and left me behind with the rest of his pack.
He’d never been romantically involved with the others, and I was the result of a whirlwind tryst on one of his adventures. And then my tiny ass was left on the front step, and the rest was history.
But Liz was great for him, and though I didn’t know her well, she’d grown on me. Dad seemed far more grounded when he was around her, and I’d never seen him like that before.
“Don’t tell me you’re working,” he said. “It’s the weekend.”
“Not anymore. But you know how it is. Work never stops.” He opened his mouth, and I pointed at him. “You are the least qualified person to tell me that’s not true. Just saying.”
Hands raised in surrender, he laughed. “Fair enough.”
They had towels with them. “You swimming?”
“Maybe. I think everyone’s going to come out. Thought we might have some food.”
My stomach dropped, and I did my best not to let it show on my face. “I’m not sure how long I’m able to stay, but that sounds nice.”
“Hopefully you’ll stay long enough to meet my son and his pack,” Liz said, settling into a chair beneath the umbrella at the corner of the pool. “I invited them over to meet Cecil and everyone else. I hope that’s all right.”
“I didn’t know you had a son,” I said honestly.
She smiled. “I do. He’s not here as much as I’d like because he travels for work, but he’s a lot more stationary than Cecil. Or how Cecilusedto be.”
