Dusk

21| unforeseen

Ava

Brenda gave me a troubled smile when I reached office. I smiled back at her in reassurance, conveying her not to worry. I had taken matters in my own hands and I knew how to handle this. This was what I was good at. Confronting people. Getting them to spill.

"Get Kira to my office." I told her. "Right now."

She nodded hurriedly, grabbing the telephone at her side and muttering something. I walked into my office, my head high. It was a few minutes before the door opened and in entered Kira. Brenda followed behind her, looking between the two of us, her steps faltering when she saw my expression. "I- uh, you have a meeting in fifteen minutes-"

"Cancel it." I said, not looking away from Kira. She squirmed when she felt my gaze. I smiled internally.

Brenda nodded and left my office in a hurry. I didn't say anything for a long while, making Kira look up, blinking, then smiling. "What can I do for you, Ava?"

"I heard you had an accident the other day." I said, leaning back and resting my hands on the table. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

I saw a flash of relief pass through her eyes. "Oh, um, thanks. I'm alright now."

"That's good." I smiled. "I was in the same hospital that time, coincidentally. I would have visited you had I known. But I think you already had enough visitors, no?"

She blinked her eyes in confusion. "I-I yeah. My family was very concerned."

"I ran into someone very surprising that night." I tilted my head. "You know who?"

"W-who?"

"Fred Page. I didn't know he was still out."

"He is?" She asked in shock. I'd been in this field long enough to know when people lied. She didn't fool me one bit. "I didn't know that."

"I asked him why he was wasting his precious days in a hospital. He told me he was visiting someone. I'd wondered who it could be."

"Oh." Kira murmured, looking down.

I stared at her for a few more seconds, hoping she'd break on her own. But she didn't, surprising me. Her body language gave away her nervousness, but she didn't open her mouth. I admired her loyalty, even though it was to the wrong person. "Let's cut the shit, Kira." I said after a while. "You know I'm smart enough to figure it out. You left too many loopholes."

"I don't know what you're talk-"

"Are you aware of who Jason White is?" I asked, cutting her off. Her face drained off any colour, and even the simplest of doubts I'd had were cleared off. "You do."

"I-I-"

"He was fired for snooping and leaking information to someone not from Smiths. He was forced to move cities because he didn't get another job here, because the board did not give him a letter of appreciation."

Kira stayed quiet, her face white and pale.

"He was framed. He never leaked anything. But you already knew that, didn't you?" I raised an eyebrow when my eyes fell upon her fidgeting hands. "How long have you been sleeping with Fred?"

She looked up in astonishment, I didn't know if that was because I knew, or because I'd said it out loud. Her face broke into sweat, a look of panic crossing her eyes, followed by guilt, then a simmering anger. "I haven't-"

"We both know lying won't get you anywhere, Kira. You're fucked. Might as well just say the truth now."

"What truth?" She said forcefully. "There is nothing to say. Unless you have enough proof-"