The Arrangement

Chapter 56

I worked like a dog. From about 4am until about midnight every day six to seven days a week. If I wasn't at the aquarium, I was at the study site. I made it a personal mission to get to know all of the patients. We had fifty-three selected in total, from all over the country.

I worked with Dr. Ramsey and Dr. Quinn very closely and within two weeks we had a rhythm. A month in, we'd begun to work like a well oiled machine. We were mostly collecting data. It was long, grueling hours, but despite being physically exhausting, it was rewarding. I didn't mind. I was thankful for Rory slipping back in as my right hand. He was always one step ahead for me. He's usually be able to predict when I would forget to eat or if there was something I'd missed. Thank God for him.

During this time I got a summons to appear in court. I called Katrina and she agreed to meet me at our site and we'd talk tonight.

She showed up about 10pm.

We reviewed everything in one of the private back rooms.

"It looks like a typical summons. It requires you to meet, but it doesn't look like it has to be a whole production. Looks pretty run of the mill." Katrina assured me. "I wouldn't be too worried. It's just the legal side of divorce."

I nodded. "What does that mean for me?"

"It means because of who you are and who he is there's going to be a media circus. Just the usual." Katrina joked. "I'll represent you. You focus on what you're doing here. I'll call Trent's attorney."

I nodded. "Alright, I'm going to get going."

I got to my empty apartment and showered. It was a unique sort of lonely. The once homey place was cramped with two people but now just seemed a little too big.

I put a bagel in the toaster. That would suffice for dinner. I sat down on my couch and was almost asleep when I realized it. All of my research was on the hard drive that disappeared.

My brain started turning. It couldn't be . . . could it?

I got up and started pacing. Could this have been a set up? A long elaborate set up? I fired up my lap top and double checked that everything was still there. I'd bought a new hard drive and backed everything up, and I was keeping that one at the site in my makeshift office there.

I texted Jason. I needed to get a message to Trent. I was surprised when I got a text back almost immediately. He offered to meet me for coffee now.

There's a little diner close to where Jason lived. I made my way down there and he was already waiting.

"I'm sorry to put you in this position." I started as I sat down.

"It's fine. Trent's a good mate and you're the one who gave me a chance in the first place."

I smiled at that. I remembered the first time I'd met Jason. His hair was shaggy and hanging in his eyes back then. He was certainly rough around the edges. He'd showed up to the interview in an ill fitting suit. Constantly pulling at his tie. About halfway through, he'd asked to take it off. He was a punk kid starting over who wanted a little adventure. He thought he'd find it on our expedition. First time on Santi's boat with us he'd insisted on talking like a pirate about half the trip.

"You made sure life never got boring." I teased.

Jason laughed and nodded. "No, that wasn't an option." Jason smiled remembering too then his face sobered. "So what's up?"

"Can you let Trent know that one of the things that were stolen was the hard drive with a copy of all our research?"

"That was on there?"