Dangerous black ties

Files

I groaned as I woke up. The lingering pain from last night was still evident in my body.

I quickly get dressed. Applying makeup to hide my freshly tarnished cheek.

I've gotten quite good at hiding the evidence of his abuse, which I've been subject to for years.

I slip my tennis shoes on and my shoes for work in my bag.

I take four more pain pills and slip the bottle along with my makeup in case I need to touch up later in my bag.

I walked out of my door slowly and quietly. Glancing on the couch, I see my dad passed out with a girl on his arm and a beer bottle in his hand.

I unlocked the first door. Closing it behind me and locking it.

It was still dark out, and the soft lights from the street dimly lit up the area.

I sigh and begin taking slow, debilitating steps to work.

Each step caused pain to radiate down my legs.

I wasn't sure how much longer I could deal with this.

Maybe I should run away and stay at a hotel? Or something. It's just getting worse every day.

Maybe this weekend I should make an excuse to my dad; I just needed a break.

I slipped my earbuds in and started walking.

I was startled by a honk. Making me jump. I turn around quickly and see Dexter.

"Come here," he states.

I walk over to him.

"Yes?" I say it curiously.

"Get in the goddamn car, Meredith," he says to me in a stern voice.

I didn't like it. He had never spoken to me in such a manner.

My facial expressions must have been easily read. He sighs heavily.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you. I've had a rough morning. I called your name out multiple times." He says this to me, rubbing his hand over his lower face.

I didn't see a point in arguing.

I climbed into his car. Buckling up snuggly.

He continues to drive. His attention was not on the road.

"Don't you ever get hot?" He asked me.

Sure, I get hot, I think. Yeah, it's probably over 90 degrees, and the sun isn't fully shining. The clothes I wear hide the heinous abuse my dad's suffered for years.

"Sometimes," I mumble. I turned off my music and put it in my bag.

He looks at me for a moment and turns his attention back to the road.

"Walking in the dark is dangerous in itself, Meredith. Walking with both your earbuds in is even more so. There are very bad people out there."He says it with a stern face.

When we were at work, I changed into my work shoes, slipping the ones I was wearing into my bag. I grab a couple more pills and take them.

"What's that?" Mr. Greyson asks me, pointing to my Tylenol.

"Just Tylenol; why do you need some?" I ask, holding the bottle for him.

"No, I don't," he says, walking to his office.

I softly knock on his door.

"One second," his muffled voice says.

"Oh, quindi hai preso uno dei suoi uomini? Non uccidetelo, forse può essere prezioso."

{oh, so you got one of his men? Do not kill him; perhaps he can be valuable}

"Come in," I hear him say.

I twist the doorknob and carefully step in, trying my best to ignore my pain. I'm feeling the pain medication going nowhere for my ribs and back.

"I have a pretty daunting task that will probably take all of next week and maybe longer if you are interested." He says

"Of course, sir, that's my job; make your life easier," I state this with a small smile.

"Well, thank you, so I know you already organized all the files according to dates. I need you to start from the very beginning and see if you can find anything odd like you found yesterday. If you find anything, bring it to me immediately to look at. There may be multiple I just want each file brought to me as you find any possible discrepancies." He says this to me, taking his gaze away from the computer.

I simply nod. "Okay, I hope I don't have to see you again then," I say with a small smile and open the door.

"I wouldn't mind it, but for the sake of stolen money, I hope not as well." He says to me

"Before I get started, would you like some coffee?" I ask, standing in the doorway.

"If you don't mind." He says it to me quickly.

"Not at all," I say, closing the door behind me.

My voice is still slightly hoarse, but it sounds better.

"Dexter? Coffee?" I ask, walking into the break room. I fill the coffee pot and start making the coffee.

"Sure, black." He says it from his deck.

These men and their gross black coffee. I chuckled to myself as I poured the coffee into two cups. I walk over to Dexter's deck.

"Thanks for the ride here," I say with a small smile before walking away.

"You're welcome, Mer." He says, looking up from his company and typing away.

I knock on Mr. Greyson's door.

"Come in." He says

He was talking on the phone. "Dimmi quando scopri chi è"

{Tell me when you find out who it is.}

I don't reply, just set the hot coffee on his deck and walk out softly, closing the door behind me.

I walk into the file room, looking at all the file cabinets.

I open the first drawer and start scanning over the files as I sit on the ground.

Dexter walks in and gives me a weird look. He bends down and begins unlocking the safe.

I put the file back and grabbed another.

"Is there a reason you are on the floor?" He asks me about closing the safe.

"No, not really. I just find it comfortable." I say, glancing at the file in my hand. Scrunching up my eyebrows, I see a shortage.

I sigh at only having finished one whole file cabinet and already finding a mistake.