by Karen Kirst
Denial flashed in her eyes. He didn’t blame her for resisting the truth.
“You shouldn’t be alone tonight. Can you spend the night with a friend?”
“My best friend, Angela, lives in Wilmington. Even if I had the energy to make the hour trip, I wouldn’t. She’s due to have her first baby in another month. I won’t bring this stress into her life. I have several friends from church, but it’s the middle of the night. I don’t want to bother them.”
“Then it’s settled. Go to sleep, Olivia.”
She hesitated.
“I’ll be as quiet as a church mouse. You won’t know I’m here.”
Sending him a disbelieving look, she got to her feet and retreated upstairs, only to return with a pillow and blanket.
Lying there in the dark, he let the memories of her and Derek wash over him. He couldn’t recall witnessing a single argument between them. Despite Brady’s conviction that she’d married Derek for the wrong reasons, the couple had appeared to be happy. Appearances weren’t always accurate, though. Derek had proclaimed to be an ordinary Virginia native who loved baseball and hot dogs when, in fact, he’d been born into New Jersey mafia royalty. He probably hadn’t even set foot in Virginia.
Brady had been shocked and angered by the deception. He’d gone so far as to argue the gross injustice Derek had inflicted on Olivia. Ever the smooth talker, Derek had defended his decision not to tell her. Their volleyed words circled around in his mind. Would Derek have second-guessed that decision if he’d known there was a ticking time bomb in his head?
With no answers forthcoming, he drifted into a troubled sleep. He was jarred awake by the creak of the storm door.
Leaping from the couch, he heard the knob rotate and regretted not asking Olivia where Derek’s pistol was hidden. His head stuffed full of cotton and his vision blurry, he searched the sparse living area for a makeshift weapon.
The door swung inward, and a slim figure slipped through.
He was about to give the intruder a face full of Sheetrock when he noticed the plate of muffins.
Brady opened the blinds to let sunlight stream in. “What do you think you’re doing?”
The sudden brightness startled the woman. She yelped and pressed her hand to her chest. “You. Captain something-or-other. What are you doing in Olivia’s house?”
He recognized her freckles and wavy brown hair. Erin, the other diver. “She knows I’m here.” Glancing pointedly at his watch, he said, “Do you make a habit of dropping by unannounced and letting yourself in?”
Sidestepping him, she plunked the plate onto the high, round dining table and held up a key. “I was on my way to work and thought I’d check on her. She keeps a spare key on the top window ledge.” She crossed her arms. “How is she?”
Brady studied her, trying to gauge her sincerity. Was Erin here because she truly cared about Olivia? Maybe she felt guilty for what happened. Or maybe she was responsible.
She listened to him recount the doctor’s diagnosis with a growing frown. “Nothing like this has ever happened at the aquarium. Does she have any idea who might’ve pushed her?”
“No, she doesn’t.” He wouldn’t have shared that sort of information, anyway. “Do you?”
She shook her head with force, making her ponytail bounce. “Olivia is well liked and respected.” Her attention swung to the stairs. “You’re awake.”
Erin crossed the room and enveloped Olivia in a loose hug. Olivia’s gaze met his briefly before she eased out of the embrace and greeted her friend with a weak smile. She didn’t look rested, he noted with dismay. Her fresh-from-the-shower appearance couldn’t disguise the shadows under her eyes. He took in the faded blue jeans and snug turquoise sweater. Couldn’t have been easy maneuvering with a broken arm.
She gestured, the sling flopping against her thigh. “Can you lend me a hand?”
Erin assisted her. “I brought breakfast. Is there anything else I can get you?”
“That was thoughtful.” The women joined him beside the table. Olivia favored her sprained ankle. “I don’t need anything else, but I could use a ride into work.”
“The doctor told you to rest,” Brady interjected.
“I’m on the schedule for today.”
“I’m positive your superiors will understand. This has the potential to be a worker’s compensation nightmare. They’ll want you to take your time and recuperate.”
She stiffened. “I’m not going to sue the aquarium.”
“He’s right.” Erin patted Olivia’s shoulder. “Besides, I have to be there in a half hour.”
After seeing Erin to the door and saying goodbye, Olivia turned and faced him. The light of determination in her eyes hadn’t dimmed. “My work is important. I need to be there.”
“Will your project be in jeopardy if you don’t go in this weekend?”
She worried her full lower lip in a way that made it hard for him to concentrate. Why was he noticing these things? He wasn’t allowed to be attracted to her. She was Derek’s wife. He didn’t approve of her. At least, he didn’t used to. He wasn’t sure what to make of her. The shallow label no longer seemed to apply.
“I suppose not, as long as Roman does his part.”
She unwrapped the plastic and chose a muffin.
“Wait.” He stopped her from taking a bite. “Erin could be the guilty party.”
Her dark brows winging up, she shot him an incredulous look. “You think she poisoned the blueberries?”
“How well do you know her? You hold one of the senior positions. Is it possible she’d try to get you out of the way?”
“She does not want my job.” Taking a large bite, she took her time chewing. “Erin works for the forestry department in the river building. The reason she helps out our aquatic staff from time to time is because she has her diving certification.”
“What about pink-hair girl?”
“Maya? She’s there for the paycheck. Her social life takes precedence over anything happening at work.”
Brady pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. “What do you prefer? Juice or coffee?”
“Oh no. You’re not playing host today.” Limping past him, she led the way into the galley kitchen and popped a coffee pod into the machine with her free hand. “What do you prefer, Captain?”
“Coffee. Black.”
He took stock of the boxes stuffed with pots and pans and wondered if she’d had help organizing the move or if she’d done it alone. His conscience poked him. What had his pastor been preaching about in recent weeks? Serving others, especially widows and orphans.
The aroma of rich coffee swirled around him. “Here you are.”
Olivia had put his coffee into a paper to-go cup complete with lid. Hers, on the other hand, was in a ceramic mug.
“Subtle,” he said.
She lifted her chin. “We agreed to go our separate ways once the field trip was over, remember?”
“That was before you took a plunge down the escalator.”
“I’m not your responsibility, Brady. You can leave with a clear conscience.”
Is that what he wanted? To leave and never look back? Strange, his answer wasn’t as straightforward as it would’ve been twenty-four hours ago.
“Derek would want me to help you.”
He realized that was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words left his mouth.
“You don’t owe him anything, and you certainly don’t owe me.”
“Olivia—”
“In my experience, duty has two very different applications. Duty can be a calling, as in dedication to your country. That’s the admirable kind. The same can’t be said for when a person feels obligated to do something. My father stuck around, not because he loved and cherished my mom, but because it was his duty.” Her nose scrunched and eyes snapped. “H
e made sure we all knew it, too. That duty is a burden, and I don’t want any part of it.” Brushing past him, she stalk-limped to the door and jerked it open. “Please, just go.”
Feeling like a callous jerk, he paused on the threshold. “What happens if this guy breaches the base?”
“I’ll handle it.” Her posture warned him to back off.
“You have my number. Call or text anytime, day or night.”
“Goodbye, Brady.”
* * *
Sending Brady away had been the right thing to do. At least, that’s what Olivia kept telling herself. She’d had many moments of doubt over the weekend. The nights were the worst. Every noise inside and outside her home held the potential of danger. Daytime wasn’t much better, considering she had empty hours to fret over her predicament.
She’d assumed returning to work would improve her mood. During the day, the aquarium was a bright, cheerful space, and the visitors’ excitement was catching. She hadn’t anticipated how Friday’s events would tarnish her perceptions. There were limitless spots for a criminal to hide and spy on her.
“Can we sign your cast, Olivia?”
The college-age girls working the gift shop register offered up shy smiles. Their undisguised curiosity matched that of the other staff members she’d encountered so far.
“Sure. You’ll be the first.”
Placing the pack of chewing gum on the counter and handing over a couple of dollar bills, she extended her arm. Roman approached while they were scrawling their names.
“Your accident has been the hot topic of the day.” Behind the glasses, his eyes brimmed with concern, and for a moment, his mouth lost its characteristic scowl. “What happened exactly?”
Aware of the girls’ keen interest, she shook her head. “I’ll fill you in later.”
“Right.” Seeing a discarded marker, he held it up. “Do you mind?”
“Be my guest.”
Roman drew a small, toothy shark, then signed his name beneath it.
Olivia grinned at the cartoonish likeness. “Nice.”
“What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.”
She told the girls goodbye and, grabbing her gum, left the gift shop with Roman. For a school day, there were a decent number of visitors milling around. Olivia had driven her car—dropped off by Erin and another coworker yesterday—to the ortho office midmorning. After getting fresh X-rays and a cast, she’d ordered lunch from a drive-through and driven straight here.
“No one’s around to hear us,” Roman said as they passed the jellyfish exhibit. “Did someone really push you?”
Menacing memories pulsed through her. The hot, ragged breath on her neck. The hand on her back.
“Yes.”
Olivia scanned the exhibit areas, searching for anyone who looked or acted suspicious.
“What did the director say about you returning to work?” He pushed open an employee-only door and waited for her to pass through.
“Ruth was gracious and accommodating. She didn’t forbid me from returning, but she instructed me not to go anywhere alone.”
They climbed the wide, spacious stairs without encountering other employees. The weak lighting and thick, austere cement walls hadn’t bothered her before. Now the stairs struck her as a good place to corner someone. “The police weren’t able to lift fingerprints from the air cylinders. They were wiped clean. The security cameras didn’t offer a single glimpse of my attacker.”
The detective had indicated that this guy had done his homework. He’d likely mapped out the camera locations and angles. That knowledge worried her. Her enemy was smart and methodical, which would make him harder to catch.
On the landing at the second-floor door, he paused. “Did Ruth promise extra security?”
Olivia nodded. “You know how seriously she takes her responsibilities. She won’t compromise on the safety of her employees or aquarium guests.”
“You can work without worrying then.”
“I suppose.”
Worrying was futile, of course, and she trusted God to protect her. She believed He had a plan for her life, even when that plan included losing her husband before their first anniversary.
The scriptures her mother shared with her during the funeral had stuck with her. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Trials...she seemed to be in a season of them.
When they reached their work space, located off the central entrance to the shark tank, thoughts of Brady bombarded her. He’d leaped into the water to save her.
She was still having trouble wrapping her mind around that.
To her surprise, the hours zipped past. She worked with a variety of people throughout the day, including Maya, who peppered her with more questions about Brady. Olivia was glad when the younger woman left for her dinner break. She was trying to forget him. Between his occasional terse texts, Maya’s persistence and her own disobedient thoughts, she hadn’t achieved that goal.
She delivered capelin to the penguins and realized it was a quarter of five. The twin buildings would soon empty of visitors and most of the staff. Outside, purple slowly crept across the horizon, obliterating the sunlight.
Olivia decided to retrieve her purse and ask a guard to escort her to her car. She and her current companion, Leon, were traversing the atrium area and chatting about his upcoming exams when a commanding figure entered her vision.
“Brady,” she breathed.
He was talking to a greeter and hadn’t noticed her.
Leon assumed she wanted his attention and called out. He twisted toward them. With a parting word to the greeter, he strode over.
Olivia couldn’t read a single emotion in his face. It was a skill he must’ve started honing in elementary school. A boy who’d been cast off by his parents would’ve encountered harassment. By his own accounts, he and his grandmother had been dirt-poor. That would’ve added to his troubles.
She wondered what it would take to break through the barrier.
His gaze flickered to her cast. “I see you chose to coordinate with your uniform.”
“I like blue.”
“How’s your pain level?”
“Manageable.”
“And your ankle?”
“The swelling has gone down, and there’s barely a twinge when I walk.”
His eyes were solemn. Was he rehashing their last conversation? His pride might’ve taken a hit, but he couldn’t have been hurt by her decision to send him away. Could he?
“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Thank you.”
Silence fraught with tension stretched between them.
“It’s almost closing time,” she said.
Why had he come? She’d answered his texts because he would’ve shown up on her doorstep if she hadn’t. And having him around wasn’t as terrible as she’d feared. It wasn’t terrible at all, actually.
“Not gonna swim with the sharks, are you?” Leon quipped to Brady.
“I’ll leave that to the professionals. Michael is convinced he left his Carolina Panthers sweatshirt here the other night. His dad gave it to him before he died, so it’s of sentimental value. I promised I’d swing by after work.”
He hadn’t come for her sake.
Leon rubbed his hands together. “Olivia, can you take him? I have study group in an hour.”
“Of course.”
“Stay with her,” he told Brady. “She’s supposed to have an escort at all times. Director’s rules.”
He jogged away, leaving them alone in the middle of the giant atrium. Brady adjusted the watch on his wrist. “If you’d rather get someone else—”
; “No, that’s okay. I don’t mind.” Olivia started walking, and he fell into step. “Did you fly this weekend?”
As if he didn’t get enough flight time on the job, he often took out his four-seater Cessna on weekends. He’d flown her and Derek to Charleston last summer. That was her first time in a small plane, and she’d been apprehensive. Derek had laughed off her concerns, but Brady had gone out of his way to ease her anxiety and make her comfortable. He’d explained every move before he did it. During the return flight, she’d actually relaxed enough to enjoy the scenery spread out below. Brady had noticed and flashed a brilliant smile solely for her benefit. It had been a rare moment of truce.
He nodded. “Yesterday.”
“How was it?”
“Uneventful.” He followed her into a stairwell. “As usual, it was good to see the world from a different perspective. I thought about asking you to come...thought you could use a distraction.”
Olivia mulled over his words as they descended the steps. Considerate of her sore ankle, he matched his pace to hers.
“Would you have joined me if I’d asked?”
“It was a long weekend. I would’ve been tempted.”
His expression was thoughtful as they reached the bottom level and entered the basement area. The stark gray cement walls and floors conjured thoughts of a mausoleum.
Brady’s gaze took in the massive pumps and rows of salt sacks. “I’m surprised the lost and found is located down here.”
“It’s usually upstairs in the administrative offices. They’re reorganizing, though, and temporarily storing files and other items in a supply closet.”
Rooms along the interior wall stored everything from dangerous chemicals to toilet paper. The one she sought was in an out-of-the-way corner.
“Here we are.” She opened the door and felt for the light switch. The halogen bulbs made popping noises as they flickered on. In the distance, a heavy door slammed. Brady turned and scanned the pump rows and the long, low hallway leading to other areas of the aquarium.
“Who typically works down here?”
“The operations officer. What color is Michael’s sweatshirt?” Olivia hurried past tall industrial shelving units on either side of the single aisle.