Chapter 38
Thea
The door shuts behind Andi, clicking into place… along with a memory.
After my parents’ accident, the company CEO withheld my dad’s retirement benefits on faulty claims that he had stolen property from SciTech.
Amnexia.
They would release his retirement payments to him once he returned the formula. I don’t know if my dad developed it for the company or himself. Either way, after his own memory loss, it disappeared.
Until a week ago, when I found it.
I choke back a gasp but am incapable of refilling my lungs. I found the drug. Or the formula or something. Try as I might, I can’t conjure an image of what this lost thing is. Is it the drive everyone is looking for?
But where did I put it? What did I do with it?
I run upstairs to my room and reach for the first thing I see—the dresser. I tear out every drawer, throwing each article of clothing onto the bed.
It can’t be the same drug. My dad didn’t make things that would get him or us killed. It has to be a mistake, right?
I finish with the dresser and move to the desk. Then the closet. Every hiding place I used as a kid is empty. Nothing under my mattress or in my old shoes.
Where is it? Would I have given it to Aunt Megan?
I move to the door and crack it open, relieved to see Pierce’s door closed and the light off.
I need to tell him what I remember, but I’m also going to go crazy if I don’t find it immediately.
I sneak out of my room, feeling like a teenager again as I close the door behind me and tiptoe down the stairs to my aunt’s room.
Aunt Megan will be awake writing. She never goes to sleep before midnight.
I knock quietly on the door.
“Come in.”
Aunt Megan sits up in her bed, glasses on top of her head, her soda and a bag of chocolate-covered almonds beside her, laptop open on her lap.
“New book?” I ask.
“You know me. There’s always a new book.”
“How’s it going?”
“The bad guy was just about to blow up the hero’s car so… you know.” She smirks.
“Maybe if you didn’t write terrifying books, you wouldn’t be such a scaredy cat in real life.”
“I’ve considered it.” She chuckles. “It’s my dark side, I suppose.”
Apparently I have a dark side as well—one where I may be a murderer.
“What’s wrong? You look a little green.”
“Oh…” I shift on my feet. “I think I’m still getting my land legs back.”
Her brows furrow. “When were you on a boat?”
I mentally slap my forehead. I forgot I left out exactly how we got home and whose identity we stole in order to do so. “We took a boat ride to swim with dolphins.” I force a smile. “Anyway, did I give you anything before I left for Mexico?”
She lifts a single brow. “A cold. Thank you for that one.”
“Sorry about that.” I run my foot over the carpet, focusing on the sensation instead of my terror. “Hey, do you have Dad’s retirement records?”
She picks up an almond, then changes her mind, nudging the whole jar out of her reach. “I thought we went through all that last week.”
That’s what I was afraid of. “Yeah, um, I can’t remember where I put… everything.”
“I think you took it to your room. Why?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I just had another question and wanted to look at it again.”
She gives me a sad smile. “I told you, there’s nothing we can do. They screwed him over so legally airtight; we don’t have a leg to stand on.”
“I know.” I hug my arms tighter around me. “I just wish I could change things.”
“Me too, sweetie.” She gives me a pitying look I can’t handle right now.
“Well, I’ll let you get back to it.” I slip out the door to the sound of her fingers clicking the keys. I walk down the hallway and stop at the door that always remains closed and locked.
My dad’s lab.
He wanted to use it after the accident but ended up burning himself, or catching his clothing on fire because he couldn’t get his hand to work right. It was too painful for him, and too painful for me to watch. I had to close it up. Is that where I stashed it? Whatever ‘it’ is.
I reach behind the nearest picture frame on the wall and extract the key from the small strip of tape. I unlock the door, afraid. This office represents everything my dad can’t do now. It’s painful to be in here.
It’s been months since I’ve stepped inside, but I can already tell something is wrong. Off.
But what? Did Dad get in here?
No, Megan wouldn’t allow that.
I trace my fingers over the rim of a beaker, begging more memories to come to light.
I found the missing formula, and then… what?
What did I do? It’s utterly agonizing trying to force the memories to return.
I wasn’t concerned with what I had forgotten when I was in Mexico.
My life is like clockwork. Take care of Dad.
Work. Take care of Dad. Sleep and repeat. Whatever I forgot was insignificant.
Now I know there is something important, something that could change my dad’s life, and I can’t remember.
I stop at the worktable. Why is my laptop in here? I open it and the screen lights up, ready for me to make use of it. What’s on the screen stops me.
It’s the info page for SciTech, and Gavin Johnson’s personal contact information.
The reality sinks like a brick in my stomach.
I took the formula to SciTech. I wanted to get my dad’s retirement back. It was the only thing standing between my dad and the help he needs. What else could I have done?
I grab my head, wishing the pieces would fall into place, but they are each as stubborn as I am. What did I find? What did I tell Gavin? Did he give me anything in return?
I hit the table. I had a way to get my father everything he needed, and I forgot. I’ve let him down yet again.