Chapter 80 Message sent
Message sent
Gray fired off the emails, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
To: Katie Ingram
From: Gray Whittal
Subject: Urgent
Katie,
Did you know Shelley is here on the island? She told me the funding committee is unhappy with my results. Have you heard anything about this? Also, I sent in a few more weeks of data. Did you see it?
I can't take calls here, but please email me back ASAP. It's urgent. Since Shelley arrived yesterday, everything's gone sideways. My recorded videotape data are missing. Please help!
Regards,
Dr. Gray Whittal
He hit "send" and immediately started a second email.
To: Dr. Terry
From: Gray Whittal
Subject: Urgent-Need to Talk
Dr. Terry,
I've been trying to reach you; this is urgent. Shelley showed up here on the island, claiming the funding committee sent her. Is that true? Did you get the data I sent?
Also, all of my recorded videotape data has disappeared, and we don't know how. Please respond as soon as you can. If there's a way to coordinate a call, let me know. I don't know what to do.
Gray
Gray sighed, leaning back in his chair, the weight of everything pressing down on him.
Cici rested a hand on his shoulder. "Gray, we're in this-"
Ping.
A new message appeared in his inbox.
"Oh my God, Katie replied already! Open it!" Cici barely stopped herself from clicking the email herself.
Gray opened the email, and they leaned in to read:
From: Katie
To: Gray
Re: Subject: Urgent
Gray,
What?! That's messed up! Shelley told me she was going to visit her parents. Dr. T approved it since she said she'd work remotely while the rest of the team went to the Arctic. The only one left at the lab is Dr. Mark because his project didn't get funded.
As for your research, I have it with me.
I went to the lab on Friday, and it was on Dr. Terry's desk.
Shelley had already left for her "trip," but someone must have pulled it off the FAX machine and put it there.
I've started analyzing the data for you, so all is not lost. I'm sorry to hear about the missing videotape data.
Let me know what I can do. And tell Shelley, "Not cool," and to get her ass back here!
Katie
"Wow. Just... wow," Cam muttered, shaking his head. "Gray, this is insane. Marta was right. Shelley's been here longer than we thought."
The three of them exchanged stunned looks.
"We still need confirmation from Dr. T," Cam said, regaining focus.
"But Katie's email fills in some sizeable gaps.
Cici, go enjoy the rest of your day off.
You've blown this wide open with the detail Shelley let slip.
Gray, head back to the harbour. Find Shelley and see if you can book her into a hotel for tonight.
We've got dolphin sessions to finish, and I don't want to shut things down early again today; it isn't fair to them. "
Gray hesitated. He didn't want to leave, but he knew Cam was right.
"Come on," Cici said, taking his arm. "I'll drive you back. And how about we grab a late lunch? You need to decompress before dealing with shouldn't-be-on-this-island Shelley." She shot Cam a look over her shoulder.
Cam nodded, giving Gray a reassuring pat on the back. "We'll catch up with you later. We'll figure out a plan."
As Cici led Gray to the parking lot, he let out a deep breath. She was right; he needed a moment to reset before facing Shelley.
As they walked, a new thought gnawed at him. If Shelley had been on the island for days, could she have taken his recordings? And another unsettling question wormed its way into his mind: if Dr. Mark's project hadn't received funding, could he be harbouring resentment?
Gray thought back to the strange glances Shelley and Mark had shared during meetings. His stomach churned. Had he unwittingly crossed the wrong researcher? Had his success fuelled Mark's failure, and his revenge?
Gray shuddered, forcing the thought aside as he climbed into the passenger seat.
"Let's get that lunch," he muttered. But his mind was already racing, trying to piece it all together.