Unforgiven Read Free

when she was holding something back. “What is it?” he said. He didn’t miss the way Erin glanced up sharply. He couldn’t help being irritated at Erin listening and Jill pulling the same flaky bullshit she always did. He didn’t have time for it now. Jill always seemed hesitant to say things. She’d hold on to them forever without breathing a word—but she didn’t even have to speak. She always showed the pain of whatever he’d done or said in her eyes. She never fought back, as if she didn’t want to bother him, which also made him feel like a world-class prick. “Jill, look, I’m really busy, and I need you to get to the point.”
    “I haven’t felt well for a while. I don’t think it’s anything, but I was dizzy. Maybe I got up too fast. I called the doctor, and he said to come in.”
    “Did you eat?” He hadn’t paid much attention to what she’d been doing. She was only working part time for Boeing in business operations, part of the team. She was one of many who collected and organized data, an easy job. She could do a lot of her work from the company laptop from home, so she was there most days, spending much of her time in his condo, working and waiting for him.
    He could hear her hesitating. It wasn’t a sound, rather something that always came through on the phone line or when they were in the same room together. She was doing that more often as of late, he realized, maybe because she was afraid of how he’d react. Maybe.
    “Come on, Jill. Spit it out. I don’t have time for this.” He knew he sounded short.
    “Yes, I ate. It’s probably nothing. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
    Why did she do that? For a minute, he wanted to reach through the phone and shake her. Instead, he took the phone and tapped it against his forehead in frustration. “Jill, for the love of God, just tell me. I don’t have time for twenty questions. I have a deposition I’m trying to get ready for.” This was starting to become the only way he spoke to her. Of course, he didn’t miss Erin’s frown.
    “I just felt not quite okay—flu symptoms, kind of shaky. That’s all, Samuel. I put off calling because I wasn’t sleeping well and thought it was that. The doctor just asked me to come in. There’s nothing more because I don’t know what more there is.” She sounded upset, almost defensive.
    “What time is the appointment?” He grabbed a pen.
    “In an hour.” She was curt.
    He glanced at his watch. It was just past nine. He could meet her there. If it didn’t take long, he could be in and out and make it back here by eleven. He could do it. It would be cutting it close, but he could blow her off, too. He was better at that. “I’ll meet you there.”
    “Samuel, you don’t have to meet me. I just wanted to let you know. I can call you after—”
    “Jill, I said I would meet you there.” He glanced over at Erin and then down at his watch, hating to be under the gun like this. His job was important, his position with the firm, but he had made a commitment. This baby had him so twisted up that he didn’t know if he was coming or going. “I’ve got to do a few things here, and then I’ll be there.”
    She sighed. “Okay, I’ll meet you there.”
    He held the phone, listening to the click when she hung up. The tense vibe lingered. He stared at the phone a second before hanging up, as well. He didn’t look over at Erin even though he could feel her watching him, studying him as if trying to figure out what to say to him.
    “Your wife?” she finally asked.
    “Yeah, she has to go to the doctor.” He put his hand on the file and slid it across the desk. “Look I’ve gone through this, and I’m ready for the deposition. I’ll be back before the client gets here.”
    Erin’s dark eyes widened to something that resembled panic. “What? No!”
    Samuel slid back his chair and stepped around the desk. “I’ll be back in time.”
    “No, wait, we still need to discuss this case before