Page 92 of Defended By Love

The guilt stains my soul.

Although not mine alone.

I might have been the faulty human link in the plan, but the girl’s death is a part of a much bigger picture.

Someone in the position to push the buttons that needed to be pushed decided on a plan that could have gotten people killed. Sure, they went through the motions of making that improbable. Improbable. Not impossible.

It’s just like all those corporations that I go after who think they aren’t to blame for oil spills and radioactive contamination. They weren’t the ones driving the boat that crashed after all. It’s not their fault.

All the while neglecting the fact that they made the chemicals, they produced a need, they chose to cut costs at the expense of safety measures, and they pushed their workers to the point of exhaustion where mistakes were bound to happen.

Yes, I’m to blame.

No, the blame does not stop with me.

There are people who share equally in her deaths and I’m not about to let them hide behind their corporations or their jobs.

Or unknown business plans.

“Do you think Dominic knew about what would happen to the building?” I ask Grant.

“I honestly have no idea.”

“Because he had to have known. The fumigation stuff came up so quickly and he handled it all on his own. I offered to help, but he wouldn’t let me.” God, I should have known something was up when he didn’t pawn the work off on me.

“But why would he help blow up his own building?” Grant asks.

“But why would he help blow up his own building?” I ponder.

“I’m not really a part of this conversation anymore, am I?”

He’s not.

My mind is racing through every interaction that I’ve had recently with Dominic, every weird thing that’s happened in the office.

He must have been involved. The whole plan can’t get off the ground without an inside man. Without someone on the inside, there’s no one to insist on fumigating the building when there haven’t been any pest complaints. Without someone on the inside, it never could have happened so quickly.

Still, I have to take a moment to pause and look for proof. I need to remember that my reckless behaviour affects others around me. Lives are impacted.

Lives hang in the balance.

“His office,” I breathe. I stare at Grant. Clearly, he should know that he’s a part of the conversation again. “What did you notice about his office?”

Grant runs his hand through his hair. “Nothing much. I was kind of focusing on how hot you are when you’re angry.”

Well, that’s neither here nor there, but much appreciated, nonetheless.

“And how much time did I spend trashing his office?” I ask.

“Not long enough.” He throws me a saucy look.

“Exactly.”

I wait for Grant to get it. This is the big triumphant moment. This is the proof that I need to go after Dominic and everyone else with all the gusto I want.

“Because you’re so strong?”

Wrong, but also appreciated, nonetheless.

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