Page 29 of The Breakdown

“I’ll get the digitals.” Vaughn opened one of the desk drawers and rummaged through it. She came up with a handful of USB drives and studied the tags attached to them. When she found the one she was looking for, she handed it to Natalie. “This should do it.”

Natalie took the drive. “Thanks.”

Vaughn let out a big breath. “Right. I’m just going to go shower now.”

“You mean…you aren’t going to help with the photos?” They’d just sat down, and even decided that Vaughn didn’t need to shower right away. What was happening?

“You choose,” she said. “You’re the one with the eye for these things.”

“But you’re the one who—” Natalie stopped speaking and the pain she’d seen earlier in Vaughn’s eyes resurfaced. She spoke again softly, hoping to rid her of that pain. “Sure, I can do it on my own, if that’s what you prefer.”

“I do,” Vaughn said. She rounded the desk and walked out of the room. Natalie sat for a moment dumbfounded.

She still had no answers and what’s worse was the awful hurt she’d seen overcome Vaughn. Just what was it about these damn photos?

She was determined to find out. She closed the laptop and slid the thumb drive into her pocket. Then she walked into the kitchen and set her computer on the clean table and joined June at the kitchen sink where she was cleaning the dishes from supper.

“Scooch over, lady,” Natalie said, nudging her with her hip.

“Well, look who’s grown a pair of ovaries all of a sudden,” June said.

Natalie laughed.

“I told you I didn’t need no help,” June said.

“I know. But it looks like you do, so you’re getting it, like it or not.”

“I’m beginning to like you,” June said, handing her a soapy plate to rinse.

“I’m beginning to like you too,” Natalie said in return.

“Things go alright with Vaughn?”

Natalie shrugged. “She gave me the photos on a flash drive and then went to shower. So, to answer your question…I have no idea.”

“I was afraid of as much. She’s a hard nut to crack, that one.”

“Seems so.”

“And when it comes to some things, well there’s just no way to get in.”

“Like the photos?” Natalie asked.

“Like the photos.”

Natalie angled her head as she dried the clean plate and stacked it with some others. “What is it about the photos, June? Why do they upset her so much?”

“I’m not sure I should say, child. Vaughn being so private and what not.”

“I understand. I just…I saw the pain in her eyes and I…I guess I just don’t want to hurt her by saying or doing the wrong thing.”

June refilled the sink with hot water, causing the soap bubbles to rise on her side of the sink. She started in on washing again.

“I reckon I can tell you a little.”

Natalie waited, breath held.

“Vaughn had a woman, some years ago, who she was in love with. Deeply in love.”

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