Page 38 of Hidden Chance

“How did they die?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Indulge me.”

“You get a kick out of talking about death?”

“No, I need to establish the facts.”

“Fine. My dad died while we were still in Burma, and my mom died of heart disease last year.”

“How did your dad die?”

“I don’t want to talk about that with you.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s personal, and I’m not about to get personal with my kidnapper.”

“All right. How about we move back to the present? Tell me about what TreadCraft is doing in Burma.”

“You mean rubber? Or the schools?”

“The schools.”

“TreadCraft wants to give back to the areas it has connections with. Those kids over there are often mistreated and have few opportunities in life. TreadCraft helps where they can. Is it because you don’t like kids or something? Or is it education you’re against?”

“TreadCraft is building the schools. What’s your part?”

“I don’t know how many more ways I can say it. I wish I did have a part, but I don’t. End of story. Ifyoudon’t have an issue with it, then maybe it’s the government you say you work for. What’s their problem with building schools in Burma? Are they afraid if those kids get educated, there will be an uprising or something?”

“They don’t like your ideas?”

“What?”

“You said you would like to have a part in it, but you don’t. Don’t they like your ideas?”

“As a matter of fact, no.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know!” She huffed out her frustration, then settled. “Why don’t you ask them? It’s probably something to do with profits.”

“So they didn’t take you up on your ideas, and that’s why you’re operating on your own? You don’t care to implicate them at all? Or anyone else?”

“Implicate who in what?”

“Do they really not know what you’re doing? No one else in the office is involved?”

She rested her face in her hands. “This is ridiculous.”

“All you have to do is tell me what you’re doing, and this will all stop.”

“You said you have evidence.”

“I do.”

“I can’t even begin to imagine. There is nothing in my office to implicate me in anything, and there’s nothing outside of the office either, so why don’t you tell me what it is you think I’m doing, because I have no idea what you’re talking about. Or at least tell me about this evidence you apparently have, then I can explain it to you.”

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