Page 141 of Two Guys, a Girl, and a Tripod

“Ok.” It’s a weak answer, but I feel weak right now.

Fingers trembling, I send a text to Janey, not trusting the strength of my voice any longer. We’ve filmed together enough that it shouldn’t hurt our working relationship. Making the excuse that my one of my boyfriends–which is fucking weird to say–has an emergency, I ask to reschedule for sometime next week. Her response is almost instant, wishing my ‘man’ well.

When Brody arrives, I’m still standing beside my car. I’m not sure I want him in my home right now. I don’t know what he knows, what he sees. I don’t know what I can trust him with.

He walks briskly up the driveway, reaching out as he nears me, but I take a step back, pressing my back against my car. Seeing my hesitation, Brody stills, dropping his hands.

“Sophie, please,” he begs, his voice hoarse.

“What did you do?” My mind has come up with a thousand ideas in the time it took him to get here. “How did you know Caleb was gone?”

“I haven’t…” Brody’s face falls, a broken man, begging for a last chance at life. “I haven’t told you everything I do for work.” His voice cracks halfway through the sentence.

“What does that have to do with any-?”

“The company I work for has… connections.”

“Connections?” I shake my head, frowning.

“And I have access to programs and systems most companies couldn’t dream of.”

“Brody-”

He holds up a hand to stop me.

“Please, let me explain Sophie. I have to get this out. Hate me or forgive me, but you need to hear everything.”

My mouth snaps shut, lips forming a thin line while I wait for him to continue.

“Harp Solutions,” he goes on, “is focused on security, or anti-security in many cases. We can find our way into virtually any system, any device, any network. That’s my branchof the company. When you first told me about Caleb, it was easy to find a back way into that camera system.” He points to the doorbell.

“A back way?”

“And I’ve been able to watch him come and go and leave those stupid notes,” his voice grows louder, angrier, “and I haven’t been able to do anything about it and it pisses me off because you’re so fucking scared.” Brody takes a ragged breath.

“Why didn’t you just tell me this?”

“That’s not all.” He drops his gaze and takes a steadying breath before meeting my eyes again. Those green orbs hold a plea–to believe him, to forgive him. “My boss, she- I asked her for help. I wanted to protect you.” He falls silent.

“Brody just fucking tell me.” I’m not sure how he hears my whisper. I can’t tell if I’m trembling with rage or fear or perhaps admiration that someone cares so much about me, crazy as that may be. I haven’t had that before.

“Cameras,” he whispers. “I- We put up cameras.”

My stomach drops, knowing the answer to my question before I ask it.

“In my fucking house?”Thattremble in my voice is definitely rage. “You put cameras in my fucking house? Where? My bathroom? My bedroom?”

“Your office,” Brody replies, speaking over me. “Pointing toward each door. And one above your front door. That’s it.”

“That’s it?” I repeat angrily. “Oh thank you for not putting cameras in my room to watch me sleep.” I try to stomp toward my door, but Brody steps in front of me.

“Sophie, I didn’t know what else to do. You weren’t telling me about the other notes, you weren’t-”

“Confiding in you? I barely knew you!” My neighbors are going to hear if I don’t calm down. “Istillbarely know you!”

“I know and I violated a trust I never even earned, but please believe me when I say I never intended any harm. I did everything in my power to keep you safe. I even-” He takes a steadying breath. “To convince my boss to help, I basically agreed to retire.”

“I don’t-”

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