Page 17 of Small Sacrifices

"Why would he think they were stupid in the first place?"

Marisol gives him a blank look. "Well, considering that he apparently thought you wouldn't be bothered if he took credit for your work, maybe that's an assumption he makes about everyone. Or maybe it's just pure brazenness."

Sadly, the latter makes more sense. But it feels wrong to even just think about it. Then he'd be doing it on purpose. Someone working in the governor's office should not be doing that sort of thing on purpose. And if Mr. Wrightisdoing it on purpose, then isn't Reid an accomplice now? He didn't complain—at least not to anyone who could do anything about it. Does that mean it's going to be his fault, too, the next time Mr. Wright does that to someone?

Fingers snapping in front of his face rip him out of his thoughts. "Hey! You aren't even listening to me," Marisol complains. Reid catches himself thinking that her frown is kind of adorable and immediately feels guilty. That's not right. She's his colleague. She's a grown woman.

"I'm sorry," he says.

Marisol snorts. "It's alright. I was just telling you to go to Wright ASAP. Even with the right arguments, it's gonna be a bitch to convince even half of those people to do what we want them to do. You're gonna need all the time you can get."

Chapter 8: New Instructions

Reid has to take a few deep breaths before he can muster up the courage to knock on Mr. Wright's door. There's a clattering sound from inside, like something has just been knocked over, and some muffled cursing. Then, Mr. Wright says: , "Come in!"

When he's stepped close enough to see it, the expression on Mr. Wright's face is annoyed. "You again. I thought I told you what to do?"

He also told him to come back for help if he needed it, but Reid bites his tongue. Saying that won't help him.

"I apologize, but I'm afraid that we won't be making any progress with the parents as long as we have nothing concrete to tell them."

Mr. Wright scrunches up the surplus of skin on his forehead. "I told you how to deal with that."

Reid doesn't scoff, but it's a close thing. "You did, but I don't think we'll find much success with that strategy." God, he hates this so much. He shouldn't have to be talking this carefully. Especially not to someone he's working with. Why is he so scared of Mr. Wright's reaction? He's done nothing wrong. Mr. Wright shouldwanthim to do this properly. But right now, he looks annoyed at best.

"And what does that mean?" he asks, leaning back in his chair.

"It means that assurances that Governor Mackenzie is actively working towards a solution aren’t enough. People are already angry, so I think it would be best to only tell them what we know for sure. Even just disappointed hopes could make the situation much worse."

"You talked to that Greene woman, I take it?"

Reid nods. "Her son is now hospitalized."

"Crap. I thought you said she was our best hope?"

What?

"I used her as an example because she has been outspoken since the beginning. She would be good on camera if she was willing to cooperate." He stops to think for a moment. "She may even agree to a photo of her son with the governor. In the hospital. But she told me to only call back once I had something concrete to tell her."

Mr. Wright's chest heaves with a silent chuckle. "Feisty, ain't she? But you think you can convince her?"

Feisty.Anger coils in Reid's stomach on her behalf.More like rightfully angry.

"I think she wants to trust in the government, the system," he says. "She is a teacher. But she'll need proof that's still justified. And she wants help for her son. Hospital stays are expensive."

"So this is about money." Mr. Wright nods as if he understands, even though he definitely does not. Reid swallows a snippy answer.

"Partially. But isn't it going to end up being about money either way? There are always lawsuits with these sorts of cases." People have already started throwing around the wordimpeachmentlike it's beads at Mardi Gras. It's not justified, but whoever might end up in the jury is likely to remember that.

"Ah." Mr. Wright clicks his fingers. "We don't talk about lawsuits in this office. It's bad form, don't you think?"

Reid thinks it's foolish not to consider potential future implications. Parents who feel their concerns are addressed now are less likely to sue later. Although he has a feeling that may not be what Mr. Wright is saying. He could just be asking Reid not to jinx it.

"So she wants money?" Mr. Wright asks when Reid has been quiet for too long.

Reid digs the fingernail of his ring finger into the ball of his thumb. "I think she wants someone to take responsibility."

"Well, that ain't happening."

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