Page 10 of Retribution
The guy looks like he’s aged twenty years in a night. He’s clearly been through the ringer. He might not be remembering things right.
‘Hundred percent,’ he replies, looking me in the eye. ‘It was the same. I’d stake anything on it. My life. My reputation. Anything, Maverick. I’m sure.’
‘But that was years ago,’ I mutter, half to myself. ‘Copycat?’
He looks down at his bandaged hands. ‘Not unless they were actually there the first time. The specifics, the accelerants used, were never public knowledge. The company we worked for covered it up.’
‘You think the same person who started the fire that killed Mark Evans also destroyed the Novelle lab?’ I ask.
‘I don’t know. But the similarities between them both… There’s no way it’s a coincidence. They spread so fast…’ He shakes his head as if to clear it.
‘The campus lab is going to be out of commission for a while,’ he says with a grimace.
I nod, having already been assuming the worst, and Applegate’s eyes find mine, narrowing in confusion.
‘You aren’t here to see me. Why areyou at Richmond Memorial?’
‘Our club was destroyed today,’ I mutter. ‘Daisy was inside. She hurt her head. She’s in the ICU right now.’
‘Jesus.’ Applegate lets out a long breath. ‘Is she okay?’
‘She’s in pretty bad shape,’ I answer honestly.
‘Poor girl,’ he mutters, glancing at me. ‘Keep me posted, huh? Her father was my best friend. I knew her when she was a little kid…’
He lets out a breath and goes silent for several seconds before seeming to remember that I’m still there.
‘I made mistakes back then,’ he says quietly. ‘I’ve tried to keep things professional with her at Richmond U. I didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea, thinking she was being given things she doesn’t...but you know her. You know how brilliant she is. Just like Mark was. You know she deserves her spot in the lab.’
‘Yeah.’ I nod like I knew Daisy’s dad. ‘I know.’
‘How did it happen? The club. Her getting hurt.’ He looks suspicious.
‘Gas leak,’ I mutter.
His dubious eyes find mine. ‘Gas leak?’
Mine don’t leave his. ‘Gas leak.’
He nods. ‘I hope Miss Evans is okay. I promised Mark that I’d look after her and her mother.’
‘Why didn’t you, then?’ I grind out, suddenly angry that yet another adult let my girl down when she was too young to save herself. ‘Where were you when April married John and they sent Daisy away for a fucking decade?’
He frowns. ‘I didn’t know about April and John until long after they tied the knot. I was in the hospital. I was dealing with my own… I didn’t realize Mark had left them with nothing but debts. If April had come to me… I would have helped as much as I could have. And I had no idea that Marguerite had been sent away. I cared about her. I would have helped any way I could if I’d known how bad...’
He looks down at his hands and doesn’t speak again.
I leave, my anger draining away. It was years ago and what the hell do I know? I wasn’t there back then. But I do file everything Applegate just said away to tell the others later.
I go back to Daisy and sit in the chair by her bedside, staring down at her still form.
My strong, beautiful girl looks so vulnerable like this. I hate it. She doesn’t deserve the shit that life has dealt her.
But do any of us?
I scooch closer and take her hand, resting my cheek in her palm and willing her to be okay. Because, the truth is, not only am I reluctant to imagine my life without Daisy in it, I no longer can.
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