Page 100 of Tempt

“Thanks.” I nod as I reach for my coffee at the hotel lunch bar.

I can’t remember the last time I relaxed with colleagues. Or spent a few days away.

I FaceTimed Andy last night and he was having a great time with Kat.

I had an even better time with Kat when I called her back later.

After lunch, I review the notes for my talk, which is the final time slot before dinner.

I’m pleasantly surprised to have a full house in the room.

“And that’s where we’re hoping to take this work next,” I conclude.

A combination of polite and appreciative applause fills the room.

The moderator comes up and asks for questions. A number of hands rise.

For the next twenty minutes, I fend off challenges.

When I’m done, I head out to the hall for break, stopped by a number of colleagues on the way to compliment my work.

“Daniel.” A senior colleague I didn’t expect to see, one who’s on my tenure committee, grabs my shoulder.

I brace myself to justify why I’m here instead of on campus, but he surprises me by smiling.

“Your new paper is impressive. I’d like you to have dinner with a few of us, if you have time.” He names a restaurant close by.

“Of course. I’ll meet you there.”

I reach for my phone, wanting to call Kat and let her know. She’ll share this excitement with me.

But I glance at the screen to find four missed calls from the time I had my device switched off.

What’s so important she called four times?

First voicemail.

“Daniel, I can’t find Andy.”

My stomach turns to ice.

I stab the “next” button.

“I don’t know what happened. He was at school, and now he’s not, and…I’ll find him, I swear.”

The ice turns to panic.

“We found him. He…had an accident.”

I stab her contact on my phone and pace the hall, students and faculty going out of their way to avoid me.

A lifetime passes before she answers.

“Kat. What the hell happened?”

“He saw a bunny in the schoolyard at lunch. After school, he went out looking for it on his own.”

Her voice is tight and tired, but all I can think of is my own fear.

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