Page 5 of Girl, Deceived

Ella hesitated for a moment, contemplating how much she should reveal. The weight of everything pressed down on her, and she decided honesty was the best course.

‘I looked into records on the FBI database that I didn’t have clearance to access.’

‘That’s it?’

'It sounds minor, but it's not. Looking up confidential info can get me fired at best, jail time at worst. Plus I had to get some of the details from another FBI worker – off the record – so revealing anything will incriminate her too.’

Ben ran his fingers through his hair again, his anxiety now evident. ‘Damn, Ella. That's… risky. How long before they find out?’

‘I don’t know. They might not. But if they call me to present evidence against Logan, they'll want to know where it came from. Once they start digging... it won't take them long.’

Ben rubbed his temples. ‘Okay, let's think this through. If they subpoena you, can you deny the evidence? Say it's not admissible?’

Ella sighed. ‘I could, but then I'd be withholding evidence in a major case. And if they suspect I've accessed unauthorized information, they'll have grounds to investigate me.’

Ben began pacing and said, ‘We should reach out to that FBI worker, the one who helped you. She might know what's going on, or if there's any chatter about your unauthorized access.’

Ella shook her head, ‘That could expose her even more. She risked a lot for me already.’

The weight of the day's revelations sat heavily on Ella's heart. The quiet hum of the refrigerator in the background was the only audible noise, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions swirling inside her.

She glanced around the apartment – the one she had built her life in. Memories of movie nights, shared dinners, and intimate moments with Ben flashed before her eyes. Ella longed for a simpler life, days of her biggest concern being where to have dinner or what Netflix show to binge. Days and nights of laughter, undisturbed by the specter of legal troubles and old vendettas.

‘Why now?’ Ella whispered to herself, clasping her hands together. It seemed that just as she and Ben had found their rhythm, this whole mess with Logan and her illicit activities threatened to upend everything.

The bitterness of the irony was not lost on her. The very actions she took to seek justice for her father might now jeopardize the life she wanted to build with the man beside her. The looming shadow of potential legal consequences, not just for her but for Robert Reed’s widow – the woman who’d risked her own life in this long process – made her stomach churn with anxiety.

‘You want to stay at my place for a while?’ Ben asked. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to live with me… again.’

Ella managed a weak smile, appreciating Ben's attempt at lightening the mood. He'd already asked her to move in with her a few weeks ago, and Ella had decided it was too soon.

‘I guess I’m accepting your offer after all,’ she said.

‘And all it took was an assassin,’ Ben laughed.

‘Would that be okay? I won’t be a bother.’

Ben chuckled softly, ‘You? A bother? Yeah, you can be a pain in the ass, but if you don’t go to sleep hating your partner at least once a week then you’re doing something wrong.’

‘You think?’

‘Relationships should be an experience of every emotion on the spectrum.’

Ella wasn’t sure that was true, but she entertained the idea. ‘Every emotion? Even anxiety, grief?’

‘Well, no, but those things will undoubtedly crop up at some point. It doesn’t help that you chase psychos for a living.’

A brief, almost comfortable silence settled between them before Ella said, ‘Maybe I should call it a day. You should see the spring in Ripley’s step now she’s on countdown to retirement.’

Ben looked in deep thought. ‘Maybe. I mean, you could do anything. But I know you won’t. You don’t want to do that, do you?’

Ella leaned back, considering his words. ‘I know. It's just... chasing the truth, seeking justice, it's been such a huge part of who I am. To walk away from that feels... I don’t know... like I'm giving up.’

‘So don’t do it. Life is a blank canvas, and you can do whatever you want. Providing you pay the bills.'

Ella laughed again. ‘Is that a hint?’

‘A little bit.’

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