Truth or Lies? by A. Gomez (books to get back into reading TXT) 📕

Ben. I didn’t want to make amends with David but we needed information from him. He was an arrogant, egocentric man so I just needed to be apologetic, yet still keep my distance. “I’m sorry for overreacting earlier, David. I just needed some time alone to think and process through everything.”

“Don’t apologize, honey. This is my fault and I told you I would fix it.” He took my hand and kissed it, gripping it firmly in his.

I pulled it out of his clasp and gave him half a grin. “David, is it safe to talk here without getting accosted by Ginger?”

“Oh, uh…” He looked up and around. “Yeah, we should be fine. I think she’s gone to radiology. What’s up?”

“Earlier today you saw a girl by the name Elsa. She came in with another girl, an older woman that calls herself Debbie and a large Asian man. We need to know what you saw Elsa for and who the other people are.”

David eyed Ben. “Is there something wrong? Are they in trouble?”

“No, nothing like that,” Ben lied. “They may have information on the case we currently have. I just need to ask them a few questions and Isabel would like to talk to the girls.”

“Let me think,” he said, looking down at the floor. “I saw her for an infection. She had a pretty bad laceration on her back that got infected. Apparently, she was in an abusive relationship and this was the handiwork of her boyfriend.”

I tried not to react. “And the others that were with her?”

“So, the woman that brought her is Ginger’s friend, I can’t remember her name. I think she runs a non-profit for at-risk girls; the patient’s sister was there for moral support, I think, and the man… I don’t know why he was there. I just assumed he was there to help since this was an abusive boyfriend she was hiding from.”

“Did you happen to see any tattoos on the man?” asked Ben.

“He had his jacket on the entire time and I saw nothing on his neck or face, so no.”

“David, Elsa’s chart has no address or contact information for her… how can I get ahold of her or the woman that helped her?” I asked, my eyebrows pulled together.

He ran his finger down my nose, forcing me to relax my expression, grinning at me. He always hated when I frowned. He said it would give me premature lines on my face. Bastard! I can frown if I damn well please! “I think she is at a shelter, not sure. I can ask Ginger how you can get in touch with her if you like.”

I scoffed at his suggestion, “If you do, you better not say it’s for me. She may set you on fire.” Ben smirked at my comment. I looked at David in disgust, shaking my head, wondering how could he stand to work with her. Wondering what I ever saw in him.

He pulled me aside, away from Ben. “Isabel, please don’t look at me that way. It hurts me to think you could hate me.”

“I don’t hate you, David. I’m just feeling hurt and disappointed. I loved you so dearly at one point and you broke my heart… and now… now I just can’t be around you.” I let out a huff, scowling at him. He looked dejected and hurt. Crap! Why did I feel guilty for saying that?

“Can we talk later?” he asked.

“Sure,” I whispered.

“Promise?”

“Yes, I promise,” I said, forcing a smile.

Ben and I headed back to my office. Ben was talking about how David’s answers were not believable and how he didn’t trust David. I would nod and give an occasional mmhmm, but my mind was on Josh.

My ponytail was feeling too tight so I took my hair down while we were in the elevator. Ben was still rambling on. I was rubbing my scalp and fluffing my hair, lost in my thoughts of Joshua Rockwall. I leaned against the wall of the elevator, pretending to care what Ben was saying, nodding politely, but all I could hear was Josh’s voice declaring his love for me. All I could see was Josh’s piercing blue eyes looking into mine. I grinned at the memory of our time alone this morning.

“Isabel!” Ben snapped.

“What?” he startled me back to the present.

“You haven’t heard anything I said, have you?” he asked, sounding upset. “Where’s your head?

“I’m sorry, Ben,” I replied. “I’m thinking about Josh and those two girls on his phone. I know it’s Elsa and Inara and that he was telling the truth,” I said, feeling ashamed of my behavior. “I miss him. I want to see him. I want to be with him. I want all this to go away.”

“Isabel, you know this is just temporary.”

“Yes, I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier,” I replied. “You should be able to understand a little, given your reaction when that Triad member mistook Belín for me,” I added. “The thought of her being taken from you was nothing short of unbearable, I’m sure.”

He stiffened, remembering the man and Belín. He began to get agitated and started pushing the elevator button as if that was going to make it go faster. I stared at him quizzically. What did I say? What’s got him so worked up? Isn’t she with another agent?

“Hey, relax, she’s in good hands. You called that other agent, remember?”

“That other agent was only able to get her and your mother to your office and leave them there. He had to get back and stay with Jill.” He sounded like he was about to bite my head off.

The doors opened and he flew out. He got on his phone, probably trying to call her. He was walking at a pace I had to jog every now and