The Angriest Angel

Chapter 21

"It is," she agreed.  "But what really interests me is gardening.  I love it—it's my favorite hobby.  Not only the study of plant life, but just being outside.  I just love it."

"I can tell," he said.  "But let's get back to you not being my case manager.  If you are a stand-in, if this isn't your real job, then what are we doing here?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't work for the state, so I don't have to answer to you."

Avery leaned back in her chair and sipped her drink, looking at him carefully.

"The doc told me to though," he continued.  "Which is the only reason I made that deal in the first place.  But if I knew you were a gardener—"

"Botanist."

"Whatever.  Then I never would have agreed.  So my question is, why are you still watching me?  Who put you up to this, and why?"

"You promised you wouldn't push any further," she said.

"Give me at least some explanation," Chase said, "because this makes no sense.  You are doing this for your fiancé, but my guess is that he doesn't work for the government either.  If he did then he'd have to do things by the book, which clearly this isn't.  So what the hell is going on?"

The question hung in the air.  Avery looked at him, as if weighing her options.  Chase imagined that she was considering a variety of lies in her mental logbook, trying to determine which one would be the most believable.  He had prepared himself to launch another verbal assault at whatever she tried to sell him.

She sighed, looking at him with a slightly pitied expression, and said, "I can't answer that."

"Oh, okay," he said.  While he respected her honesty, the absurdity of the situation was overwhelming, and he no longer wanted to entertain the charade.  "I'll be leaving then."

"Chase, don't.  Please," she said, her expression turning to one of concern.

"I am tired of you jerking me around," he said, slamming his glass on the table and rising to his feet.  "I know you told me that in confidence, but I need more.  And if you want to tell the police that I violated my probation, that's fine with me.  I'm sure they'd love to hear about a botanist pretending to be a case manager."

Avery swallowed hard, the panic in her eyes was impossible for her to mask.  Chase was not bluffing, but it seemed as if she didn't care whether he was or was not.  He had never seen someone lose an argument so easily.  It was almost as if her innocence betrayed her.  She could've made up many different stories to pacify him, but instead she chose to tell the truth.

He gave her a moment to respond, but she didn’t.  Her expression was an odd mix of pain and naiveté.  Coupled with her attractive features, it was a very odd sight.  But his interest in her secret was outweighed by the annoyance of her hiding it.

"Bye, Ocean Eyes," he said, walking away.

After he took two steps, Avery launched to her feet.  She moved so quickly that her chair fell backward onto the ground.  She ran past him and stood in his way, barring the path.  Despite her height and long legs, she was surprisingly spry.

He considered forcing his way past her, but instead gave her a chance to explain.

"Please don't go," she said.

"Why?"

Her eyes were wide with fear and her forehead was wrinkled in concern.  She looked at him intently, as if he were the only person in the whole world.

"Last night you said that you trusted me," she said.  "Do you still?"

"I trust you," he admitted.  "But I don’t trust what I see—I don't trust whatever it is that you're hiding.  I need to go, I'm sorry."

He started to move past her, but she shifted her position to match him and put her hands on his chest.

Chase looked curiously at her hands, not wanting to physically move her out of the way, but she was giving him little choice. 

"Your life is in danger," she blurted.

"What?"

"If you leave me then you will not have my protection, and your life will be in danger."

"In danger," he said, his interest rekindling a bit.  "And tell me, why do I need the protection of a botanist?"

Her facial expression shifted, and once again Chase was unable to decipher it.  It was a combination of innocence and fear.  Whatever it was, it seemed powerful—genuine.  She struggled mightily with her thoughts.  Her internal conflict was palpable.

Her chin began to quiver as she searched for the right words, but none came.  She blinked, and brushed the corner of her eye with a fingertip.

Chase softened a bit and said, "You need to give me something, Avery."

She blinked rapidly and put her hand on his arm, attempting to steel herself.  "Chase, you have every right to demand answers, to question my motives, and to know what's happening.  You are perfectly justified." 

He nodded.

She swallowed, and said, "But I can't explain it.  I won't.  I never will."

He frowned, unsure how to respond to that.

"I'm not saying that to h—hurt you," she quickly continued, her voice catching.  She blinked in rapid succession, trying unsuccessfully to stop a tear from falling down her face.  She wiped her cheek and swallowed, regaining her composure before looking back at him.  "I know that you want to leave, and I can't explain why you should stay.  But I'm asking you, please—please stay anyway."

There was a profound sincerity in her expression.  Her large eyes were wet with emotion and churned like a sea storm.  They locked onto his like a tether, and Chase couldn't help but be moved by her honesty.  It was difficult for him to let go—to be in a situation which he could not control.  But the truth was that he liked Avery.  He trusted her.  She was the closest thing to a friend that he had at the moment, even if it were out of some sort of conspiratorial act of charity.  He also felt that he had no chance of learning the truth on his own, but if he stayed close to her then perhaps he could.

 He shook his head in resignation and gave in, "Ocean Eyes, you're a different kind of cat."