THIS JOB SUCKS!

Chapter 20

She began the painstaking process of reading her texts. There seemed to be a million of them. She didn't know why there were so many. Then she noticed the time stamp there were some from Saturday and a few from Sunday. Sunday? Wasn't today Saturday? Whitney went back to the main screen to check the date. It was Sunday! What happened to Saturday? She glanced up at Rami and Madraeus. Had they let her sleep through almost two days? How could she have slept that long? Groaning she sent out a general reply to everyone. Whitney told everyone that she was alright and had spent the rest of Friday night talking to the police then gone home to sleep. She hoped that would keep everyone happy for a while.

She then turned to her voice-mail. Just as she had started listening to the first message, her phone started to go off. Several people were texting her back. She cringed as her ring-tone blasted into the quiet study. Slowly Madraeus turned his attention to her. It was exactly what she was trying to avoid.

"Sorry! Sorry!" she hastened to turn the sound off. Madraeus frowned and turned back to the desk. 

Whitney looked back down at her phone. Everyone had replied that they were relieved that she was okay but now a new question had come up. Was she going to Lisa's funeral? Of course she was. Whitney glanced at Madraeus, maybe.

She wondered if he would let her go. Sighing she tried her voice-mail again. There was one from Mrs. Myers and one from her grandmother. Both contained the same kind of sentiment.

Whitney sighed again there was no sense in calling Mrs. Myers. She would see her in a minute, but her grandmother was a different matter. She still didn't know what to say to her. Reluctantly she called Grammy.

"Hi, Grammy," Whitney said when she answered.

At the sound of her voice Madraeus and Rami both looked at her. She cringed and slid down in the chair turning away from them trying to speak quietly.

"Whitney! Where have you been? Why didn't you answer your phone? Are you alright?" I took several tries but Whitney finally stopped her. 

"Grammy! I'm okay and honestly I've been sleeping."

"Sleeping?! I've been worried sick and you are sleeping?"

"Sorry Grammy, I don't know why I slept so long." 

Rami glanced at Madraeus. He was completely focused on Whitney. 

"Well I guess I can forgive you after what happened and then to have to stay all night with the police." 

"How did you know about that?"

"Well it wasn't from you!" her grandmother snapped, "I had a visit from the police."

"What!" Whitney sat up then glanced at Madraeus. He was glaring at her again. She turned away.

"Yeah, imagine my surprise when the police knocked on my door Saturday morning asking about you and Justin," Whitney cringed, "Not that my own granddaughter could have called me and told me about something so important. Oh no I get the story from a perfect stranger and then you wait a whole day to call me!" 

Guilt flooded Whitney. She had gone from the police straight to bed. When had she had time?

"Grammy I'm sorry, it's just that...things have been complicated." Maybe it was something in Whitney's voice but her grandmother changed tactics.

"Maybe it's time you came home for a while. You are dealing with a lot and you need to be somewhere safe." Whitney squeezed her eyes shut. Her Grandmother was more right than she knew. Whitney was pretty sure she wouldn't be safe anywhere for a long time.