“I am not blushing!” Knox says. “It is hot, and my skin is sensitive.”
“But the windows are open.”
“My body temperature does not react according to the environment.”
“What does it react to?”
“You are a curious cat, aren’t you?” Knox says sharply. “Do you intend to drown me in a sea of questions? Is this an interrogation?”
“Well, I warned you I’m not a good conversationalist.” She tosses her handkerchief on the table. Her mouth turned down in disappointment. “I will depart with my questions, so you are not burdened by my presence.”
“Wai—”
Knox reaches for her, but she slips through the doors, vanishing down the corridor.
Knox’s chair screeches as he stands up.
“Don’t bother,” I say. “Give her a moment.”
“I upset her,” he says, frowning. “I didn’t know she would…she isnothinglike her sister.”
“If they didn’t look alike, I’d doubt they were related.”
“I have to go apologize,” Knox says. “It’s best not to let her dwell on my bad manners too long.”
“Fine,” I say.
I have a call to make to Warrick anyway.
I close my study door. I’ve been at the Forge for so long, it’s been a while since I worked from here. I set up my monitor and dial his number. The video feature is on, and it takes several long seconds for him to answer. When the light blinks, I see Warrick’s sharp-boned face. He is dressed in a midnight blue suit and is staring at me with a straight-faced expression.
“I was wondering how long it would take for her to drive you insane,” Warrick says. “I didn’t anticipate that you’d survive two months.”
“Haven is…she is not the reason I called,” I say.
I can’t believe I was about to defend her in front of this terrible man. The last thing I want to do is have Orson Warrick think that his daughter has brought me to heel.
“Then what could we possibly discuss?” Warrick asks.
“I’m working on a rebel case,” I say. “I believe the leader was associated with Astrid Mallory. I tried to locate her file, but I couldn’t seem to access it.”
Warrick straightens, his eyes narrowing.
“Those records were sealed by your father,” Warrick says tightly. “You should speak with him, not me.”
“But you must knowsomething,” I press. “You did execute her after all.”
“My orders came from your father. After she was fired from the research lab, I didn’t want to be associated with her in case it tainted my reputation,” he says. “She was shunned for losing such a prestigious position and moved to a different division to escape society. It was years later when I received a call from theSupreme Director who asked me to publicly execute her. I didn’t ask questions.”
“It wasn’t you who discovered her ties to the Resistance?” I ask.
“That intel came from your father.”
I frown.
The Supreme Director didn’t involve himself in specific cases. Sometimes, he’d attend a high-profile execution to show the people that the regime was unafraid, but he did not trouble himself with the day-to-day operations.
“Listen, kid,” Warrick says. “You want my advice?”
