“It’s not that simple.”
“Sure it is. You got questions, go ask her for the answers.”
“She doesn’t want me to know.”
“Have you actually asked?”
“I have. Ten years ago.”
Zade’s breathy chuckle made Matt want to reach through the phone and punch the guy in the throat.
“Jesus, Turner. She would’ve been what, eighteen?”
“Seventeen.”
“Dude.”
“What?”
“Oh, that’s right. I forget you’re an only child. Explains so much, but that’s a whole different story. Anyway, I’ve got two sisters, and trust me. Teenage girls are a species all their own. If whatever happened between you two went down when she was that young, you need to let that shit go. Now.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Maybe not. But you may not understand, either. If she kept things from you back then, I’m sure she had her reasons. You ever consider they may not be what you’re assuming?”
Matt remained quiet for a beat before telling Zade, “Derek brought over folders on all the Biomeds employees working in Kat’s lab. Including her.”
“And? What did you find out?”
“I haven’t looked through it yet.”
“Ah…” Zade’s trailing voice had that all-knowing Sensei tone that left Matt half-expecting his teammate to call him Daniel Son.
“What? What is ‘Ah’?”
“Let me ask you this. Which scares you more…the idea of finding confirmation of your suspicions, or finding evidence that you’ve been wrong about her this entire time?” When Matt didn’t answer, his friend quietly told him, “Read the file, Matt. At least then you’ll know. Either way, you can move on.”
Matt ran his fingers over the manila cover. “Thanks for checking on me, Z.”
“Anytime, man. Holler if you need anything.”
Ending the call, Matt set his phone aside. Setting the folder back down, he stood and went into the kitchen to make some coffee. Something told him he was going to need it.
With the pot fully brewed, he filled his mug to the rim and carried it back to the living room. Settling in on the couch once more, he took a few careful sips of the steaming liquid—and several deep, cleansing breaths—before opening the folder and beginning to read.
The first few pages were nothing more than the basic intel. Birth certificate, driver’s license information, current address, and copy of her lease. It was actually pretty scary to think of all the things his team could find out about a person.
Matt skimmed through her high school and college transcripts, impressed as always by her straight A’s and perfect GPA. His chest filled with a familiar pride as he read through the academic awards she’d earned while in college. His heart feeling heavy, wishing he’d been there to see her receive them.
He wasn’t surprised by her educational success. Not in the least.
Sure, Kat’s eidetic memory played a big part in it, but there was more to her than that. Much more.
Skipping past other unrelated intel, Matt came to a picture that sent a dull, rusty knife sliding straight into his heart. It was Katherine’s wedding picture.
This was the same picture he’d found back in the day when he’d been drunk and had looked her up.
The first time he’d seen it, Matt had slammed his computer closed and found the nearest trash can just in time for everything he’d drank to come right back up. Then, he’d drank more to replace it…and then some.
