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It couldn’t be that easy. What would the price be for not giving in to his demands? True, his words hadn’t been an ultimatum, but his entire demeanor was.
All the words to fight with the reasons we didn’t have to move died on my tongue. Why give him more ammunition to use on me later? He didn’t need my help.
He’d said to have it my way. Well, my way was staying put until there was no other option.
He clicked on his laptop as if I were no longer present, and I took that as my cue to go.
“Did I say we were finished?”
One step. That was all I’d made toward the exit from this hell. I stared at him expectantly without answering.
“What does Mulaney have you looking at in EXODUS?”
I was sick of being a nervous Nelly around him, but what choice did I have when he held so much of my life in his hands? I fidgeted with the collar of my blouse instead of the cross that was my crutch. Allowing Drew to see that felt like giving him even more power.
“She just asked me to look through some old—”
“Don’tlie to me.”
The rounded button was smooth under my fingers as I worked it nervously. “I’m making sure the balance sheet is in order.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why does she have you looking at that?”
“Miss Jacobs always has me double check it.”Stay cool. Stay cool. Stay cool.
He cocked his head to the side, and I darted my eyes toward the window. “What have you found, Holly?”
It sounded like an accusation. I shifted on my heels and prayed to whoever might be listening to rescue me.
“Nothing.” The word was a squeak that sounded guilty.
Drew pounced on that right away. “Are you sure about that?”
“Yes.”
He scowled when he heard I was telling the truth. “If you find anything, are you going to report it to her?”Don’t do this to me.My plea remained unheard. “Saint Pius. It’s a good school, one with lots of attention for their students, no?”
Nausea rolled through me. I swayed. Gabriel already loved his school. He’d made new friends and was as happy as I’d ever seen him. How did Drew know anything about it?
I swallowed the thickness in my throat. He knew everything.
“There’s nothing out of order,” I said. My nose tingled, and the sensation spread to my cheeks.
“That’s what I like to hear.” His teeth gleamed like a predator when he flashed a mirthless grin. “You can go.”
He returned to his computer. On a baby blue sticky note was what appeared to be a login and password. EXODUS was open on his screen.
“Why are you still here?” Once again, he didn’t look up when he spoke, as if I were nothing.
I rushed toward the door, my heart no less settled than when I’d entered. Freedom was almost in sight.
“Oh, and Holly?” I kept my back to him, though I was sure he saw the rise and fall of my shoulders with my labored breaths. “Whatever Mulaney asks you to do, I want to know about it.”
“Of course.” I spoke to the polished wood in front of my face and turned the doorknob.
I ran toward my office, crashing into a lady on the way, sending papers flying.
“Sorry,” I mumbled without helping to pick them up. It was all I could manage to keep breathing.
