When he finished, the two of us went out to the parking lot to find the housekeeper waiting next to my truck. I gave her a curious look, and she adjusted her blouse in a nervous gesture.
“I'm sorry the two of you haven't been properly introduced.” Owen said, as we approached her.
“Ronnie, this is Carlotta. Carlotta, this is my girlfriend Ronnie.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you.” She said, reaching out to grasp my hand.
I accepted the greeting, and returned her kind smile.
“I don't think that we should talk here.” She said, glancing around the parking lot.
“Is everything alright?” I asked.
“No.” She laughed. “I'm sorry, I laugh when I'm nervous.”
“Why don't you ride to the luncheon with us, Carlotta? Then you can tell me whatever you need to along the way.”
Her eyes darted to me, and then back to Owen as if she was trying to convey something. She did it again, and again until finally I'd had enough.
“Have I done something wrong?” I asked.
“No. Not at all. It's just- well it's personal. Mister Foster wouldn't like me-”
“Carlotta, whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of Ronnie. I trust her.”
He snaked his arm around my waist, and bent down to kiss the top of my head. It brought me back to our conversation about reassurance. I smiled, leaning into him. This man was amazing. Even on one of his darkest days, he was still taking care of my feelings.
“OK.” She said, her voice shaky. “OK.”
I sat in the middle of the bench seat, and when we pulled out onto the road Owen cleared his throat. We were both expecting her to start talking. She was literally freaking out mere seconds ago, but now that she was in a safe space it was like she'd frozen up again.
“Carlotta?” Owen asked.
She started to dig around in her purse, and handed me a flash drive.
“What's this?” I asked.
“When I was cleaning out Mister Foster's office, I found a hidden camera.”
Owen glanced at her briefly before returning his eyes to the road.
“You mean... the person who killed him... there's video footage?”
“It was an old nanny cam he used to use when you were left with a sitter. The feed always went directly to my work email. He told me it was because he didn't trust anyone else with the footage. I never thought anything of it. But when I saw the camera, something told me to check that email address again.”
“And?” I asked, nearly sitting on the edge of my seat.
“Everything is right there, plain as day. He even looked right at the camera.”
“Who?” Owen asked, his own patience wearing thin.
“Derek.”
My mind. Was blown. I had known this man for fifteen years, and not once was I ever afraid of him. Yet in the span of the last six months he'd switched my medication, and if what Carlotta just said was true... he'd also murdered a man. His own father. And for what? The 'family' business? A sense of belonging?
Suddenly my head was spinning, and I felt dizzy. My pulse was racing, and my stomach started cramping. I wrapped my arms around my middle, and hunched over in my seat.
“Unicorn?” Owen asked, rubbing his hand over my back. “Are you alright?”
“I- I think I'm going to be sick.” I said, before I did just that.
I OPENED MY EYES, AND felt something cool on my forehead. I blinked a few times as things started to come into focus. Owen was sitting on a chair beside me, holding a washcloth on my forehead. It was then that I realized we were back at my apartment.
“Owen?” I asked. “What- what happened?”
“I think you had some kind of panic attack. You got sick, and then you had a hard time breathing. The next thing I knew you'd passed out. I wanted to take you to the hospital, but you wouldn't let me.”
“Right. We were in the truck, and- Derek!” I said, sitting up in a rush.
“Hey, hey, hey.” He soothed, gently laying me back down onto the bed. “Take it easy, alright?”
“How are you so calm right now?”
“Because, Unicorn. We've got him exactly where we want him.”
I shook my head. “But he killed your father. We can't just-”
“We can't what? Give him a taste of his own medicine? He threatened you, Ronnie. And as you've just pointed out he killed my father!”
“If we just take the flash drive to the police-”
“I want to scare him first. After everything he's done I just... I want to make him squirm.”
“Owen, that's not who you are.”
“You don't know the kind of man I am, Ronnie! We barely fucking know each other. Maybe I'm the kind of man who wants revenge. Who needs it. Maybe I'm the kind of guy who wants that son of a bitch to suffer!”
“I don't believe that.” I said as a tear slid down my cheek, and my voice trembled.
“What the hell is going on in here?” Morgan asked, as she burst through my bedroom door. “She's supposed to be resting! What the hell are you doing screaming at her?”
“I- I didn't mean to. I mean I wasn't.” He stammered.
“Take a walk.” Morgan said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I'm fine. I don't need-”
“Take. A. Walk.” She said again with more force this time.
He stood slowly, and bent down to kiss my forehead.
“I'll be right back, Unicorn.” He whispered. “I love you.”
When he started to walk away, I pulled myself up into a sitting position.
“Owen.” I said,
