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Truly dramatic, this one.
I drank more of Anna’s concoction from the glass.
“I strongly believe that it’s a delusion for anyone to think they hold some sort of importance in another person’s life. Including family. When we think they can’t live without us, it’s my opinion that we delude ourselves.”
She stared at me like she had never heard anything crazier. “What?”
I made a gesture with a finger. “Your family? Your friends? The colleagues? They’re going to be fine.”
“No….” She started shaking her head. “No, you don’t get it. I—”
“But I do.”
Thick, dark brows formed a worried line on her forehead, and I sighed. I dropped the glass on the centerpiece and produced another phone from my pocket.
Her eyes fell on it, and she went still.
It was hers.
I turned on the phone and spoke to her with my eyes on the screen. My fingers glided over the bright home wallpaper—a happy picture with her and a woman who looked like her older version, except the woman had sandy blonde hair, not brown.
Then, I swiped over to her messages, speaking as I searched for a voice note.
“How do I put this in the best possible way, Detective? When we brought you here, we took charge of everything concerning you, making sure not to leave loose ends. And that responsibility included fabricating emails and texts to those you claim care about you.”
The color disappeared from her cheeks, and watching her suddenly go still gave me a sense of satisfaction. It was exactly what I wanted to see. I wanted her to cower, to know who held the reins, and not for even the slightest moment think she stood a chance.
Freya gripped the edge of the couch and gaped, seemingly stricken and in shock. The look in her eyes was one I recognized all too well—denial. The battle of not wanting to believe or accept the current truth of things. But that was why I was there, wasn’t it? To bring her up to speed with her new reality. And I was more than happy to oblige.
I found the voice note heaped above long threads of messages and clickedplay.
Her voice dispersed the silence between us.
“Hi, Mom! I know you’re probably wondering why I haven’t reached out these past few days. I’m sorry. Had to take an emergency trip out of town. Currently in Europe, Paris. It’s work-related, sort of, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Wish me luck, okay? Hopefully, I’ll get to meet someone, too. Love ya!”
When the audio stopped, I tucked the phone away, looked up at her with clasped fingers, and was completely unsurprised to see murder in her eyes.
I asked, “Wasn’t that the sweetest thing?” and she gnashed her teeth.
“That sounded a lot like me. But we both know I didn’t make that recording. I am not in Paris. My stay here was forceful andnotwork-related.”
My eyebrow went up. “You haven’t figured it out yet?”
“Oh, I have.” Her scoff was demeaning. “That’s artificial intelligence, isn’t it? You generated my voice.”
“You’re catching up. This is 2024, no? Sooner or later, you’re going to have to get used to all these possibilities. And I forgot to add this part. There’s nothingwork-relatedabout your life anymore. It’s gone.Vanished.Your department isn’t very nice, and Sergeant Keith couldn’t keep covering up for you.”
Slowly, her lips began to tremble, like she knew what I would say before the words came out of my mouth.
“What did you do?”
“Me?” I smiled. “Sometimes, you give me too much credit. You getting fired was all onyou.Ever heard of AWOL and the consequences that follow?”
She looked like I’d punched her right in the fucking guts and crushed her unspoken dreams.
Her jaw dropped. “Fired?”
“Exactly as you heard it. Plus, there’s a bonus. I made sure to leave little notes for a few of your colleagues, giving hints about your sudden desire to find work elsewhere. Does Paris ring a bell now? I bet it does. So, rest assured, no one’s going to look for you because they think you’re missing. You’re safe here with me.”
