The door to Dickerson's office swung open, and Irvin Lambert walked in.
Irvin had joined the company a month before me. Ordinary school, ordinary skills. If he didn't produce results soon, there was no way he'd clear his probation.
And rumor had it that our department had only one permanent-hire slot for this batch of new employees, which was why he'd always treated me as his biggest threat and rival.
He had a file in his hand and a clueless look on his face. "Mr. Dickerson, the client just called. They need you to sign this."
Only then did he pretend to notice me and Isabella, feigning confusion. "Bella, what's wrong?"
Isabella covered her face with her hands, shaking her head and sobbing.
Dickerson cleared his throat, took the file from Irvin, signed it, and handed it back. "This doesn't concern you. Get out."
Irvin hesitated, about to leave, when Isabella suddenly burst into tears again. "Irvin, you and Graham have always gotten along. Please, talk him out of it. If he really calls the police, there'll be no coming back from this."
Irvin's eyes lit up. He turned to me. "What's actually going on here?"
Through her tears, Isabella repeated the same story she'd told before. By the time she finished, the way Irvin looked at me had changed completely. "Graham, you always seemed so decent. I never would've guessed you were this kind of animal."
"Mr. Dickerson and Bella are both willing to let you off the hook, and you still want to call the cops and blow this up? If you know what's good for you, get lost. Otherwise things are going to get ugly for you."
Watching Irvin fume with righteous indignation, I couldn't help but laugh. "Well. Another lapdog."
"What—what did you say?" Irvin's eyes flickered. He didn't look terribly bright.
I smiled. "You heard one side of the story from Isabella and came in here to lecture me. What else would you call that?"
"Graham, don't change the subject. Irvin and I aren't like that." Seeing Irvin thrown off, Isabella jumped in fast. "As long as you listen to Mr. Dickerson right now and leave the company, I won't press this any further. Just go, quickly."
"So I'm supposed to thank you, then?" I looked at her, smiling. "Or is it that you're afraid of something?"
"Me—how could I possibly be afraid?" Her eyes darted away. "You did that to me. You're the one who should be scared."
"Did what?" I pressed.
Isabella covered her face and started crying again.
Irvin had had enough. He jabbed a finger at me. "Graham, what are you doing? Do you have to force Bella to relive something so awful?"
"This is re-victimizing her. You're shameless." Dickerson joined in.
"Something so awful?" I laughed again. "Then let me ask you. Last night, you ran into me outside the restroom?"
Isabella nodded timidly. "Yes. I'd just finished checking the restroom and was about to leave for the day when I saw you coming back to the office. You reeked of alcohol, and you grabbed me—"
Quite the convincing little story.
"What time was it?" I pressed.
Isabella blinked. "Ten... a little after ten..."
"How were you sure it was me? What was I wearing?"
"That's enough!" Irvin shielded Isabella and glared at me. "What are you even trying to do?"
I spread my hands. "Nothing. Just nailing down the details. Makes it easier to check when we pull the security footage and see whether Isabella's eyes were playing tricks on her."
"The camera outside the restroom has been broken for ages." The words shot out of Isabella's mouth before she realized what she'd said and clapped a hand over it.
Dickerson cleared his throat. "All right, enough of this back-and-forth. Apologize to Bella and get out of my company."
"Leave with a stain on my record for assaulting a coworker?" I shook my head and hit call on the number I'd already half dialed. "Hello, I'd like to report a crime."
"What are you doing?"
Seeing that I'd actually gotten through, Irvin panicked and lunged straight for my phone.
