Priory // h.s.

chapter thirty-five

The apartment is empty, since Jillian is still downstairs in the Main Hall, helping out with PCOS like I'm supposed to be. I hope Maura doesn't notice my absence, but even if she does, I'm sure Gerald can convince her to let it slide. It's so annoying, what that woman will do to suck-up to people like him, but I guess in this case it works to my advantage.

I lead the way into the living room. "Please have a seat on the sofa, Mr. Styles. Make yourself comfortable."

His smile is dazzlingly bright. "I'm afraid I can't be comfortable if you keep calling me that. Call me Gerald."

I'd rather not. "Sure." I sit down in the armchair, careful to put as much distance between us as possible. 

Clearing his throat, Gerald leans forward in an anticipating fashion. A little twist of his hair falls out over his forehead, and his tie is slightly crooked. "What can you tell me?" 

"That," I say, "is a very vague question. I'm going to need you to be more specific."

Letting out a little grunt, he mutters, "Obviously, you have your own reasons to mistrust Damon and Priory. Because if you didn't, you would have instantly told Maura when I came to you asking you to divulge your boss's secrets."

I give him a wry smile. "That's because I'm not supposed to know any of his secrets. Hence the word secret."

"Fair point. But you are going to give me some new information to work with? Most importantly, I need to know what Damon is really using Priory facilities to do. See, I'm investing my money--"

"I know, I know," I say hastily.

For a second, I hesitate. Am I really making the right choice by including Gerald in this investigation? From what I know about him, he's very selfish and too concerned with his business.

In this case, though, that might turn out as something helpful, something to lure him onto our side.

Besides, I've already made my choice. Harry hates me for it. I might as well get all I can out of the consequences of my actions, seeing what they've cost me.

Just thinking of Harry, and of the devastated look on his face, makes my heart twist.

That's ridiculous. He's the one overreacting. I shouldn't feel guilty. But I do. I can't deny that I do. In his eyes, I betrayed him. Took the trust he tentatively placed in my hands and threw it away like it was nothing. 

Dumb Harry and his dumb way of messing all my feelings up.

Clearing my throat, I begin to tell Gerald everything. Or at least, a watered-down version of it. I skip a few select parts, but give him the overview: the files we found in Damon's office, the pilot license, and the incident with the snake in the "reptile emporium". I also briefly mention the hangar, and the vials of liquid.

God, I really hope I'm not making a mistake by telling him all of this. If he tells on us, Harry will never forgive me–not that he seems inclined to forgive me now, or anything. We'll be fired. Or worse. I can't even stand to think about it. If Gerald stabs me in the back, not only will I suffer, but Harry, will too, and for my mistake. I tighten my hands into fists to stop panic from taking me over.

When I'm done talking, Gerald is staring at me with an odd sort of expression. "You found all that stuff out behind Damon's back?"

"With Harry," I correct. 

With Harry. So far, that's how we've made most of our biggest discoveries in the case. Together.

Now what'll happen to our investigation? Will he return to going it solo?