"Is this Quinn Thomas?" a cheerful male voice asked.
"I'm sorry, who is this?"
"My name is Evan. Is this the Quinn Thomas that used my mother's Hermes scarf as a sling?"
"Evan! You surprised me. How did you get this number?" I asked.
"Well, you did not accept our dinner invitation, but you did tell me your name and that you were a local so I looked you up," Evan said. "Now I understand about not wanting dinner, but my parents and I would really like to thank you."
"Please don't. It was nothing," I said. How could I explain how exhilarating I had found his accident?
"It’s not just us that thought so," Evan said. "The EMTs were pretty impressed too. We all got to talking and I think we've come up with a great suggestion."
"You talked about me on the way to the hospital?"
"All good things. So, as a thank you, my parents and I would like to offer to pay for your EMT training and certification. To be honest, we did the research and it may have cost more to take you to that five-star restaurant," Evan said. "This way, we figure our thank you will end up helping a lot more people."
I laughed. "That is very generous of you, but I cannot accept that much money from you. I'm just glad you are okay."
"Just consider it," Evan said. He gave me his number and hung up.
I was still smiling when my mother came in carrying the pizza. "I paid for it in the driveway," she said. "I hope that's okay."
"Thanks." I pulled out an extra plate and napkin for her.
"So," my mother said as she sat down at a kitchen stool, "what are you smiling about?"
She was so relaxed and calm it was hard not to feel at ease around her. "I think I know what I want to do," I said.
"Are you up for giving me details or are you going to keep it under wraps?" she asked. "Your sister always kept everything under wraps until she had it perfectly thought out. She liked the big reveal."
"Yeah, I guess that's a good idea. There are a lot of details to figure out," I said.
"Well, at least give me the general idea." My mother smiled and took a large slice of pizza.
"I think I found a way to use my talents to earn enough money to get certified in the perfect career," I said. "And the best part is I can do it all on my own. No offense."
"None taken," my mother said. "I sometimes think I would feel stronger, more steady, if I had made my own way. I don't regret marrying your father, but he pays for everything and it leaves me, I don't know, adrift."
Her eyes started to get a familiar faraway glaze. I could feel the relaxation and contentment evaporating from her. My mother's mood swings always made me nervous. I chewed my pizza carefully and wondered how to ask her about them. Did she know Sienna had the same sharp ups and downs? My mother had to know it was dangerous. She had to feel it.
"Oh, your phone's buzzing," my mother said. "I'm just going to run upstairs and get an aspirin." She disappeared up the staircase, and I had the sinking feeling I would not see her again for too long.
I looked at my phone and saw Owen's name. I froze. Part of me wanted to throw my phone across the room. Wouldn't life be simpler without Owen? I wondered. The majority of me, including my leaping heart, knew that Owen would always be the one part of my life I could count on no matter how messy things got.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Quinn, is there any way you can come over? The cops are here again and I feel like I need someone to be my witness," Owen said.
"The cops are at your apartment again?" I asked. I slid reluctantly off my stool and looked up the stairs after my mother. "Shouldn't you call a lawyer, instead?"
"Yes. I don't know. I don't know how to handle this. They're not finding anything and I don't want to blow it out of proportion. It would just feel better if I had someone here on my side. Besides, your father is a lawyer. You'll probably understand all this legal talk better than me."
I promised I would leave soon and went to the foot of the stairs. "Mom? Are you okay?"
"Just tired, darling. I think I'll turn in," she called down, her voice fuzzy.
"Do you mind if I run out? I'll call Father and let him know," I said.
"Sure, sure," her voice disappeared and I heard her bedroom door shut.
I was relieved to get my father's voicemail. I told him I was running out to the store to grab a few things and would be home soon. Then, I drove as quickly as I could to Owen's apartment and found three squad cars parked haphazardly outside his building.
#
I found Owen pacing the hallway outside his apartment.
"Are you okay?" I asked. I peeked around him into the open door. Four uniformed police officers were systematically searching every inch of his apartment.
"No. I'm not okay. I know you're not going to want to hear this, but I have a theory about why this is happening," Owen said.
"Why wouldn't I want to hear your theory?" I crossed my arms and leaned against the hallway wall.
"Because I think somehow your father is using his connections to create these search warrants and send the cops over here." He saw my face and held up his hands. "Hey, I said you didn't want to hear it, but think about it. He doesn't want me around you. He'd be happy to discredit me in any way possible."
"That doesn't mean he would stoop to illegal measures," I said.
"That's why I think it makes sense that it’s him. He can do all of this and make it seem perfectly legal," Owen said.
I ran both hands through my hair and had to strain not to pull any out. "So, you brought me over here to throw me in the middle of some psychotic made-up dispute between you and my father?" I asked.
Owen stopped pacing and pried my hands off my head. "No. And it’s not psychotic. Your father blames me for a lot of things, now more than ever."
"He can't blame you for me quitting my nursing program. And even if he did, this would make no sense as retaliation," I said.
"I don't think it’s about the nursing program," Owen said. He bit his lip.
"You mean you think this is about what happened with Sienna? He blames you for her death?" I pulled away. "Look, Owen, this isn't what I needed tonight. I'm sorry this is happening to you, but I am certain it has nothing to do with my father."
He caught my hands and pulled me back. "You're right, I know. I'm sorry. I just have no idea who else would be after me like this."
"Didn't we already talk about it and you thought it could be another player literally trying to throw you off your game?" I asked. "Or, to counter your insane accusation of my father, why don't I point out that it could very well be Anya. A little jealousy might go a long way. She seems like the type that would pay a powerful lawyer."
Owen looked as if he had swallowed a tack and then he cleared his throat. "But the first time happened before Anya started acting jealous, so it couldn't be her. And I'm sorry to mention your father, but it could be possible."
I was glad when the police filed out of the apartment because it stopped us talking. They walked by without even speaking to Owen, so it was obvious they did not find what they were looking for inside. It took three whole minutes of pounding silence before either of us moved to enter the now-abandoned apartment.