Thumb hovering over the green button, the ringtone stops, the call going to voice mail.
Maybe...As I stare at the screen, wondering if he's going to leave a message or not, the ringtone sets off again. *Guess that answers that question.*
No, he'll never believe that excuse, especially since he knows I always take my phone with me to bed, just in case he calls with an emergency.
Plastering on a smile I so do not feel, hoping it'll make my voice sound cheerful despite my gut churning, I slide the call button over. "Sorry, I was busy in the bathroom." Oh how I want to slap myself as the excuse comes tumbling out.
The bathroom? Really? That's what you're going to go with?
Nothing but silence comes from the other end.
Confused, I pull the phone away, tapping the speaker button as I look at the status screen.Nope, the counter is still going so the call didn't disconnect.
Two minutes pass before heavy breathing and muttered words finally come through the speaker. Two minutes of me just staring at the screen, debating on if he heard me or if this is just some awkward, random butt dial that I happen to be caught in.
At least it doesn't sound like he's having sex with someone.
"Where is it?" Josh's voice is low, growling... almost unhinged...
"It?" Confused, I sigh, leaning against the counter as I stare at my untouched plate. Already mourning the loss of a hot meal and dreading the thought of reheating it again. "Where is what?"
"You know what I'm talking about," I jump as the sound of his fist hitting a hard surface echoes through the line, "Janine saw you. She saw you take it."
"Saw me take what?"
Is this a trick gone bad? Or is Janine trying to frame me?
"I know what you're doing. You're trying to sabotage me, sabotage us, aren't you?" Josh's hissed voice makes me wonder if we're talking about some magical ring at this point, because I still have no idea what he's talking about, "Admit it, you're working for the Marks Brothers aren't you? Or maybe Ruthford? Wait, I know... It's Bradshaw, isn't it?"
Now I'm really confused. "Please, calm down. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't you dare lie to me," his breath comes over in a strained hiss, "Don't you dare deny that you were holding Bradshaw's hand last week. Janine told me all about that too."
Frustrated with the whole thing, I can't help but raise my voice, hoping to get through to him as I demand, "Lie about what?!"
"The statue!" he shrieks, causing me to pull the phone away from my ear, "You took it! I know you did."
"Maybe it fell off the desk and rolled under the chair," I press my fingers to the bridge of my nose, already feeling a headache coming on, "Or maybe Janine had moved it to her desk and forgot."
"No, I checked every desk," Josh growls, "It was here, before you left, and now it's gone."
"Look, I'll check my stuff but I know there's no way I have it." Sighing, I let him continue to rant as I walk over to my purse. Placing the phone on the floor, I pick it up, only now realizing that it's heavier than just a few handfuls of change warrants.
Digging down to the bottom, brass metal shines between crumpled receipts and the black leather of my wallet.
No, it can't be...
"I... I don't know how..." I stammer, staring at Sentinel as it lays in the bottom of my purse, "I'm sorry. I must have bumped into it and somehow it fell into my purse... but I swear I'll bring it in with me on Monday-"
Josh's words are short. Clipped. Cutting in before I can say anything else, "Tomorrow. At the party. Bring it with you."
"Yes...yes. Of course."
Before I can say anything else he hangs up, leaving me staring at a dark screen while wondering how this even happened. How did Sentinel go from being in the middle of mydesk to sitting here, inside my purse? I swear I saw it sitting on my desk when I left, and yet...
In the end only one word, one name, comes to mind.
Janine.