Read Online Saphora: vol.1 Retention (The Athena Universe) by Jaz Johnson - Free Book Online Page A

trying to kill her, it would have been only natural to try and defend herself against him – by any means necessary.
    “They didn’t tell me. But they want to speak to Saphora as soon as possible.”
    “Who?” Saphora asked. There was a lingering silence in the room that made her stomach churn. Her eyes shot to Fran’s but they averted their gaze. “Fran?” She didn’t answer her. Her heart began to race. What was going on? What happened while she was asleep? The man was dead. Who had told them? Oh god , she thought, having a thought click into place. They think I killed him.
    “ The police.” Lupin finally spoke up. Her heart jumped against her ribs, seemingly jolting her forward a bit. The police? Every murder-based crime show skid through her mind like the breeze on an open book. The pages stopping on the topic of imprisonment. She swallowed hard. “Since,” Lupin exhaled. “You took off with the victim’s truck immediately after the time of death, they’d like to talk to you about what happened,” he explained. Fran nodded solemnly, imagining all that would go on in the conversation between her and the police. “But don’t worry. Once we explain your mental condition, I’m sure-“
    “Mental condition?” Saphora repeated, drawing her gaze to Lupin. That caught her attention, and suddenly made her highly defensive of her sketchy memory. She looked to Fran, waiting for her to protest against the phrase alongside her, but she was silent. Saphora stared for a while longer, until the slight turn of Fran’s head sent a pain to her heart, and a jolt through her legs. She stood up, not caring if she wobbled or not, and kep t her eyes on the silent Fran.
    “I’m not crazy ,” she argued with somewhat of a nervous laugh. Fran stayed quiet, in comparison to the rather loud sigh from Dr. Lupin. Saphora shook her head, balling her fists. “Look – I know what I saw, okay? I may not be able to remember all of it. But I know-“
    “Saphora, ” Fran said with a tone of disapproval and a soft sigh.
    This entire situation was already weighing on her as it was. What with the frantic phone call from Saphora, to leaving work early in search of her. And then to have her come home hysterical, and having to drug her. And now learning of the death of the owner of the truck that she had stolen. The last thing she wanted to do right now was argue. Especially about something that could potentially keep her from going to prison. Fran reached out to take Saphora’s hand, but she snatched it away in frustration.
    “No! I’m not lying. And I wasn’t hallucinating,” she argued.
    She looked down in disbelief at Fran, who didn’t respond. “Fran!” she practically cried. She couldn’t believe this. The only person that she had trusted her entire life was just sitting there and letting this happen. Letting this man say these things. Accuse her of insanity. Instability. Fran’s eyes closed with pressure and she raised the hand that she had reached towards Saphora with a flat palm.
    “Saphora, please. This has been a stressful two days … Will you just sit down and-“
    “Do you think I’m crazy?” Saphora asked with a shaky voice, cutting Fran off. Fran looked up at Saphora, finally. Saw the despair in her eyes. And realized, just a bit, what she was doing. A ping of guilt struck her and she stood with her, reaching her arms around her.
    “No. God, no, honey. I’m sorry. I’m just exhausted. I was so worried about you … And now that man is dead and-“
    “Do you think I killed him?” Saphora interrupted again, pulling back to look Fran in the eyes. Fran searched her eyes for some kind of truth. And for a moment, she thought she saw some, as blurred as it was. Although she was very hyper aware of the circumstances, she knew her Saphora. Although she tended to find the worst in people, she knew that she would never hurt anyone. Not intentionally. But then she thought about the phone call. How unlike Saphora