Chapter 6
Stevie found herself drowning out the voice of Tess, straining her ears to listen for the engine of Dave's car. Had he gone? Why did it matter to her one way or the other? She tried to pay attention as Tess ranted about Dave, and the fact he had known the alpaca's were sick and not told her.
"You're not listening to me Stevie!" Tess demanded.
"Yeah I'm listening." Stevie answered. "You're engaged to a great guy, who cares about you so much that he wanted to do everything he could to save you from pain. That's nothing to complain about." Stevie found herself leaping to Dave's defence. She felt herself torn in two, only minutes ago she had been suspecting him of harming the alpaca, and worse, of being somehow involved in something more sinister. Of being caught up somehow with him. That Dave was somehow part of his whole master plan of destruction. The thought made her feel guilty now, and she ached with jealousy when she recalled the love in Dave's eyes for Tess. She longed for a man who had cared about her so much to want to spare her pain. She could have no doubt as she recalled his loving eyes, that this was not a man who could hurt an animal. She wished she had enough sense to realise it when the man was standing in front of her. It was far too late now. He was gentle, and good, and everything Stevie had never known in any of the men she had been with. Everything she longed for. And yet despite his goodness, he had managed to hurt her deeply. She wondered how she had let that happen, how had his opinion come to mean so much?
"It's about trust. How can i trust him when he is keeping secrets from me?" Tess contiued complaining.
"Well that's for you to work out Tess." Stevie said, growing bored with the conversation. What did Tess want her to say? "If you dont think you can trust him maybe it's not going to work." Maybe you don't deserve him, Stevie added silently to herself. Although only minutes ago Stevie had been the one doubting him and his motives. Who was she to criticise Tess for doing the same.
Stevie reached her hand into her pocket, fingering the poison bottle that she had salvaged. Her mind was racing. What did this mean, finding the bottle in Dave's jacket? On the one hand she looked into his eyes and trusted him, believed him, and was aching with the thought that he would think her capable of such a crime. But on the other hand, that bottle had come from somewhere. Perhaps Dave was caught up in something that he didn't even realise. She told herself she had to get her mind off Dave. He didn't matter. It was a distraction. She could not explain why his doubts in her had hurt so much, and so she pushed it from her mind. She had bigger things to worry about. Fortunatly this time it was only animals that had been hurt, it was only a matter of time before he did something more drastic. She had to stop him before it was too late.