I Heard Animals' Voices novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: The Director's Office

The director's office smelled like old coffee and fear.

He sat behind a big desk with a folder in front of him, and he did not look at me.

Dr. Bramhall sat in the good chair with her legs crossed, chewing gum.

Derrick stood against the wall with his arms folded.

He had put the chain on the corner of the desk.

"Miss Ainslie," the director said. "Last night you entered a restricted area, alone, at night, with a tiger."

"Yes," I said.

He blinked. "You admit it?"

"She had a chain on her foot," I said. "I took it off. Then I left."

"She was alone in there," said Dr. Bramhall, "with a protected animal. She could have been killed."

"A staff member could have been killed pulling her out."

"I'm aware," said Derrick, to the ceiling.

"I want her off the property," Dr. Bramhall said. "Today."

"And I want the stay on Duke lifted. She doesn't understand the risk."

"The chain was on Poppy's foot," I said.

"Because?" said the director.

"Because someone left it hanging through the gate handle with the end on the ground."

"I'm sure a tiger told you that," said Dr. Bramhall.

"Poppy did."

The director rubbed his eyes.

"Miss Ainslie," he said gently, "I have a business to run and a board to explain this to."

"I know," I said. "So I'll tell you exactly what she said, and you can decide."

I took a breath.

"Mint," I said. "And green ink. That's all she gave me."

Dr. Bramhall's jaw stopped moving.

Keep reading free with an account. Start I Heard Animals' Voices from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.