“Don’t you see that I don’t care?” he comes back. “I’m trying to create a perfectly safe environment here at Crestwood.”

“And you’ve done a great job with that,” I say. “But you can’t just banish everyone that steals something.”

“Until now we have never had the problem with people stealing things,” he says.

“So, that’s it then,” I say. “You’re going to open the gates and send me walking. You might as well put me to death.”

“That’s much too drastic for what you have really done,” he says. “But I’m willing to give you a chance.”

My heart begins to beat a little heavier. A chance? Was all this constructed so Paxton might send me on some mission of his?

“I’m willing to let you back into Crestwood,” he says. “I’m willing to stand in front of everyone here and tell them that it was all a big mistake - that you didn’t kill anyone and that you didn’t even steal anything…that’s all it will take. One tiny speech and all is forgiven.”

“But you want me to do something,” I say.

“There is always a catch, isn’t there?” he says with a smile. I want to smack it off of him. He leans forward in his chair, elbows on the desk, his hands cupped together. His face turns suddenly serious. “I have a daughter. I haven’t seen or heard from her in four years.”

“You mean a year before the outbreak?” I ask.

He nods. “She and I were never on good terms after she went to college. She started dating this boy I didn’t care for and…” he waves a hand in the air, “well, there was a big fight and we didn’t speak to each other again. Then the greyskin virus broke out and I tried to find her. I spent the better part of a year looking for her before I decided to quit. I built a safe haven here in Crestwood hoping she would find it someday and that I would come across her again. But…I still haven’t seen her.”

“What do you want me to do, find her?”

“Yes,” he says, his face very serious.

“You haven’t seen your daughter in four years and you want me to find her? You know she’s probably…”

“Dead, yes I’m aware of the possibility,” he says, cutting me off sharply. “But I’m not really asking that you find her and bring her to me, I’m just asking that you find out as much information as you can about her - what may have happened to her…something. You bring me any information that’s useful and I’ll reinstate your citizenship here at Crestwood. It will be like this never happened.”

It will never be like that, I think. People will always remember the one accused of murder.