Clover Undercover

WEB OF LIES

Two weeks into playing house with Luca, and my phone finally vibrates in my pocket, alerting me to the incoming call I've been waiting for. A client who held my mother with the utmost regard has been helping me pinpoint who her most recent exchanges were with.

I quickly excuse myself from the Disney movie marathon Bella has forced us into and slip away to the little bathroom off the kitchen. I grab a pen and notepad off the counter and shake my hands to rid them of the nerves causing them to shake.

"Is it done?" I ask my contact on the other end of the line once the bathroom door is shut and I know I'm alone.

"It is."

"Excellent." I clear my throat, feeling almost lightheaded from the rush of adrenaline. "Names? Addresses?"

"Four names. No addresses. Corina Gomez, Ammon Salah, Thomas Hughs, Ming-Yue Nguyen."

"Thank you," I say while pulling out a pen and scribbling the names down.

Two of them sound somewhat familiar, one I've never heard before, but the last one.. I know her well.

"Clover... I'm truly sorry."

Hot tears prick at my eyes but I make sure to keep them in check and sound unaffected. "Thank you, and thanks for your help. I'm truly indebted to you."

"No, please, I would have done this regardless. Your mother.. she didn't deserve this. I don't want to know what you're going to do with these names, but just please promise me you'll be careful."

"I will be. Thanks again."

The line goes dead and I suck in several deep breaths. My hands start to shake so violently the phone slips out of my grip and the sound of it hitting the tiles reverberates like a gunshot in the small bathroom.

I can't breathe.

I need to breathe.

The edges of my vision pulse with the pounding of my heart, flickering like the static of a television with no connection.

A voice in the distance calls out to me but I can't answer. I know if I try, the sob that has been crouching like a predator, waiting for this moment of weakness, will lunge forth and tear me to pieces.

What is that sound?

The doorknob jerks violently and the voice calling to me grows more distant as a haunting sort of groan fills the room.

My knees feel like they're about to fold beneath me so I grip onto the sink, but one hand flies to my cheek when I'm met with my reflection.

Oh no.

Tears are streaming down my numb face; their warmth isn't even registering upon my pale skin. Even my lips have lost all color.

My mouth is agape, sucking in breaths and exhaling so painfully I realize those haunted sounds are coming from me.

Get it together. Get it together!

"Clover?" a deep voice calls to me over my gutted moans.

God, my chest feels like it's going to concave.. am I having a heart attack?

"Clo! Let me in!!"

Bella's panicked cries make my heart constrict even more.

You need to be strong for her! Stop it!

Her cries intensify and the small thudding of her fists pounding the door push through my pain.

The strange deep voice—no, Luca—mumbles words of comfort to her, but they don't comfort me.