Swan's Secrets

Nine

"So" I recap what Patricia just told me "a strange man who you have no idea what his past is says he is a collector of objects and wants my necklace that was given to me by a friend to potentially sell because my necklace just happened to come up into a conversation that you had over a week prior but you didn't know that this necklace was in my possession until a few days ago after meeting the man?"

"Yeah" Patricia joined me for breakfast to tell me why she wanted my necklace "so will you meet him with me?"

"No" shaking my head "and that was the biggest load of crap I heard from you all term, I mean" shaking my head "my sister is a better liar than you and--did you even try to come up with a story as to why you really want my necklace? Seemed you just made it up just now" She fidgets in her seat "so what do you really want my necklace for?"

She stares at me before saying "Fine, I have a private investigator looking for Joy" of course, I don't mean to be rude or anything but give it up! If this Joy isn't talking to you, take the motherfucking hint! "And he says that he'll tell me more after he meets you and sees your necklace"

"If this private investigator" I ask "is looking for Joy, he shouldn't be focused on me. Waste of your money" getting up, I go over to grab my bag before heading to school. Amber is staying home to take care of Mr. Whiskers while Fabian is going to figure out the numbers from the tether ring.

"Lera! Wait!" Patricia runs up next to me "please" she is before me "Rufus is the closest lead I have to where Joy is, I know what your probably thinking but I know Joy and so does everyone else around here that knows her. Joy would have called or texted at least twenty times since leaving. Please" I see the sincerity in her eyes.

"Fine" she pulls me into a hug

"Thank you" she says "and again I'm sorry for how I treated you when you got here"

Patting her on her back "We can go at lunch" pulling away "but the moment I get an off feeling I'm leaving"

Nodding her head "Deal"

"If you don't mind me asking" I ask Patricia "if your so worried, why didn't you call her parents or cell?"

"I tried" she says "she didn't answer so I tried to steal her information from the school but was caught"

"It's been what? Over two months and no one has heard from her?" I ask

"Crazy right?" She asks "and! And! When I went to this photo of everyone in our class, she was photoshopped out"

"What?" We stop as I look at her "can you show me this photo?" She nods her head and when we are at school she shows me.

"And this" she shows me a photo on her phone "is the original photo" I check it out and look between the two.

"At first I thought you were crazy" looking at her "now I'm realizing your not...did you talk to the cops?"

"Their in on it too" What? Why?

"Okay" holding my hand up "then I guess you have my help"

"Your help?" She asks

"In finding your friend Joy" I explain to her "cause this is very weird, even if your in America"

"Really?" She asks, I nod my head "thank you...and again, I'm sorry for being such a raging bitch. Your right, I shouldn't have taken it out on you"

Nodding my head "Apology accepted" looking over at Fabian who is looking at us curiously "let's meet by our lockers at lunch" she nods her head before we split ways.