Clandestine

thirty seven

-diane-

I don't know what to think of this girl. She's too mysterious. She expects me to trust everything she says, yet she offers me no information on who she is. It's clear she isn't from a Assembly family. She doesn't know anything about how things are actually run. IF she thinks that I can just march into the police station and announce that my father was murdered, she is clueless.

Julia says, "Listen, I know that I don't seem very trustable. But I can't tell you who I am."

"Why not? Why can't you tell me? How am I supposed to trust anything you say if you don't tell me? For all I know, you might be some spy of Marcia Quintana. Maybe you and her just want to play a mind game with me, see how confused you can get me."

The girl shakes her head, "No, that's not what I want. That's not what I want at all. I just...I can't tell you. Okay?"

It's not okay. Not really. If this girl doesn't tell me who she is, I will always second guess everything she says.

The girl says, "Do you need help with anything with your father?"

"No."

"Do you have a place to stay?

I'm able to say yes with pride. I think of my half filled suitcase sitting upstiars. I had no idea what to bring or how long I will be actually staying. I threw a few clothes and books in there before giving up. Julia showed up a few minutes later, giving me an appropriate excuse for not pacing.

Julia says, "Do you have enough money?"

I decide it's best not to mention that I am blackmailing Marcia Quintana into taking care of all my finances. I don't know who this girl is, but she is probably more likely to side with a Assembly than with me. After all, she probably assumes that my father is a criminal, murdered or not. I don't want to confirm any suspicions she might have against me.

I say, "I'm sorry, but someone is going to be arriving in a few minutes."

She bursts to her feet, "They are? How long?"

I say, "It won't be for another twenty minutes. Why are you...?"

"I can't be seen here. I don't know who I can trust. Just because it was you who tattled on me the last time, I don't know who else might."

Guilt pounds against my chest, "About that, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry. I think I would have done the same thing." She looks sincere, but there's something I don't trust about her. It's something about her skittishness and her refusal to tell me anything about her identity.

I say, "How would anyone tattle on you if they don't know who you are?"

"They probably know who I am." She mutters.

"Why?"

She shakes her head, "Nothing. I just....I should be going. Do you think I could have your phone number so that I could contact you?"

"Why would you need to contact me?" I don't want to give this girl my phone number.

"Just in case I have more information."

She sees my hesitation and adds, "Please. Are you going to wait until Marcia Quintana decides to throw you some type of information that may or may not be true? Let me have it. I promise I won't bother you if I don't need to."

I sigh and find a piece of paper and a pen in the kitchen. Besides refusing to tell me who she is, this girl hasn't given me much reason not to trust her. She did risk a lot to come find me. The worst that happens is she continuously calls me and I block her number.

I finish writing out her number and say, "Are you going to give me yours?"

She shakes her head, "I'm sorry, I can't. I'm not going to use my personal cell anyway. I'll have to get a disposable phone."

"Why can't you use it?"

"Someone probably tracks the phone calls on there. I can't be too safe."

"Who are you?"

She grins, "Just Julia. I'll call you if I learn anything."

She moves towards the door, suddenly in a hurry. I blink, "Okay. Just Julia. Thank you for coming."

She glances over her shoulder and smiles before swinging the door shut behind. I watch her through the crystallized glass as she hurries down the driveway and disappears behind the hedges.