Being Neighborly

Chapter 38

"I don't think that's a good idea," I inform Nicole, who is practically bouncing in her chair at the plan she has just devised.

"Come on you guys, it will be so much fun!" she exclaims. "Besides, I think we have earned a little fun after an entire day of studying."

"I don't think fun includes being arrested for breaking and entering," Nate points out.

It's after sunset and Nicole and Nate are still at my house. We all woke up later than we had thought we would, but we were all pretty tired from the night before. After a delicious brunch Aunt Clara made us, Tristan basically tutored the three of us in every subject, despite him also currently being enrolled in some of those classes. He's so intelligent and everything he explained made more sense than when our teachers tried to review with us, so we let him lecture us for hours on end.

Eventually, though, Tristan said he needed to go home and help his mom move around furniture for book club. Aunt Clara went to join him since she volunteered to co-host with his mom. I had thought about 30 minutes after he left that I saw him get into his car. It as confirmed that he did indeed leave once Uncle Luke came downstairs in a suit and said he had another weekend meeting to attend to. Those two were meeting up again for whatever it is they discuss.

I know I told Tristan I would leave it alone. And I know Tristan basically told me I would never figure it out on my own anyway. But I am determined to know what him and my uncle possibly have in common that it requires formal business meetings.

The sun began setting, the house was free from adults, and Nicole started getting antsy. That's when she proposed what she thought was a brilliant plan. That is also when Nate and I started what would lead to twenty minutes of us convincing her it was a beyond terrible idea.

"Aren't you guys curious what is going on at The Underground today?" Nicole asks the two of us. "Isn't there a small part of you dying to know what type or restructuring could be going on that they have to suspend the Halloween parties, and probably more of the other holiday ones?"

"Nope," Nate and I answer in unison. Though it was definitely a lie. What I say next is completely the truth though.

"Nicole, I didn't want to bring this up and be a total party pooper, " I start, pausing thinking of some way to say this without making myself sound pathetic. "But I honestly do not think I can bring myself to go back to that club so soon after what happened. I know I'm fine and that guy is being brought to justice, but I'm not ready. I know you love going there and sneaking over there tonight is going to unravel some of the mystery behind The Underground, but I just can't do it. I'm sorry."

"Oh, Leila!" Nicole sighs, coming over to me to give me a hug. "I wasn't even thinking about that! I am so sorry, and I know you're going to say you don't want my sympathy, but you're going to have to deal with it."

I laugh a little and hug her back. Then I pull away suddenly and look her in the eyes. "You're not planning on still going, right?" Nicole break eye contact and starts looking around the room. Oh hell no. "Nicole! It's not safe! And your brother is right, it's breaking and entering. That text explicitly stated not to show up tonight. There could be real consequences!"

"Okay okay, fine I won't go," Nicole gives in. "And I want the two of you to trust me enough that you won't take turns babysitting me tonight."

"I've hung out with you enough this week, no way am I spending one more second with you tonight," Nate joked. "But for real, we trust that you won't go to The Underground tonight." I nod in agreement. Nicole is adventurous, but not stupid.

***********

A text from Nicole.

I did the thing.

Shit. She went to The Underground after she told us she would just stay home tonight. I knew I should have went to her place or made her stay at mine. I swear to god, if she actually got arrested and needs me to bail her out I am going-

You are NEVER going to believe what I am looking at right now.

I'm about to text her back asking what the hell she is talking about. I figured tonight would just either be a night off from all people at the club, or maybe a few staff moving things around and cleaning up.

I get interrupted mid-text by Nicole's next message.

Check snapchat RIGHT NOW!

Sure enough, I immediately get a notification from the app showing that Nicole has sent me a video. I click on it and watch.

No way.

I hold the notification down until it refreshes, allowing me to replay it one more time. I take a deep breath and watch the short clip again.

Nicole had somehow snuck into the dentist office and down the stairs into the main part of the club. I can't tell exactly where she is standing, but she's pointing her camera at the bar towards the back corner. Except the wall with the shelves of decorative bottles is pushed in. It was a false wall.

Nicole zooms the camera into the well lit room behind the bar. It looks like a conference room. From the angle Nicole is at, I can only see three seated people, all in formal business attire, around a table. I'm sure there are more that are outside of the frame. But that's not the interesting part.

The business people are watching and listening to two people at what I suppose is the front of the conference room. And those two people are Tristan and Uncle Luke.

Just as Nicole is zooming in further to show their faces more clearly, the video ends.

And so does any rational thought in my mind.