Salient Secret

Chapter 30

I woke up extra early this morning because my mom and I are planning to do a stake out outside of the coffee shop that Julia Jackson goes to often, thank you Facebook. We're not stalking we're investigating, and if she is there then my mom and I will just 'happen' to run into her. This may be my last week to do these kinds of things, the procedure could go very wrong, I need to spend quality time with everyone I care about. 

I walk downstairs in black jeans, a black top, a black jacket with black boots to meet my mom in basically the same outfit waiting in the kitchen for me so we can go. We've kept this little mission to ourselves because, well, no one needs to know unless we find out something worth knowing. 

It's 6 am, we drive to the coffee shop and park the car on the street across the shop. We turn on the radio and patiently wait, if she hasn't come around by 12 pm we'll just have to leave and come back tomorrow. My mom tells me all about her office gossip while we're both watching who goes into and comes out of the shop, and in the middle of her story where someone on her office floor got caught smoking weed, I notice a lady in a maroon coat that could be her, I recognize the black hair. 

"Mom. Is that her?" She looks at the lady walking into the shop very closely.

"Only one way to find out," she says and gets out of the car, I, of course, follow her. When we walk into the shop, the lady has her back towards us because she is ordering coffee, she turns around and sits on a chair waiting patiently for her order.

"It's her," my mom says standing dead still in front of the door, 

"Okay, follow my lead," I say walking towards her. Julia notices me and looks at me like there's a cat sitting on my head.

"Can I help you?" I say.

"Oh I'm sorry you remind me of someone I used to know." This was not the plan but it will do.

"Maybe you know my mom, we look alike." I look at my mom who is trying to act casual. "Mom." I gesture for her to come to me. 

"It can't be," Julia says.

"Julia?" My mom says like we aren't here because we're stalking her.

"Lucy," Julia says now tearing up for some reason.

"Oh spare me your crocodile tears." Geez mom, that's harsh, but then Julia's face completely changes to a very mean one.

"You did always know me best." 

"Where's my brother?"

 She swallows and answers, "I have no idea." 

"And Timothy?"

"I see him now and then, he has a job so he is often preoccupied."

I have no idea what's happening, they're talking to each other in such a bitchy way but my mom is still asking and Julia is still answering. 

"And your daughter? How old is she?" my mom now asks in a very soft manner.

"She died. Your brother made sure of that." 

"How?" mom asks after gulping.

"She was barely a year old, a 'mysterious' fire started while Emilia was at home with the nanny because I was at work. The nanny survived but Emilia's small, precious lungs couldn't handle the smoke. I didn't even get to hold my baby one last time."

"How do you know it was him?"

"Arson is your brothers signature move."

"How did he not go to jail for that?" I ask and Julia looks surprised by my forwardness, but she answers.