Beautiful Weird Humans

The devil on speed dial

"Hello?"

"Sis, um, I need to talk to you right now."

"Claire, honey, I'm in the middle of something. What's all that noise?"

"Well, it's funny you ask," Claire Hall said, without the slightest trace of amusement in her face. She was trying to make her way across the multitude gathered outside Beaumont Museum. Confused, the evacuated visitors stood idle; some trying to find the person they'd lost, some looking at their cellphone, all blocking the commute of already short-tempered pedestrians. A few firetrucks had parked near the museum's main entrance, their bright lights adding to the encapsulated chaos. The building's emergency sirens could be heard echoing through the vast walls and ceilings, pulsing louder every time someone opened the large entrance doors. Despite the surrounding chaos, Claire had not hesitated to call her sister. This could not wait.

"It's funny you ask because this is exactly what I need to discuss with you, Anna. Did you ask someone from your office to follow me?"

"No, I did not do such thing."

"Sorry, that was not a question." Claire said. It was difficult to put her thoughts together amidst all the noise and clatter, yet things became clearer the more she thought about it. "Anna Dietrichson, you asked this weirdo from your office to follow me since at least yesterday. I don't know how you know about the book, but you need to back off, okay? There's mayhem at Beaumont's, there's cops, there's firemen. Did you cause all this? If you did by the way, you owe me a pair of shoe –"

"Hold up," Anna's voice interrupted, "Hold up right there. First of all, no one's following you and I have no idea what's happened at the museum. What is this book you are talking about?"

"Oh, come on. You may have inherited the brains, but I'm not stupid. You want the new Mello book, you somehow heard I'm restoring it and you sent someone after me. That's a new low for you, you psychopath."

"Oh, dear, so they are restoring it," Anna said. Contrary to her sister's wheezing, her voice remained calm and neutral. She had not given the insult a second thought. "Okay. Yes, I know about the book, but I had no idea you were working with them. And I swear Sullivan's job was not to follow you –"

"What?"

"And I'm going to pretend that I'm not offended by you getting your hands on a book like this and not telling me anything about it –"

"It is very confidential!"

"But you have to hear me out," Anna's voice overpowered the interruptions. She paused for a moment, perhaps to light a cigarette. Claire just noticed then how much quieter it was. The chaos had faded off in the distance, the museum now a couple blocks away. "Claire, I'd bet you my right hand that Ethel and those idiots from the board are using the exhibition's premiere next weekend to announce that the book's going public."

"Well, yes, probably Anna. I mean you publish books for a living. How is any of this surprising to you?"