Chapter III

An Unwanted Client

Lieta blew out of the corner of her mouth and surveyed the schoolyard. Several students ambled across the grass into the cluster of buildings. As she adjusted the shoulder strap of her backpack, she watched the bus pull up. The bell would ring soon. He had better hurry.

Leaning against the wall, she spied a tall, dark-haired young man approach from the corner of her eye. She looked away, and dropped her hand, palm up, at her side. The teenager passed her, slipping a small wad into her fingers. He stopped a few feet ahead of her.

“I have another client lined up,” he commented in a low voice.

Lieta curled her thumbs around the belt loops of her pants. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, she says she has an interesting proposition for you.”

She bit her tongue, then responded, “Where?”

“McCather Warehouse. 5:30. She’ll meet you around back.” He turned his head. “Understand?”

“Yeah…”

“Well,” He continued across the yard. “Best get to class.”

As she watched him stroll up the street, Leita fingered the paper. The soft breeze pulled at her loose ponytail, twirling several black strands around her face. After he disappeared around the bend, she looked down at the roll of green bills and sighed.

“Lieta!”

She whipped towards the caller. Spying Ashleigh race across the grass, Lieta pocketed the cash. She smiled at her friend.

“Hey, Ashleigh.”

Ashleigh halted, panting. “Who was the guy?”

“Oh… a co-worker. He just stopped by to give me something I forgot to grab at work yesterday.”

“I see.” Ashleigh straightened. “How’s your mom?”

Leita’s rotated her tongue inside her mouth. Ashleigh frowned.

“No different?”

“No, but I’d rather not talk about it.”

She pulled up the zipper of her short jacket, and they walked into the clump of buildings. Ambling into the nearest structure, they headed for their lockers.

“So, how’s the new house?”

Ashleigh gave a humorless laugh. “I’m in the attic, Lieta, how pleasurable is it supposed to be.”

Lieta shrugged. “You’re the one who said you actually liked it.”

She opened her green locker. “I said it suited me. That doesn’t mean I like it.”

Placing her books in the locker, Leita shook her head and smiled. “You’re so stubborn.”

“What can I say?”

Closing their lockers, they continued down the hall to their First Period class. As they passed the Geometry room, one of the office receptionists walked out, and called after them.

“Lieta, wait a moment.”

She turned, and tilted her head. The woman handed her a yellow slip of paper.

“Mr. Burgas would like to see you after school.”

Lieta nodded, and the secretary shuffled away. Looking down at her counselor’s signature, she sighed, then stuffed the note in her pocket and walked on.

“What’s that about?”

Lieta shrugged. “Not sure. He just wants to meet. The school is extra paranoid lately. They want to talk to you even if your only acting slightly depressed.” She nudged Ashleigh. “I’m surprised you haven’t received on, yet.”

“Who says I haven’t?”

“Have you?”

Ashleigh adjusted her books. “Yeah, a couple times. I just throw them away.”

Lieta rolled her eyes. “Ashleigh, they’re just trying to help. You should at least go.” She turned so she was walked backwards. “You most of all.”

The girl furrowed her brow. “Why me most of all?”

Lieta winked. “’Cause you need the most help.” Sticking out her tongue, she spun around and hurried down the hall.

“Hey!” Ashleigh laughed and chased her.

They slipped into a classroom, and sat down moments before the teacher entered the room. A few stragglers ambled in, and the teacher touched his fingers to his glasses.

No pop quiz today.

He plucked a white stick from his desk, and pivoted towards the board. Cringing as the chalk scratched across the rough surface, the students set their pencils on their books. The teacher turned, and tapped the board.

“The Treaty of Versailles.” A murmur rippled across the room. “Please turn to page 128 of you text books.”

As Leita opened her book, she noted several students lean back in their chairs. A boy in the row in front of her inserted one earphone, and stared out the window. She gazed to the desk beside her, and watched Ashleigh’s eyes glaze over.

Sighing, she wrote the date at the top of her paper. There would be no time for homework that night, so she best take good notes.

She paced in front of the office door. Glancing at her watch, Leita noted the late hour, and tapped her foot on the ground. She didn’t have time for the man to run off schedule.

The door swung open and another teenager hurried out. He waved to his counselor, then disappeared into the hall.

“Come in, Leita.”

Gnawing her bottom lip, she walked into the office, and pulled the door closed behind her. She plopped into the seat across from the desk.

“I got your note.” She slipped the crinkled paper onto the desk.

“Oh, good, good.” His brown eyes sparkled.

After a moment’s lull, she questioned, “Why did you want to see me?”

Mr. Burgas smiled. “Oh, I just haven’t heard from you in a while. I wanted to know how you are.”

Leita shrugged. “No different than normal.”

“I’ve been keeping an eye on your grades.”

“They’re not very good.”

“You have B’s in all but two classes, one of which has an A. You should be proud.”

She looked away. “They could be better.”

Intertwining his fingers, the man continued. “You have a desire to learn, and are quite intelligent. What can I do to help you improve your grades to a satisfactory level?”

“Nothing. I don’t need help.”

“There are many options, Leita. I could speak with your parents-”

“No!”

He straightened, surveying Leita’s scowl. “My apologies. I seem to have hit a nerve. We could-”

“Sir, I don’t need any help from this school.”

“You don’t want any information of any kind?”

“No, sir. I can study on my own.”

Mr. Burgas sighed. After another silent interlude, he sucked in his lips. “That wasn’t the only reason I wanted to see you.”

Leita corked an eyebrow. “There’s something else?”

“Yes…” He frowned. “I’ve received word that you may be involved in some underhanded dealings.”

Leita remained silent, her lips drawing into a thin line. Who had started the rumor this time?

“Specifically drug selling. As you know, that is not only prohibited on school grounds, but illegal.”

“I know.”

“Do you deny this?”

She paused. “Yes.”

He extended his arm. “Then you won’t have a problem if I take a look at your back pack. May I see it?”

“I’d rather not…”

“For the sake of getting this cleared up, I have to look. You don’t have anything to hide do you?”

Leita bit her lip. There were no drugs in her pack, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have anything to hide. However, she had no choice. She slipped the worn bag off her back and handed it to the counselor.

“Thank-you.”

As he undid the buckle, Leita gazed at his hands, sweat beading on her brow. Mr. Burgas turned the bag upside down and shook out its contents. Several books, pencils, and loose scraps of paper fell onto the desk. He shuffled the contents, then held up two pill containers.

“What are these?”

“Medicine.” Leita mumbled.

“Leita-”

“It’s the truth, sir. They’re my mom’s.”

Her counselor furrowed his brow. “Your mother’s?”

“She’s sick.”

Mr. Burgas remained silent. Leita held his searching gaze.

“I trust you, Leita,” he sighed, “but I’ll have to keep these so I can validate their authenticity.”

Lieta’s eyes widened. “What? No, sir, she needs-”

“It’s only until tomorrow. I can clear this up by then.”

She shook her head. “You don’t understand. She’ll-”

“Leita, unless it is vital to her health, I must keep these. We don’t want this to blow out of proportion.”

Leita set her jaw, but did not argue. “Is that all?”

“Yes.”

She straightened and scooped her belongings into the jean backpack.

“I’m sorry.” He folded his hands.

“I’m sure you are.” Leita threw the bag over her shoulder, her cold eyes drilling holes in his head. “Thank-you for meeting with me, sir.”

She spun on her heel and marched out the room, slamming the door behind her. He had no idea what he had just done.

Ignoring her surroundings, Leita crashed into Ashleigh onto her way out of the office. The girl stumbled back, nearly dropping a newspaper in her hand.

“Leita!” Ashleigh sprang up. “You’re just who I was looking for. Did you hear the news?”

She pointed over her shoulder. “I’ve been in interrogation. What is it?”

“Take a look at this.” She opened the newspaper, and pointed to an article at the top.

“ ‘Lanchester House Break In: Young Girl Attacked.’ ”

“That’s my house, Leita! It’s my mom’s house!”

As she scanned the article, Leita’s eyes widened.

“That’s not possible…” she whispered.

Ashleigh looked at the paper. “I guess the new tenants have a little girl, and whoever it was snuck into her room. There aren’t many details, but the kid freaked and is now in the hospital.”

Leita re-read the story, absorbing the impact of the words. Had they really done it? She hadn’t thought any harm would come of revealing the address.

She backed away. “I… I gotta go.”

“Is everything alright?”

Her eyes glued to the paper, Leita nodded. “Yeah… I’m just late for work.”

Flashing a smile, she spun around and hurried out of the building.

As she leaned against the dirty wall, Leita’s eyes searched the dry field for any approaching figure. The cold air chilled the small bit of exposed skin above her pants. She looked down at her watch. Fifteen minutes late. Sighing, she rested her head against the wall. If this took much longer, she would have to leave without meeting the contact. Her employer would not be pleased.

Leita reached into her pocket and pulled out the wad of green bills. No, she had not lied to Ashleigh. It just hadn’t been the whole truth.

She quickly stuffed her hands back into her pockets at the sound of approaching footsteps. The methodic thumping ceased a few feet from her.

“Afternoon, Leita.”

She turned her head away from the feminine voice. “What’s the task?”

There was a pause. “Is it customary for you to not look at your clients?”

Leita chewed on her bottom lip, then lifted off the wall and turned to the woman.

“What-” She cut herself off, her eyes widening.

The woman smirked, her dark eyes gleaming. “Nice to see you, again, Leita.”

Shaking her head, Leita stepped back. “I’m not doing anything for you.”

She spun around and hastened to the end of the small maintenance building.

“You know what I can offer.”

Leita halted. Without facing her, she responded, “I don’t care how much you pay! I’m not doing anything you ask.”

“How are the jobs I propose any different than that boy’s?”

Narrowing her eyes, Leita rotated. “What you asked put a little girl’s life in danger. I won’t do that, again.”

“That can be avoided if you give me accurate information this time.” The flaps of her trench coat swayed in the wind.

“The information I gave you was correct!” Leita frowned. “She just moved.”

“Then what is the updated address?”

“I’m not telling you.”

She turned once more, but the woman yanked her wrist before she could run. Inclining her head, she whispered, “I want the address, Leita.”

Leita wriggled her arm, then slammed her foot against the woman’s calf. She cursed and relaxed her hold. Ripping out of her grasp, Leita raced down the dirt road. As she cut across the field, she peered over her shoulder, and saw the woman did not pursue. Shaking her head, she hurried home, not lessening her speed until the abandoned warehouse was well out of sight.

The woman watched Leita sprint down the road and across the dry field.

“Should I follow her?”

“No, let her go.”

She faced the figure emerging from the shadows, and bowed.

“I failed, I am sorry.” She straightened. “It seems the young Dendinyl has moved dwellings.”

“It does not matter.” He smiled as Leita’s figure disappeared around the bend. “The girl obviously has a strong connection with the Dendinyl girl, which will only prove beneficial to us.”

“What shall I do?”

“Wait. You will find another opportunity… or you will make one.”

The corners of her lips curled up, the woman bowed, again. “Yes, my lord.”