Chapter Seventeen - Part One

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

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The next day, I entered the dining room expecting breakfast to be a glum, solitary act, but upon seeing Addy already seated at the table with her paper and a muffin, I was slightly cheered.

“Please tell me you got the amulet back. And that you kicked Blondie right in her size four jeans just before you did it.”

“Wish I could,” I replied, plopping down in my usual chair with a forlorn sigh. “Oh god…” I said, reaching for the coffee pitcher. “Please let this not be decaf…”

“So would now be a bad time to show you this?” Addy asked, waving her paper. It was today’s copy of The Harbor’s Herald.

“Do I even want to know?” I asked, but accepting the paper anyway. I could already guess what the fuss was about. Last night, when Chandler had said he was sitting on a story, he literally meant that he had one ready for print – and there it was splashed on page three.

I let my eyes travel across the article, wondering whether to be flattered or suspicious. There was the picture of me he had taken last night, the candid shot from behind the country club.

“Net worth of the Noble Family Rises,” I read aloud. “By Chandler Sloane. Uh, yeah. I’m not reading this.” I said and tossed her the paper.

“Really? Because I totally think you should.” Addy replied with a grin that was huge. “He wrote a lot of really nice stuff in here about your family. Plus, you can totally tell this Chandler guy has the hots for you. Listen to this:” Adelle cleared her throat and shook the paper importantly.

“And what can we say about the mysterious Naomi Noble, who’s finally returned to Harbor? Her class and beauty tell us that she didn’t fall far from the Noble tree, but what it doesn’t suggest is whether her allure will be enough to keep her from falling under the giant shadow her family has cast. It’s too soon to say whether Harbor Village has flourished or suffered at the hands of this magnetic family, but hopefully she’ll continue to take a leaf out of the Romaines’ family book, and keep the mysteriousness flowing. After all, we wouldn’t want to take away from the town supply of magnetism… Her ‘class and beauty’? What are you, part siren? This isn’t an article, this a public love note! Jesus – the boys in this town are losing their minds over you.” Addy said, still scanning the paper.

“Chandler Sloane has not lost his mind over me. He’s just using this to charm me into helping him write a better story. He probably thinks he’s kissing my ass with this article so that I’ll let him hit pay dirt in a future interview.”

“Will you?” Addy asked, with eyebrows raised.

“I don’t know. It depends… Did you know that he’s a Succubus?”

“Shut. Up. No, I didn’t! But I thought they were supposed to be girls –”

“Apparently not all,”

“Dare I ask how you came to that very unambiguous conclusion?”

“Big word,”

“Yup, I know, don’t change the subject.”

I sighed.

“He tried to use some of his power on me last night to get me to talk but it didn’t work.”

“Suuuuure it didn’t…”

I gave Adelle a beady look, which she returned with a hasty smile.

“Speaking of last night,” Adelle said quickly, sliding the paper down the table and away from us both. “What are we gonna do about this Eve situation? I mean, the girl’s a nut-job already, so if she takes off the ring she’d probably just go catatonic or something…”

“Wow,” I said, rubbing the palms of my hands over tired, puffy eyes. “That’s really not funny right now. Like, not at all. Not even a little.”

“Oh, too soon, huh. Yeah?”

“I can do this. I can figure this out.” I said with determination, dropping my hands. “I mean, I’ve got Red Bull, a really amazing concealer, and a decently positive outlook on the situation. And that should be enough… right?”

“Of course, hon,” Addy replied, with a patronizing look that fooled no one.

“You know, last night I was doing some thinking…” I paused to take a quick gulp of my coffee and relish the warmth. “And I realized, that by the time this is through, Eve will have gotten everything she wants without repercussion…”

Quickly, with few words and much description, I recounted last night’s events, beginning with my conversation with Eve and ending with my warning from the Hunters.

“And even though the ring is currently in Eve’s possession,” I went on, “the Hunters won’t take it from her or even punish her for having, it because they know I need it and they want my help. So not only does Eve get her revenge, but she completely avoids ramifications in the process. Meanwhile, I end up taking the heat for destroying Ethan’s dad, Ti will probably find out that I lost the ring, and sometime in the near future I might get my backside served on a platter to an angry coven. Now, does that sound fair to you?”

“Nope, it doesn’t.” Addy replied, showing renewed interest in her muffin. “I’m assuming that you have a plan?”

“I wasn’t awake all night for nothing, thank goodness.” I said, pulling out my phone. “I think that if Mr. Talbot can pull a few strings, I can make this situation somewhat worth it. Even if I still end up being the bad guy…”

I stood from the table and selected Mr. Talbot’s contact information from my phone, biting my lip and picking at my nails with nervousness as I listened to the ringing. I prayed he would answer. If he didn’t, I was screwed.

“Miss Noble. How can I be of assistance to you this morning?”

“Hello, Mr. Talbot. I apologize for calling you so early, but you have a real knack for solving problems, sir, and I could really use your services again.”

“And what is it that you require, Miss Noble?”

“Last night I was given two bank statements – one is a genuine copy and the other is a fake of the genuine. If I give you the original statement, Mr. Talbot, would you be able to produce a third fake?”

“Well, I won’t do you any favors by lying, Miss Noble, because what you’re asking would be quite a challenge. However, I do have an associate who has much experience in this realm of business. How soon are you needing this done?”

“Oh… I don’t know… say three o’clock?” I said, with a cringe.

“Oh dear.” Mr. Talbot said, but with no hint of anxiety or distress about his tone. “I’m afraid my colleague requires at least a twenty-four hour notice. However, I have known him to oblige clients who have given far shorter warning – providing they pay his fee of course.”

“Name the price and I’ll wire it now,” I said.

Mr. Talbot spoke the number, and with a few quick swipes, and three or four clicks across the screen of my smartphone, the money was transferred.

“Ah, very good, Miss Noble.” Mr. Talbot said, after having received the money several seconds later.

“Just one more thing, Mr. Talbot. No fingerprints. This has to be a nameless job.”

“Of course, Miss Noble. I will have my driver sent to your home immediately to retrieve the statement. We shall speak soon.”

I hung up, satisfied, and grinned at Addy, who watched on with amusement as I immediately dialed another number.

“Hello?” Came the smooth, low voice of the female on the other line.

“Good morning, Leader Devila,” I said, with sugary sweetness.

“Naomi, how pleasant to be hearing from you,” Sofia said. But the transparency of her voice was as blatantly obvious as mine.

“Likewise, Sofia. I’m calling because there’s something I have to say. I’ve had some time to think about my future on the Leadership, and what direction my life needs to take in order for me to get where I wanna be. After all, I’m going to be Pack Eldress one day, so it’s important for me to step up now and put my future ahead of my personal aspirations. And what I would like to discuss, is how I can use you to get there.”

“That’s too bad. I was hoping this conversation was going to end in some sort of apology…”

“Oh heavens no, Sofia.” I said with an airy laugh. “You and I both know that any apology we would have to extend each other would just be a lie. So why waste time with such trivialities and just get to the point instead?”

“And that would be?” she asked, with patience.

“I have a business opportunity for you – let’s call it an investment. I’ve been given some information about another Leader that my Grandfather should know about. But, as it turns out, I’m not in the most advantageous of positions to hand the evidence over myself. Let’s just say, I’m a little too close to the person this involves.”

“You’ve struck my curiosity, I will admit.” Sofia replied, with coolness. “What is this evidence that you have?”

“I could show it to you. Over lunch? Say, three-thirty, at the Maison?”

There was a pause as Sofia thought for a few seconds, considering her options.

“And why should I be interested in helping you at all?” she said.

“Because in helping me, you’re actually doing yourself a favor,” I replied pleasantly.

“Oh? Is that all?” she asked with a short, harsh laugh.

“And because I know you’re having an affair with my grandfather.”

Sofia’s laugh was cut extremely short. And suddenly, the situation no longer seemed so funny to either of us.

“I’ve seen the way you look at him, Sofia.” I said, with a confidence that came naturally – no force required. “You don’t have to hide it from me.”

“You are ridiculous,” she snapped. “And a waste of my time. I refuse to listen –”

“But I’m sure Diane would. Listen, I mean.”

“You have no proof,” she said, with a scoff.

“You’re right, I don’t have proof, Sofia – but I will eventually. Because after today, I know you’ll still continue to meet him in secret, obscure locations.