Unearthly Things

by Michelle Gagnon

  My mind was spinning. I had to get him on my side somehow. Without his help, I was doomed. “Can you at least check and see how much money they’ve taken out of the trust?”

  “I’ll look into it,” he said grudgingly. “But based on these claims, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a fairly significant withdrawal.”

  “It would really make me feel better,” I said. “Please?”

  A heavy sigh; Briggs clearly thought he was dealing with teenage girl theatrics. I couldn’t really blame him. We’d only met once, and that was right after my parents had died; I hadn’t been at my best. I thought of that girl I’d overheard in the bathroom my first day at Hamill, snidely writing me off as “a hot mess.” Briggs probably thought the same. He knew nothing about me. I pictured him sitting in the creaky leather chair in his small office, eager to get off the phone.

  He let a low whistle. I frowned. “Um, Mr. Briggs?”

  “Sorry, Janie,” he said, sounding considerably less distracted. “Well, I have to say, this is more than I expected to see. Of course, cleaning up fire damage can be costly, and tuition at your new school is exorbitant. Still, there should be receipts attached to these withdrawals . . .”

  “And there aren’t any, right?” I said triumphantly. “See? I told you.”

  “It could be an oversight,” he muttered. “Perhaps their bookkeeping isn’t what it should be. I’ll tell you what: I’ll send a request for receipts, asking for a full inventory of where the money went. We should have a response in a few days.”

  “A few days?” I protested.

  “That’s the best I can do.”

  “Okay,” I said, forcing gratitude into my voice. “Out of curiosity, how much did they take?”

  He hesitated, then said, “Somewhere in the neighborhood of a quarter million dollars.”

  I nearly dropped the phone. Holy crap, the Rochesters had been robbing me blind. A quarter million dollars, over just a few months? I could hardly believe there had been that much money in the first place. I thought of yesterday’s spending spree. Was I going to have to return all that stuff? Had those bastards already put me in debt? Anxiously, I asked, “So how much is left?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, Janie, there’s plenty left,” Mr. Briggs said with a laugh. “Haven’t you been reading the statements?”

  “What statements?” I demanded.

  “They’re sent quarterly,” he said, sounding flustered. “You should have received one a few weeks ago.”

  “I haven’t gotten any mail,” I said. “None at all. Do you think that’s just another ‘oversight’?”

  After another long silence, Mr. Briggs said, “Perhaps you should tell me again about your experience with the Rochesters.”

  I drew a deep breath. “Look. I know you barely know me, and their lawyer is making me sound nuts. But I’m not crazy. They’re just trying to make it look that way, so they can get to my trust.”

  “That’s a serious accusation, Janie,” he said sternly.

  “Listen, Mr. Briggs. I am not safe here,” I said, firmly enunciating each word. “It’s your job to protect me, right? That’s why my parents hired you. So how do we do that?”

  I held my breath; there had to be a solution, some way out.

  “Well,” Mr. Briggs said, speaking slowly, “We could petition to have you emancipated. It’s a fairly long process, but based on their attempt to commit you to psychiatric care—”

  “—Under someone else’s name,” I interjected. “Their dead daughter’s.”

  “Right,” he said, sounding discomfited. “I could file a petition on your behalf. In the short term, the court would suspend the Rochesters’ access to your trust. I can have a forensic accountant start reviewing the records for evidence of misconduct. If we find any, that will strengthen your case.”

  “Great,” I said, relieved. “So until then I can just stay with my friend, right?”

  “Technically, I can’t advise you to do that,” Mr. Briggs said carefully. “The emergency court order will have to be filed by an associate who is registered with the California bar. And there needs to be a responsible adult willing to offer temporary custody. Are your friend’s parents willing to do that?”

  I hesitated. Helen’s mom and dad hadn’t blinked at having me stay over for a few nights; but would they be willing to become custodial parents? It seemed like a lot to ask, considering the fact that they’d just met me.

  “I’ll have to check,” I admitted, deflated. “Um, what if they say no?”

  Mr. Briggs sighed. “Well, unless you can find someone else, you’ll have to stay with the Rochesters until the petition is approved. And I’m afraid that even an emergency petition will take a few weeks.”

  “Weeks?” I gasped, feeling my insides liquefy. “Mr. Briggs, no. I can’t go back there.”

  “There’s always foster care,” he offered. “I know it’s not the best option, but if you feel strongly that you’re in danger, I can contact Children’s Services. Of course, older children are usually kept in a foster shelter. And from what I understand, those can be . . . well, they’re not the best.”

  My heart sank. It was hard to believe I had a fortune at my fingertips, but my choices were either to live with people who were actively out to get me, or to go to some sort of teen holding facility. “Please, Mr. Briggs. Can’t I just check into a hotel or something?”

  “I’m sorry, Janie. But legally speaking, a girl your age is not allowed to be on her own.”

  The talk with Mr. Briggs disheartened me. I spent the rest of the afternoon listlessly waiting for Helen to come home. I tried to read a book, but couldn’t focus. I flipped through every TV channel, but couldn’t find anything worth watching. I even spent an hour trying to figure out Skyrim, but finally gave up. I couldn’t seem to get more than ten feet into the game without having a giant kill me, which felt way too close to what I was going through in real life.

  Sighing, I picked up my new phone and frowned at it. There was no one left to call. Kaila and Taka were in school. John Rochester? Forget it. And Daniel . . . well, I couldn’t call him anymore, for obvious reasons.

  Tossing the phone on the bed, I fell back against the pillows. I was staring up at the ceiling when Helen came in.

  “That good, huh?” she asked.

  I groaned. “I’d almost rather be in school.”

  “No, you wouldn’t,” Helen said, dumping her backpack onto the desk. “Trust me. Georgina’s still on the warpath.”

  I sat up in bed, wary. “What’s she saying?”

  “Oh, you know. More of the same.” Helen shrugged. “You’re a nut job, your parents were crackheads. Nothing new.” Her eyes shifted away at the end.

  I scowled. “You’re a terrible liar.”

  “So your lawyer had good news?” Helen asked brightly, changing the subject.

  “Kind of,” I hedged. Mr. Briggs had said that he couldn’t “advise me” to stay with her family. Which I’d decided really meant that I could, as long as we kept it quiet. I moved to the edge of the bed and stared her down. “Enough stalling. Tell me what she’s saying. I mean, it’s not like it matters anymore. If things work out, I’ll never see her again, anyway.”

  Helen’s shoulders slumped. “It’s probably as much of a lie as everything else she said, right?”

  “Helen,” I warned. “Tell me.”

  Focusing on a point past my shoulder, Helen said, “She’s telling everyone that Daniel is taking her to the cotillion.”

  “What?” I blinked, trying to process the words.

  “Seriously, Janie, she’s got to be lying,” Helen said, rolling her chair closer to me. “She’s just trying to get under your skin.”

  I couldn’t speak. I could hardly breathe. My eyes filled with the image of Georgina in that slinky white dress, twirling before the mirror. I swallowe
d hard, picturing her clinging to Daniel.

  “Janie?” Helen asked uncertainly. “Are you okay?”

  I shook my head. My voice sounded funny as I said, “It has to be a lie.”

  “Absolutely. I mean, he’s not a bad guy, right? And that would be an absolutely awful thing for him to do.”

  I nodded, desperately wanting to believe her. Daniel wouldn’t do that to me. He’d said that it was too soon for him to date, which was completely understandable. Being so close to all the drama in my life wouldn’t be easy for anyone, especially not a recovering addict. Even if he was angry with me, he didn’t seem like the vindictive type. And taking Georgina to the dance would be the height of cruelty.

  Either way, though, I’d rather know for sure. “I’m calling him,” I said, picking up my phone.

  “Um, is that a good idea?” Helen asked worriedly. “Maybe you should take some time to cool off first—”

  “I’m cool,” I snapped.

  “O-kay.” She held up both hands. “I’ll give you a little privacy, then.” As Helen grabbed her laptop and left the room, I dialed with shaking fingers. I held my breath, half-hoping it would go to voicemail.

  A click as the call connected. “What?”

  “Daniel?” I asked hesitantly. “It’s me. Janie,” I added lamely.

  “I figured,” he said shortly. “No one else would be calling from an unknown number.”

  I bit my lip; he still sounded as angry as he’d been on Saturday. “Um, I just . . . I wanted to see how you were.”

  “Fine.” There were mumbles in the background, like someone else was there. Could it be Georgina? Another wave of nausea swept over me. “Anything else?”

  “Just . . . I’m really sorry.” Before I could stop myself, I blurted, “I miss you.”

  He didn’t answer. My chest ached, and tears pressed against my eyelids. “Daniel?” I finally said, desperate to break the silence. “Please, if we can just talk—”

  “I have nothing to say to you.” His voice was flat and cold.

  “Nothing ever happened with John. I mean, seriously, I don’t feel that way about him at all—”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Another long pause, then he said, “The thing is, when you disappeared like that, I kind of lost it. I called everyone, trying to find out where you were. And when they told me what had happened . . .”

  I held my breath, waiting for him to continue. His voice had changed; he sounded raw, emotional.

  “I took some pills,” he confessed.

  “What?” I gasped.

  “I messed up, Janie. When I saw you at the beach, I was still high. After I left, I drove straight to my sponsor’s house, and he took me to a meeting. I’m cool now, but . . . it made me realize I’m not strong enough for this yet.”

  “But, Daniel . . .” My mind spun. I felt guilty; was it my fault that he’d succumbed to his addiction again? “I can help you.”

  “That’s not how it works,” he said wearily. “I have to help myself. And for now, at least, that means I have to be alone again.”

  After everything I’d been through, I didn’t think there was a type of pain my heart hadn’t experienced yet. I was wrong. Desperately, I said, “Please, can we just talk about this?”

  “I’m sorry, Janie,” he said, more gently this time. “But this is how it has to be.”

  “Daniel, wait!”

  He’d already hung up. I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. I hadn’t found out about the cotillion, but it didn’t seem to matter anymore.

  Helen rapped lightly on the door and called out, “Hey, is it okay if I come back in?”

  I wiped my cheeks and called out hoarsely, “Of course.”

  She entered, looking sheepish. “I just forgot to grab my phone.”

  “It’s okay,” I said with a sniffle. “I’m done.”

  “Oh.” Helen plunked down on the bed and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “So it didn’t go great, huh?”

  “He hates me,” I said, my voice cracking at the end.

  “I’m sure he doesn’t hate you.”

  “I just can’t believe it fell apart so fast!” I wailed.

  “I know,” Helen murmured as I leaned into her, soaking her shirt with my tears.

  After a few minutes I sat up, feeling silly. With everything else that was going on, crying about boy trouble seemed like a self-indulgent waste of time. And maybe Daniel had the right idea; I should focus on what I had to do without any distractions, too. Because who knew what the Rochesters might try to pull next? I wiped my nose with the back of my hand and said, “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it,” Helen said. “I’m still living vicariously through you, after all.”

  I choked out a laugh. “Yeah? How’s that going for you?”

  “Meh,” she said. “Honestly, it’s kind of confirmed my suspicion that the virtual world beats the real one, hands down.”

  “Maybe I should try gaming,” I tried to joke, but the quaver in my voice belied the words.

  “Always happy to talk you through the first level,” she offered. “So, um . . . there’s another thing.”

  I met her eyes; Helen looked even more uncomfortable than she had before she’d spilled the cotillion rumor. “I’m guessing this isn’t good news.”

  “It’s just . . . my parents were wondering how long you needed to stay. Not that there’s any rush,” she added hurriedly, taking in my expression. “But Mom ran into Marion at a luncheon today.”

  “Oh, no,” I groaned. Helen’s parents were pretty cool, all things considered, but they still ran in the same circles as the Rochesters. “What did she say?”

  “Nothing too bad,” Helen said evasively. “But I guess they heard you might be staying with us. And Marion said something about getting her lawyer involved.”

  “Crap,” I moaned. I should’ve known the Rochesters wouldn’t let me go without a fight. “So your folks want me gone?”

  “Not, like, right away,” Helen said uncertainly. “But I think they’re worried. They don’t want to get into a legal battle with the Rochesters. Everyone knows how ruthless they can be.”

  “Right.” I ran a hand through my hair. I could see that Helen felt terrible about it, but none of this was her fault. It wasn’t fair of me to dump my problems on someone else’s doorstep. And the last thing I wanted was to put her family in the Rochesters’ crosshairs. “Listen, I totally get it. I’ll leave tomorrow.”

  “But where will you go?” Helen asked with concern.

  “Home,” I said, reaching a decision.

  “What, like . . . Hawaii?”

  I nodded. If the Rochesters wanted to try something, they’d have to come to the Big Island. At least there, I had people who could be trusted to protect me. “I’ll buy a ticket tonight.”

  Helen frowned. “I thought the lawyer said to stay put.”

  “I’ll call him when I get there.” I began grabbing my paltry belongings and stuffing them in my duffel bag. It actually felt good to take action. To be in control for once. “Kaila’s mom can apply to be my emergency guardian, I’m sure she won’t mind. And what are they going to do? Force me back on a plane?”

  “Okay,” Helen said doubtfully. “If you’re sure.”

  “Positive.” I could already imagine walking through Kona airport, with the thatched huts that made it look like a tiny village. Buying an ice while I waited for my bags. Maybe stopping at the kiosk where an elderly woman wove leis by hand. Home. The thought made my heart swell in my chest. Resolutely, I said, “I’ll be safe there. They won’t be able to come after me.”

  Chapter XVI

  I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.

  I checked Helen’s room one last time to make sure I hadn’t for

  g
otten anything. Thanks to the fire, packing was easy; what little I owned barely filled the duffel bag.

  That was okay; I didn’t need much. Kaila was always happy to let me borrow things, and I could easily replace my island clothes when I got there. Just the thought of stepping into a new pair of flip-flops made me giddy. Home, I thought again with glee. The word had become a mantra, a prayer.

  At dinner last night, Helen’s parents had raised a few half-hearted protests about my leaving so abruptly, but I could tell they were relieved. Who wouldn’t be? I was so scared of the Rochesters I was fleeing the city.

  “You’re sure you want to catch the red-eye?” Helen asked as we stood in her doorway.

  “It’s not really a red-eye. We’ll land around midnight.” It was going to be hard to sit still for an entire plane ride, I was so eager to get there. Tomorrow morning, I’d wake up to the sound of the surf outside Kaila’s bedroom window. We could catch a few sets, then lounge around in pajamas and watch movies. San Francisco, the Rochesters, Daniel, and everything else would feel far, far away.

  “I can’t believe you’re really going,” Helen said with a catch in her voice. “I guess this means I’ll never see you again.”

  “Hey!” I protested, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “That’s not true.”

  She tried to smile. “Well, you’re not coming back here.”

  I bit my lip—Helen was right, I couldn’t imagine anything dragging me back to San Francisco. “So you’ll come visit me. Right?”

  “In Hawaii? Have you seen my skin? I’d get a sunburn just thinking about it.”

  “We’ll lather you up with SPF 50 and you’ll be fine,” I said. “Maybe I’ll even get you on a surfboard.”

  Helen snorted. “Yeah, that’s about as likely as you getting hooked on Skyrim.”

  “We’ll see each other,” I said firmly. “Promise.”

  She let out a deep breath. “There’s an anime convention in Oahu, I looked it up. Maybe we could go together.”

  “I’m there,” I assured her. “Just tell me where and when. Oh, and I’m guessing it’s bring-your-own-armor?”