“It was only me and Eve, the Segurs only child,” I said. I couldn’t tell her I was Eve. I didn’t look anything like myself anymore, and who knew if they’d ever seen me from the distance before my transformation. “I tried to get to her, but the fire spread so quickly! And then I was so overwhelmed by smoke that I passed out not far from the home.”
“You poor thing. This is just like all them other fires in the city,” Lucy said, biting at her lip. “It’s scary, it really is. All these terrorist attacks. I’m thinking of moving with my children, maybe out west. There don’t seem to be many fires there.”
The inside of my chest collapsed. This is my fault. People are frightened because of what I have done.
Her brow furrowed and she clucked her tongue. “I wonder why terrorists would go after the Segurs.”
I shrugged. “Do you mind if I use your phone? I need my friend to pick me up so I can go to the police. I’ll let them call Eve’s parents with the bad news.”
“Of course, whatever you need.” Lucy handed me her phone. “I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re finished. I’ll make you some breakfast.”
As soon as she was gone, I dialed Liane’s number. She answered on the fifth ring.
“Liane?” I asked, but a giant lump in my throat prevented the word from coming out right.
“Eve? Is it really you? Where in the hell have you been? I’ve been calling and calling. One more day and would’ve stormed Boaz’s castle. Why haven’t you called? I’ve been so bored—”
“Something’s happened, and I need your help,” I blurted.
There was a brief silence on the other end. “Of course, anything. What’s up?”
I was either too afraid or embarrassed to tell her everything so I didn’t. “I don’t think I mentioned this, but I moved home a couple of weeks ago.”
“Oh no! Are you and Boaz having problems?”
“Not really,” I lied. I didn’t want the conversation to come anywhere near Boaz and the fact that he was dead. That conversation would have to wait until I was safely out of the state. “I just felt it was time to return home.”
“Oh,” Liane said. I heard the confusion in her voice. “Then what’s wrong?”
“My parent’s home burnt down last night. There’s nothing left.”
“That’s horrible! How are your parents?”
“They weren’t home.”
“That’s good, right?”
I paused. “Liane, I need you to promise you won’t say a word to anyone of what I’m about to tell you.”
“Of course. That’s what sisters are for.”
“I’m glad you said that.” I tapped my fingers on the windowsill in front of me. “I need your help getting out of New York, and you can’t tell a soul, not even Boaz.”
“Why?”
“I need everyone to think I died in that fire.”
“But why, Eve?”
“Please, Liane, just trust me. This is my chance to get away. They all must think I’m dead, even Boaz. He’ll tell my parents otherwise.”
“But I thought you loved him.”
“Maybe. I just need to get away. Will you please help me?”
Liane sighed. “Sure. What do you need?”
“I need to borrow some money and clothes. And a ride to the nearest bus station or airport.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely.”
“All right. I’ll do it. Where are you now?”
“I’m at a neighbor’s house, two miles east of my parent’s home. Their address is 215 Birch Street just outside Chesterfield. It’s a large white stucco home.”
I could hear Liane scribbling in the background. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. It will probably be a few hours.”
“Thank you, Liane. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“It’s nothing. I’ll see you soon. Be safe.”
The receiver on the other end clicked. I waited a few minutes before returning to Lucy in the kitchen.
“I hope you’re hungry,” she said when I walked in. “And when you’re finished, you can shower. I’ll have clothes waiting for you when you get out.”
I ate, showered, and dressed quickly. With each passing second, I mapped out my next moves. I would head to Chicago, a place my parents didn’t like. I would get an apartment, a job, maybe as a waitress. It’d been my plan before Boaz came into my life.
Liane arrived early. After thanking Lucy for her hospitality and assuring her that I was going directly to the police, I hurried out to meet Liane before she could come into the house.
She jumped out of the car and threw her arms around me, embracing me tightly. After releasing me, she said, “I saw the home. It really was destroyed, wasn’t it? Looks more like a bomb went off than a simple fire.”
I averted my eyes. “Let’s just get out of here.”
“You got it,” she said and returned to her seat behind the steering wheel.
“Is this new?” I asked when I closed the passenger door. The black-leathered seat felt like it had never been sat in before, and the inside of the Lexus was immaculate.
“It is. You like it?”
“It’s amazing.”
“It was a gift. So what’s with your light hair?” Liane asked. “You look so different.”
I ran my fingers through the long strands. “Thought I’d go all-natural.”