Crushed (54 page)

Diana nodded, her grief still alive in her eyes.

"It was officially reported as a car accident, but we all knew better. Max had snapped long before, and was doing everything in his power to hunt them down. His rage overcame his reason. Even though killing them meant losing the location of his paintings, he did it anyway."

"I guess that means they never found my grandparents?"

"Your grandparents put everything they had into hiding you from them. This may sound strange, but it may be because they didn't move around a lot. They found an identity that worked and blent in so well they weren't suspect to anyone. Your parents were always on the run, even though they didn't know the first thing about hiding themselves. It's a miracle they lasted so long on their own."

Sophie had a mix of reactions to the information she was hearing. Diana was speaking practically, even though she was talking about her friends. Instead of sounding pained by their deaths, she seemed like she'd moved on from it a long time ago. Sophie wondered if she could be like that too, so calculating and calm.

Diana hadn't told her anything she didn't know before. She'd known about her grandparents taking her into hiding, and she'd understood that it was for her own safety. Her biggest question now was why her parents stole the paintings on their own, without using the support system they'd spent years building?

It didn't make sense. It wasn't logical for them to run off on their own, and it was painful to know they hadn't visited her in the seven years they'd been running away. She'd always thought they'd died when she was three, but it made her feel like she'd been abandoned to know they'd been alive for so much longer.

"My grandmother wanted me to return." Sophie commented. "I still don't understand fully, but she sent me a letter saying someone would come for me after her death. That person was Robert, right?"

"Your grandmother didn't know Robert, but she knew that people would be looking for you. Max and Cleo saw you as your parent's weakness, and thought you had a connection to their lost paintings. This connection is what made Cleo want you in the first place. Had you not requested to be a thief, she would've kept a close eye on you, monitoring everything in your everyday life."

"So, even if I'd just walked away that day, I would still be tangled up in this mess?"

"Yes, though fortunately becoming a thief taught you the skills you'd need to fight back."

"Well, that's a relief." Sophie grinned briefly. She'd sometimes wondered if everyone would be better off had she not chosen to become a thief.

"I believe your grandparents wished for Cleo to find you first. She's the must humane of the two, and if they were to find you one day, she would rather it be Cleo. This wish was not supported by your parents, who wanted you away from this life, but your grandmother was practical. Without them alive to protect you, there was no way you could prevent Max and Cleo from finding you."

Sophie thought back to the day she'd met Robert, and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Wait, Robert didn't come to the school to meet me. He was stealing a painting that day. We met accidentally, right?"

She heard Robert approaching from behind them, and turned to look. His hands were in his pockets, though his usual easygoing smirk was replaced by a serious frown.

"I had orders to find you." He explained, sitting down on the path in front of their bench. He stretched out his legs, looking relaxed. "Cleo had hinted that she wanted you found, though I'd spent years without looking into your case. Our meeting was an accident, but I recognized your name instantly. I let you go once, but when we met the second time, I had to give you my card." He glanced away from them. "If Cleo had found out that I spoke to you, I would've been punished. So, I gave you my card, thinking it was up to you whether you followed up on the offer or not. I said everything I'd been told to say upon meeting you."

"It makes sense why you were so mean to me when I visited you." She mused.

"I didn't want you to be pulled into this life. I gave you the decision of whether to come or not, and you stupidly, still came." His voice held a drop of amusement. "You're very stubborn."

Sophie grinned at him, and for a moment they were so caught up in each other they forgot Diana sitting next to them. She coughed pointedly to gather their attention back on the discussion.

"Rob, can I ask you something?" Sophie asked when she'd collected her thoughts. Her questions were being answered one by one, but there was one last thing she had to know.

"Anything." He replied, sounding like he knew where she was headed.

"You said once that my mother gave you a letter..."

Robert nodded, having assumed this was her request. "I did say that, and I was telling the truth." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper that was yellowed with age. "When I first moved into the house, it was abandoned. Rylan's father worked abroad, and Gwyn's mother had found herself another residence. No one trusted living together anymore, so I had the place to myself. I used to live in Rylan's room, which happened to be where your parent's used to stay. Lying on their bed was a letter that had been untouched for years."

He lifted the letter in the air, before slipping it into Sophie's hands.

"After searching your parent's room, Cleo left it untouched for years. The note was probably in the same place that your mother left it, all those years ago."

The significance of the letter in her hands was almost too much for Sophie.

She'd known the letter existed, but until this point she'd never felt driven to read it. Reading the letter would be like meeting and saying goodbye to her parents at the same time.

Diana was watching her closely, and placed one hand on her arm. "I've told you the events leading up to their disappearance. You also know what happened afterwards. This letter may answer the rest of your questions, and give you what you're looking for."

Robert nodded encouragingly, his eyes supportive. "The letter was addressed to the thief that would take their place. I've kept it close for years because it was so important to me. The best advice I ever got for becoming a thief came from your mother in that letter." He paused, trying to think of how to continue. "She...got to me. I never got the chance to meet her, but through that letter I wanted to support her decisions."

"Why didn't you give this to me before?" Sophie didn't want to sound like she was blaming him, but she didn't understand what holding this back would accomplish.

"You weren't ready for it." Robert answered calmly. "The letter says nothing about where the paintings are, but it does talk about the past. I didn't think you would understand your mother's message back then, but now you're ready."

"Why is that?"

"You now know what it feels like to want to run away. You're in the same position your parents were in back then when they tried to escape and the world turned against them. Before, you were set on creating a life as a thief, and that is the exact opposite of what your mother wanted. I think you're in a position now that you'll understand where she's coming from."

"It wasn't your decision to make." Sophie wasn't accusing him, just stating her opinion. "You should've given me this a long time ago."

"I won't argue you on that. It belongs to you, and it was my stubbornness that kept it secret. Forgive me?"

Sophie shook her head, fighting a smile at his innocent expression. "There's nothing to forgive. I can't change what happened in the past, and at least you've decided to give it to me now."

She lifted the note, noticing for the first time that her hands had begun to shake.

"If you want us to leave...?" Diana offered, leaning forward to stand up.

"No!" Sophie almost shouted. She didn't want to be alone when she read it. "I mean, you deserve to hear it too." She said, looking at Diana. "You were their friend."

Diana's serious expression briefly broke into a kind smile. "Thank you." She whispered.

Sophie took a deep breath, not knowing why she was so nervous. She'd completed much harder tasks than this in the last few months, but for some reason this felt like her biggest hurdle.

"Here we go..." Sophie whispered, unfolding the paper gently.

She glanced over the small handwriting on the page, and all of a sudden it was easy to visualize her mother writing it. She'd stared at her mother's photograph multiple times, finding it hard to really remember what she looked like. She'd never seen her mother this clearly before.

A wave of emotion rolled over her, but she didn't let it stop her from beginning to read.

*  *  *

I've refrained from addressing this letter for many reasons. I cannot be sure that the person reading this now is the person to whom it concerns, but I hope that this letter does find its' way into the right hands. My name is Susanne Parker, and I've lived in this home for more than ten years. You may be wondering who I am, but I won't worry you with details. We will probably never meet.

If you're reading this letter, you probably know of Cleo. There is also a good chance you belong to her now too. Should I be correct in this assumption, I request that you continue reading, even if you do not agree with what I have to say.

Cleo has undoubtably requested your services for her game. She may not have explained it in those exact words, but know that this is all a game to her. Did she make you an offer? An offer you would be foolish to ignore? Did she pull you out of a difficult situation and offer you a better life? Yes, that's how it started for me as well. She made me feel significant, saying she wanted me and my husband for our skills. If you haven't realized it by now, you should know this is all a lie.

By joining Cleo, you've decided to use a shortcut to achieve your desires. Whether it be for money, influence, or something I couldn't even imagine, you've chosen the easiest route to get there. Like most things, this route is dangerous and corrupting. I know better than to try to warn you away now. You've made your choice, and where that will take you is up to the choices you make in the future. I simply want to give you the advice I wish I'd be given.

You must know by now that Cleo wants you to be her thief. Whether you're skilled at hacking security systems, forging art, or pretending to be someone you're not, she will use you. Your job has probably been outlined for you by Cleo, and all of your questions have now been answered. However, I promise there are things about this life you do not know.

You are in this business for life. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Cleo may offer you a time limit, but that is yet another of her lies. You've now become her investment, just like I was an investment. She is not eager to throw someone valuable away. That being said, there are two means of escape, whether by running away or by "dying" as a thief.

There are two ways to "die" as a thief for Cleo. One, is to figuratively kill yourself by getting arrested. If the police find you, it's game over. You're on your own, and the sentence you receive will be yours to bare alone. Do not expect any help, as Cleo will not extend her hand to you. The second way to die is completely literal. You are now working for a criminal, and through that you've become expendable. Whether it is the police, a rival thief, or Cleo herself, dying is a possibility in this profession. Accept this as a fact and move on from it.

No matter how loyal you are to Cleo, your first thoughts should only concern yourself. Make decisions that are best for you, as Cleo will surely not make them for you. If you want to survive as a thief, learn to adapt to change. Harden yourself to lies, and brace yourself for injustices. This path is one which is lined with hurdles that you may not possess the strength to overcome. Even knowing that, overcome them anyway. You must learn quickly that your limits are only what you set for yourself.

The advice I'm giving you comes from years of experience. I ask you to please trust me. From my ten years here, I want to leave behind something that makes a difference, and I hope this letter will become that. I write this letter solely to you, the newest addition to Cleo's "family," so that you may know that you are not alone. I'm sorry this is the path that you had to choose. It is not a fate I would wish on others, because for all the support Cleo may give, she burdens you with so much more. I'm not the same person I was when I entered this place, and I will forever regret my decision to join her.

Upon becoming a thief, you may hear rumors about me. These rumors will be about how I stole from Cleo and her rival Max, how I betrayed them, and how I will forever be running from them. The things you hear will probably be half-true. I intend to steal from them, but my goal is so much more. With my husbands help, I will end Cleo. We will destroy her influence so that she will never be able to recreate this industry again. I do not know when this goal will come true, but you've been forewarned. When we come for her, there is a chance you will be tangled up as well. It is up to you to find a way to escape.