Chapter 15
Blue was still fast asleep beside me when I woke up. The luminous clock on the bedside table read 5:30 am. Plenty of time to do what I had to do. I took another look at Blue. Her lips were partly opened. She was hugging the pillow that she placed in the middle of the bed. As respect for me no doubt. I brushed away the hair falling over her cheek.
"Thank you," I whispered. She didn't stir as I went to my own room to dress.
"Miss Kensington," Mrs. Hart said when I entered her office. "A little early for chit chat don't you think?" Her eyes followed me as I approached her and sank on the chair I previously occupied the night before. "How did you know I'm in the office?"
"They said that successful people have one thing in common Mrs. Hart. You wake up really early. I knew I'd find you here, working."
She gave a small laugh. "You're really bright for someone who wasn't born into riches and provided with the best education that money has to offer. I'm looking forward to seeing you establish your own company someday." She leaned forward in her chair. "But as of now, let's talk about the reason you're here. Did you think about my proposition?" I nodded. "And your decision?"
"Before I say anything, you have to tell me why you want this kind of information first."
Mrs. Hart pursed her lips. Instead of answering my question, she pointed to her desk, or rather, what was on it. "Do you know what this is?" she asked.
I frowned. "It's Newton's Cradle, a five ball system that shows the conservation of momentum. When the other end strikes the next ball, it will repeatedly swing because force is applied. It follows Isaac Newton's Law of Motion, which was why it was named after him."
"Very well said." She lifted the metallic ball on the right side and released. As if magic, the vibrations reached the other end, creating a continuous motion. "Knowing that an object in motion will stay in motion unless there is an external factor applied, will this Cradle ever stop? It does give the same force every time the ball swings back." She glanced expectantly at me.
"I believe it will stop eventually." I pointed to the system. "The force is not the same at all. For one, the system creates a sound each time the ball hits another. Energy is lost through that. Another reason is the heat generated when they collide. Again, energy is released. In short, as time passes, it will eventually stop because there's no energy left." I sighed. "Mrs. Hart, do you need coffee? We're not making any sense here. I was asking about Alya."
The chair swiveled as she turned. Mrs. Hart stared thoughtfully at the aquarium. "I asked the same question to El. She was able to answer it quickly without batting an eyelash. Lilith on the other hand wrote a formula explaining how energy was deducted each time the ball strikes." She turned her head to me. "Do you know what Alya said when I asked her?"
"No," I murmured.
"She didn't answer me at all. She was thirteen at the time. We sat staring at each other for two hours in silence." Mrs. Hart's lips set into a grim line. "Alya never said a word though I knew she knew the answer. That girl is full of secrets. Even now she's keeping one from me, and I'm afraid it can ruin her marriage with Lilith."
I was tempted to ask why the marriage had to push through, though both parties didn't seem interested in each other. I held my tongue. It was probably for political or familial reasons as the rumors said. "And what role do I have to play in all this?" I asked. "How are we going to do this?"
Her eyes had a gleam as she swiveled the chair to the desk. "Assuming you'll say yes, I will give you matching bracelets. One for you, and another for Alya. You must make sure that she wears it because it's my way of knowing if you really did go near her. The tattoo on your finger is too complicated to use for that, so I'm not even considering it. Anyway, you have to report to me at least once a month."
My attention was caught by the aquarium wall behind Mrs. Hart. A small shark stopped just above her head. It seemed to look directly at me while it hovered there. I blinked a couple of times before glancing at Mrs. Hart. "About what?"
"About anything." She opened a drawer on her left and produced a brown manila envelope, which she placed in front of me on the desk. "Open it."
The envelop was heavy. I carefully removed the coil and parted the paper. "There's money in it." I gasped. A lot of it.
"Fifty thousand dollars for the first payment." She smiled like a shark. "Lucky for you, information is not cheap. The bracelets are also there, inside a smaller envelop." She entwined her fingers. "So what do you say?"
My talk with Mrs. Hart ended when her secretary knocked on her office door. Something about business demanded her attention. I dismissed myself with a polite smile and walked out to the deck. The sun was already up. Our conversation has lasted for more than an hour.
Blue wasn't in her room when I returned, so I took the time to shower and put on something warmer. It was particularly chilly that day, and the sea air wasn't helping a bit. I walked around the ship, searching for Blue. I shouldn't have left my phone in the room. How would I ever find her in a big place like this? On the other hand, she would have left a note if she wanted me to accompany her. Maybe she desired to be alone.
"They even have a park here," I murmured to myself. "How ridiculous and amazing at the same time."
Someone laughed to my left. "Who are you talking to Jars?"
Lilith was sitting with her leg crossed on one of the benches. She was by her lonesome. "We've got to stop meeting like this," I said as I went to her. "Doing your stalking for the day?"
"Stalking? And who will I stalk, you?" she asked smugly. "Get a grip of yourself Farts. Why would I even do that. You're way above your level."
I sat next to her, which made her eyebrows shoot up. I ignored her reaction and gave her an impish grin. "You're always saying my name wrong. How about I call you Lilithia to return the favor huh?"
Her cheeks reddened. "You wouldn't dare," she whispered.
I leaned to her. "Li. . Li. . Thia." She trembled. Oh my gosh, she was simply too good to tease. Lilith brought out the devil in me. I didn't know what came over me at that time, but I bit her left ear for good measure.
"Waaaaaaaah!" she screamed. It sounded like a war cry that made people in the surrounding area stop and stare. They resumed walking when all they saw was a grey haired girl pointing to another girl who was laughing.
I clutched at my stomach. "Man, the look on your face. Ha- ha!"
Lilith touched her ear. "I want you out of my ship now."
"How? We won't dock until tomorrow?" I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.
"I don't care. Jump or whatever." She gasped before glancing at her Patek Philippe watch. Gosh, those things were expensive. The cost of all my parents possessions put together would never be enough to buy what was on her wrist. Lilith suddenly ran to the bushes, cutting my thoughts.
"Hey, wait up." Lilith stopped beside a tree and scooped something from the surrounding bushes. The motion was so quick that I barely had time to see what she took. "What do you have there?" I asked.
She turned around with a smirk on her face. "None of your business Cars." There was a bulge on her leather jacket.
I stepped to her. "You're not doing something illegal are you? Because then I'll have to tell the police, or maybe even your mother." I wouldn't really do it, but I enjoyed seeing blood leave her face.
