Page 115 of Brazen Mistakes

“Why do I sense a snake?”

“Maybe because snakes were a symbol of wisdom before Christianity bent them to signify evil. A snake might be exactly what you need at this point.”

What a crazy-weird fucking burn. Who knew that the women in ancient history elective she took would come in handy? Either way, that’s my girl.

A derisive snort comes from the cop. “Time will tell. Do what you have to with the contract. But I’d like it settled one way or another soon.”

“You’ll have a response by the end of the week.”

“Right.”

The door creaks open. There’s a long pause, followed by Clara calling out, “Happy New Year!”, her voice more uncertain than it’s been the rest of the meeting. Like she’s not sure the cop would appreciate getting the most common of well wishes on December 31st.

I don’t hear him say anything else, and a moment later, the door closes. Shuffling footsteps come around the corner, and she jumps back when she finds me just barely past the turn. “Oh!” she gasps out.

Doubting myself, then telling myself I’m being an idiot for it, I reach over and link my fingers with hers, pulling her to the living room where I bundle her on the couch with me, a big blanket pulled off the back and draped over us both. “What’s the contract like?”

She hands it to me. “Nothing unexpected. I’m guaranteed anonymity if I deliver on my side. Otherwise, my name will show up in court filings.”

“What are the terms on your side?”

“Information leading to arrests. The timing is, of course, nebulous, but yeah. If I stall out on them, then I’m no longer protected. But as none of these people have any idea who I am, I don’t see wherethat could be bad.”

“They might not know your name,” I start, not knowing how to finish that without breaking her further.

“But they might know my face. Or whatever else ended up on those videos.” Her lips twist before she nuzzles my chest, breathing deeply. “I need to tell you something.”

Is there more? More that I should have been looking for? “Yeah?”

“I got into the FBI internship program.”

I have no idea how to respond to that. “And?”

“And I have no idea what to do. I haven’t told anyone else.”

“Do you still want to work with the cops? Be a cop?”God, I hope not.

She squirms against me. “I don’t think so. But I can’t seem to get myself to turn it down. Or to tell anybody about it.”

I can’t make this choice for her, as much as I wish I could. Pressing her closer, I keep the fear from my voice. “Thanks for telling me. For trusting me enough to share.”

“Of course, RJ. Anyway, how does this contract look to you?”

I read through the contract, her breath warming me through my shirt, and yet again, I wish I could stash her somewhere safe. Someplace where the monsters can’t reach her, hurt her, twist her up.

But they’d follow her. If this last month has taught us anything about this amazing woman who shares our home, it’s that her monsters attack at night, and that they’re probably bigger than she’s letting on. Unless I can excise the monsters from her brain, there’s not much I cando.

“It looks as boilerplate as the cop said it was,” I say. “I’m not sure we need this, though, Clara. What I’m doing, it’s small, but it’s safer, and it’s working.”

Clara doesn’t answer, and it only takes a moment to see that she’s passed out, her mouth open slightly, one hand pressed against my chest, the other curled up under her chin, the loosest mockery of a fist.

The black circles under her eyes have me pulling the blanket up to her cheek.

We have a few hours before we need to get ready for the party.

The rest can wait.

As the green-tinted light fades from the room, I memorize her face like the awkward creep I know I am. The twirls of her dark hair, the bump on her nose, the curve of her eyelashes against her cheeks. The warmth radiating from every point where our bodies press together, mine acting as a lumpy mattress. But she doesn’t seem to mind.

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