Chapter 8: 8. Earning Trust

"Ok," I said quietly after taking a sip of my beer. "But you're going to answer all of my questions first."

She looked like she was going to protest so I added, "You want to ask me delicate or sensitive questions, you're going to have to earn my trust. So you go first. Otherwise, I'm gone."

"Very well," Marianne replied with a sigh. "You are correct. So what is it you'd like to know about me?"

We were sitting in a private booth in a quiet pub not too far from the museum. Apparently it was a popular spot for students and researchers, but this was still early afternoon so the place wasn't that busy yet. There was a row of booths on either side, and a half dozen tables in the middle.

Apart from the two of us, the only other people in the place were the bartender, a couple older guys in a booth on the other side, and a twenty-something woman sitting alone at one of the tables. The older guys looked like profs or something, they were having their own quiet conversation. And the woman looked like a student, she was quietly reading something on her tablet.

The booths had dividers between them so they felt nice and private. So long as me and Marianne kept our voices down, I figured we could talk without anyone overhearing us.

I had another sip of my beer then asked my first few questions.

"What's your full name? What are you studying? And how can you see ghosts?"

She had a sip of her wine before answering, "I am Marianne Durand. I'm a student of ancient history. And I am able to see things normal people cannot. Ghosts, spirits, auras, supernatural things most people are unable or unwilling to perceive."

Eva appeared sitting next to me in the booth and commented, "She is telling the truth Lexi. She may be a seer, someone who is naturally sensitive to the supernatural."

The French girl glanced to my right when Eva appeared, it was obvious now that she was able to see my demon ghost friend. And since she wasn't trying to hide that anymore, Marianne bowed her head slightly towards Eva in silent greeting.

My attention remained on the girl across from us, and I asked "So you're a seer? Does that mean you're like a psychic or medium? You can see dead people?"

"That's right Lexi," Marianne replied. She had some more wine then elaborated, "Call it a gift or a curse, I've always been able to see more than most people."

Eva continued watching the attractive brunette as she told me, "That is also the truth. Normally I'm able to read humans much more easily, but this one has some protections in place to prevent that. It's subtle, but effective."

I nodded slowly as I processed what both my companions said. I had some more of my beer as I thought it over, then asked Marianne "What's the real reason you're so curious about me and my friend and my bracelet?"

That led to a blush on her cheeks as she took a longer sip of her wine.

After a deep breath Marianne admitted "The reason I first joined you for lunch was simple. I found you attractive and wanted to get to know you. It was only after we started to talk that I noticed your bracelet and recognized it as a Bronze-age artefact. And normally I don't pay much attention to the ghosts and spirits around me. Cities like this have so many they practically outnumber the living, but I realized that your companion is not a human spirit. You and she look like sisters, but I can tell she is no ordinary ghost."

"She is something I've never encountered before," she added. "I thought perhaps if I could get to know you and your companion, I could figure out what's special about her or identify what kind of spirit she is."

I glanced at Eva, who shrugged "She's telling the truth. However I'm still not entirely comfortable with her knowing too much about me."

/Same here,/ I responded while having a gulp of beer. /But I get the feeling if we don't give her something, she's going to keep after us./

"Very well Lexi," Eva responded. "I'd prefer you don't reveal my true nature, but apart from that you may share some details with her."

My attention returned to Marianne and I said quietly, "She's agreed to share some information with you, but first we have to stress this is for your ears only. Will you swear to keep everything we tell you a secret?"

It only took Marianne a moment before she nodded "I swear it."

"All right then," I asked her, "What do you want to know?"

She smiled, "Your full name, her full name, why you're really here in London, and where you're both really from, to start."

"I'm Lexi Lund," I answered, "And I'm from Canada. I lived with my dad in a suburb of Toronto. My dad and I had a falling out last month and he sent me here for a few weeks to try and make it up to me. Or maybe he sent me here to get me out of the house for a while, I'm not really sure."

I paused for a sip of beer then continued, "My ghost-friend's name is Eva, that's the only name I know her by. And I don't know where she's originally from."

Marianne's eyes narrowed, "You're not the only one with a supernatural lie detector. You do know where she's from."

That caught me off guard, and from the look on Eva's face she wasn't expecting it either.

"Fine," I grimaced. "She said Scandinavia."

The brunette grinned and drained the last of her wine before she launched another barrage of questions. "How long have you two been together? How did you meet? How did you become friends?"

"It's been like four days," I replied with another grimace. "And I'm not prepared to answer the other questions yet, they're a little too sensitive."

"Aw," Marianne looked like she was going to protest, but instead she let it go for now. Instead she changed topics, "Where'd you really get the bracelet?"

My cheeks went red and I may have cringed slightly in the booth. I gestured to my right, "It belongs to Eva actually."

The attractive French girl stared at me for a few moments as her eyes narrowed again.

I figured she'd know what I said was the truth, even if it didn't actually answer her question.

A few seconds later she leaned a little closer across the table and in a half-whisper she said "Ok Lexi. This is only a guess, but it is based on what you've told me. I think you stole the bracelet from somewhere, and you were surprised to discover it came with an unexpected passenger. Spirits can be bound to objects, and you inadvertently found yourself with a ghostly companion after you acquired the item. She somehow imprinted herself on you, which explains why she looks like you despite being something very different. And somehow the two of you have become friends. Am I right?"

You are reading story Missed Connections at novel35.com

My eyes widened as she was talking, then when she finished Eva and I exchanged a glance.

"It's close," I finally replied. "So now my question is, what are you going to do about all this?"

That left Marianne with a thoughtful look on her face. Instead of answering, she asked "Would you like another drink? I'm going to get another glass of wine."

"Sure," I shrugged.

While she went over to the bar to get us another round, I looked at Eva and asked softly "What do you think? She's curious, but she seems ok?"

"Definitely curious," my demon agreed. "I know she wants to get to know us both better, though for very different reasons I imagine."

That got me blushing again, I'd almost forgotten why Marianne originally joined me for lunch. The thought that such a pretty and fashionable girl found me attractive sent my heart fluttering, especially when I wasn't even dressed up nice.

"Here you are Lexi," the pretty girl in question said as she returned to the booth. She set another half pint of lager down in front of me, and settled into her side of the booth with a full glass of wine.

"Thanks," I smiled, though my cheeks were still red.

"So apart from all the questions and stuff, was there anything more you were hoping for?" I asked after a sip of beer.

My cheeks went even brighter as I realized how that might sound and I quickly added, "I mean, from me and Eva? Like I mean, supernaturally-speaking?"

Marianne smirked at how I flustered myself. She had a quiet sip of wine before responding, "Yes, there is. Most spirits tend to have a purpose or a goal, some unfinished business that ties them to this world. I am wondering if perhaps I might be able to help Eva to achieve whatever it is she is seeking?"

That surprised me, and I exchanged another look with my ghostly friend. She seemed uncertain, but she didn't say no.

So I looked back at Marianne again and told her, "Eva wants to find her family, she needs to know they're ok. We're actually going to be leaving London in a couple days, to start our search to find them."

Marianne asked, "You're going to Scandinavia?"

"No," I shook my head. "She said her family lived elsewhere. Other parts of Europe."

The attractive brunette looked thoughtful for a few moments, before she finally asked "May I come with you? Depending on what parts of Europe you're going, I'm sure I could help? I speak several languages, and I've done some travelling. I may be able to help in other ways too, you never know when someone who can see spirits and the supernatural may come in handy?"

I almost smiled at how eager she was, but I asked "What about your studies here? The ancient history stuff?"

She shrugged, "As I said, my time is my own. I can return to my studies again afterwards. Or I can submit papers and research remotely. Please Lexi and Eva, I'd really like to accompany you. I'd like to help you."

After another few seconds of thought I looked at Eva and suggested, "I think I'd like to sleep on this? To think it over, maybe talk it over, before making a decision?"

"Very well Lexi," Eva replied with a small nodd.

Looking back at Marianne again I asked, "How about you and I meet for lunch again tomorrow, at that cafe in the park? I'll have an answer for you then."

The French girl looked a little torn, like she was eager to start immediately but she also knew it was asking too much that I have an answer for her at once. She finally relented, "Very well Lexi. I hope you and your friend will agree."

As we finished our drinks she suggested we could at least exchange numbers or other contact info. I agreed to that, and couldn't help feeling another little flutter as the attractive brunette gave me her phone number.

Then I very nearly gave her my old number in return, before I remembered that phone was run over by a subway train and was probably in an evidence bag in some police station somewhere.

And I didn't actually know my new number, which led to my cheeks going red as I had to go into the phone's settings to find it.

Marianne raised an eyebrow as I finally read it out to her. She noted it down, but rather than commenting about me not knowing the number she remarked on something else entirely. "A local London number I see. I was expecting a Canadian number."

"My plan doesn't cover roaming," I replied with a grimace. "It was either depend on free wi-fi, or get a local prepaid line?"

"Ah of course," she replied.

There was a slight smile on her face though, and I mentally kicked myself as I remembered she had some kind of magic lie-detector of her own. She didn't call me out on the lie though, so I didn't bother elaborating or changing my story.

The two of us finished our drinks in relative silence, and when we were done I thanked Marianne for the beer. The three of us emerged from the bar together, then went our separate ways. She headed back to the research place, while Eva and I wound up going back to the hotel again instead of doing more sightseeing.

After all the conversation with Marianne, I felt like I needed some time to think. And I definitely wanted to talk with Eva, but that conversation needed to happen in private.

On the way I stopped at the convenience store near the hotel to pick up some soda and a couple more bottles of spring water, then headed up to my room. I opened a can of cola, turned on the TV, then slumped back on the bed and sighed.

I looked at Eva who was sitting crosslegged on the bed next to me, and noticed her shoes and vanished again leaving her barefoot now that we were 'home'. It was an odd little detail but I decided I liked it. It might just be a hotel room, but she didn't want to mess up the place with dirty shoes.

"What do you think?" I asked her before taking a gulp of my drink. "It feels kind of risky, letting a complete stranger come help us look for your family, right?"

Eva frowned, then shrugged, and finally decided "I think we should bring her along."