“It was just after my training. I was still figuring out my place in the world, and you thought being in this environment would help me learn to be alady,” Cleo said, exaggerating the last word.
“You were a diamond in the rough. I saw it, Mom saw it and even my grandmother saw it. You may not have had the same background as some of our recruits, but we knew you’d be better suited for this line of work than most.”
“And I have been,” Cleo said. “What do you need from me?”
“Nothing now, but be careful with my two pets. I’ve grown fond of them. If anything were to happen to them, I would be very disappointed.”
“Don’t worry, Phillipa. I’ve grown fond of them, too. There aren’t many people who will throw themselves in front of a bullet for you. They’re just so…genuine. You almost forget what that looks like in our line of work.”
“We have very few genuine friends,” Cleo agreed. “And while I consider you one, I also know that you would bury me if you were ordered by the Chairwoman to do so.”
“You can at least take solace in knowing I wouldn’t enjoy it,” Hennigan agreed.
“When are you going to retire to a desk job? Your mother must be getting antsy for you to find someone, so you can continue the familial line.”
“I just need to find the right man for my donation. I’ll be using modern medicine to get pregnant.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less. Do you have your sights set on someone?”
“Not yet,” Hennigan said. “He’ll have to be the right combination of genetics.” She didn’t tell Cleo that Deborah Hennigan thought the Barnes’ son would make an excellent donor.
“Well, we should get back to the party,” Cleo said.
“We should,” Hennigan agreed. “Just watch your back. You know Lizzy is coming for you.”
“I do,” Cleo said. “But we always feared this day would come.”
“That we did.”
“Does your mother or grandmother know?”
“What you did? Of course not,” Hennigan said, sipping her champagne. “And it will stay that way. You gave a friend a chance to disappear and become someone new. She wasted it.”
“I was young, naïve and believed in the goodness of humanity,” Cleo said. “Now, we’re two middle-aged, jaded women who know better.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Hennigan said as she lifted her flute and sipped.
“I’ll see you inside.”
Hennigan nodded as her one loyal friend walked away. She took a deep breath and enjoyed the fresh air.
“She doesn’t know how much I know,” Ms. Wilson said in her earpiece.
“No. And just like my mother and grandmother will never know about Lizzy, Cleo will never know about you. Sadly, that’s just the way our world works.”
“Do you think you can trust her?” Ms. Wilson asked.
“More than most, but that doesn’t mean much. Please save that audio to a USB and lock it in my safe. I hope I’ll never need to use it, but one never knows in our line of work.” She pushed herself off the bench and headed back inside. “I’m going back in. I won’t need you for the rest of the night. Good night, Ms. Wilson.”
“Good night, Dr. Hennigan.”
Phillipa reached into her ear, pulled out the earpiece and slipped it into her small clutch. She took one last breath before heading into the house.
She was barely in the door when a man yelled her name.
“Phillipa, you came.” An older, distinguished gentleman in a tux came over and hugged her.
“Of course I did, Daddy. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
