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Charles avoids my eye and toys with his spoon. “Some things went down, and a lot of trust was lost. I’m sure Frida never intended for things to turn out the way they did – I understand that now.” He shakes his head, lost in thought. “I distanced myself from her after that – I had no choice after what happened. I had to find a way to come to terms with it all myself. And I guess it was no different for Arthur. In the end, she left the hunters, and she, Arthur, and I went our separate ways.”
“Mr. Ackles, when I spoke to Mr. Brian, he mentioned that Frida did something terrible. Can you tell me what it was?”
“Oh, please, call me Charles,” he says. I get the feeling he’s trying to distract me or delay answering my question. But he quickly realizes I won’t let him wriggle out of it. He sighs and says, “To be honest, I don’t want to talk about it. It was hard on all of us. And I want you to have an impression of Frida the way she really was: a wonderful person who did everything in her power for the ones she loved.”
I sigh and fight the temptation to probe further. It would be fruitless. But I’m not ready to give up.
“Did Frida leave the hunters voluntarily, or was she forced out? Surely you can tell me that?”
“Well, it was complicated. What she did caused big waves and reflected badly on the hunters. There was a lengthy investigation. During that time, Frida was excluded from serious deployments, and Arthur had to supervise her, so to speak. TheCouncil got involved. The members couldn’t agree on how to handle it. In the end, they came up with a solution that didn’t attract too much attention and offered her a position in the school administration. That way, they could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn’t cause any more harm. Frida seemed happy with that solution, and she quickly settled into her new role.”
I nod and try to process all this information, but I realize I have even more questions than before.
Charles studies my face and leans forward. “I know this must all sound confusing. But you have to believe me when I say that Frida was an amazing person and a close friend. And Arthur felt the same. I can tell you more about your great aunt if you’d like. She had many talents. I don’t know if you’re aware that she was a gifted painter. She also had a wonderful singing voice.”
A faint smile crosses my lips when I hear these words because they mean a lot to me. “I’ve already seen a few of her paintings. They’re amazing.”
“They are. Frida could stand in front of her easel for hours and totally lose herself in her motifs. She often painted landscapes and street scenes. I assume you’ve seen her house? Upstairs, the first room on the left – that was her studio.”
“That’s my room now.”
“She always said that room had the best view.”
“I have to agree.”
“I’m so glad the house wasn’t sold and that her family gets to live there. That house holds a lot of memories for me.” He pauses for a moment and seems to be reminiscing. “I’m trying to remember the last time I was there.”
“Would you like to come by and see it again? I’m sure Mom would love to meet a friend of Frida’s.”
And maybe I’ll get another chance to find out what it was that my great aunt did.
“Oh, I don’t want to impose,” he says with a wave of his hand. “But it would be great to see the house again.”
“I’ll ask my mother, but I’m sure she’ll agree.”
“Great, I look forward to it,” he says, taking his phone out of his pocket and giving me his number. “Give me a call.” He sips his coffee and looks back at the other hunters, who keep glancing at us every now and then. “I should go back. As you can see, I’m already missed.” He gives me a wink, and we say goodbye.
There are so many questions jostling in my head, and I hope to get some answers soon. One thing is clear: there are a few mysteries surrounding Frida’s life, and apparently there’s a reason for this secrecy.
Chapter 4
Icheck my phone and frown. Still no word from Noah. I’m a little surprised because he normally replies quickly. It’s been three days since I last messaged him. It could be that he’s just really busy right now. And yet... I can’t help worrying.
I sigh deeply and enter the cafeteria with Kate, Max, and Lucia.
“And then we have training,” Max sighs irritably as she takes a tray and slams it down loudly on the serving counter. “I need to do something fun later to make this day bearable.”
We take our lunch to one of the free tables.
Max scans the room and stops when she sees a certain person. “Let’s ask Ayden if he wants to party with us tonight. We could maybe go to a club. What do you say?”
I’m still miles away, lost in thought and not really listening to her. My phone is in my hand again and I’m staring at the display. Maybe I should try Noah again?
I sigh and compose a message to him. “Everything OK? I haven’t heard from you in ages. I’m starting to worry.” I wait a moment, but of course I get no reply. So I put the phone away and turn my attention to my friends.
Kate is shaking her head and saying, “I can’t. I promised myselfthat I’d train after hours to try and catch up.”
Max rolls her eyes and looks at me. “You’re not going to bail on me too, are you?”
