"I don't understand..." Dana Brighton said. She watched her best friend empty her closet and drawers. "You aren't telling me why you're moving. Is it something I did? My family?"
Julie turned to Dana, putting her hands on her shoulders. "No. I promise. I really can't explain properly...if I told you the truth, you would never think of me the same. I'm sorry. I"m also not telling you for your safety."
"Safety, from what?"
"It's better you don't know." Julie went back to packing her suitcases. "Dana, believe me, if I had a choice, I wouldn't be leaving. But I have to go."
"What happened in New York? I know it had something to do with your trip."
"Let's just say I walked into a set up."
"So, how long will you be up there?"
"I don't know. For as along as I need to be. But I will keep in touch. It's not like I'm never going to see you again."
"Ms. Summers, the car is here." William, Julie's caretaker, stood at her bedroom door. He was probably one of the few butlers left in existence, even going so far as to wear the black suit and bow tie. His grey hair was thinning and his crows feet got deeper each year.
"Thank you, William. I've left some of the bags in the hall. Would you take them to the car please?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"I can't believe this is happening..." Dana sat on Julie's bed. "I just can't believe it."
"I truly am sorry, Dana." Julie zipped up the last bag and took it to the hallway. "I wish I didn't have to go."
"Julie...if you're in some kind of trouble..."
"I'm not. I'm just, kind of being...blackmailed."
"Blackmailed! Julie, what could you possibly have done?"
"It's more of what I didn't do. And that's all I'm saying."
Julie walked out to the town car that was waiting to take her to the airport. William passed them to get the last bags. She looked out at her family's land, the twenty acres she had grown up on. The pond was a little low, but the rainy season would fix that.
"Who is that?" Dana pointed to the end of the long driveway."
Julie made her eyes zoom to the end of the driveway. A man in a long brown trench coat rested on a bike, but he kept his helmet on. In his hands he was messing with a deck of cards.
"My escort, apparently."
William shut the trunk, signalling it was time to go.
"I'm going to miss you." Julie said to Dana. The two girls hugged.
"You too," Dana said.
Julie got into the town car, still waving out the window as the car pulled away. When the car passed Gambit, she made a point to flip him the bird.