The Black Coats(9)

“I’m going inside. I can’t look at it anymore.” Thea gave her mom a squeeze. “I promise I’ll go back to class if I leave again. I just couldn’t . . . not today.” The lies came easily. As her mom watched the painters, Thea could see tears gathering in her eyes. She couldn’t see her mom cry, not again. She had seen her parents cry more than any child ever should. “I’ll be up in my room.”

Her mom had a faraway look in her eyes as she stared across the street. “Sounds great.”

Thea was already jogging toward the house, her backpack bouncing on her shoulders. Once inside, she whistled and Alma, their ancient Irish setter, padded over to greet her. Thea crouched down and gave her a kiss on her doggy nose. “Something exciting happened today,” she whispered while she scratched behind Alma’s ears and played with her floppy cheeks. “Come on!” Alma slowly followed Thea into her bedroom.

Thea plugged in the blue star lights that hung over her bed and tore into her backpack, pulling the envelope out of the bag. Taking a deep breath, she pulled out a multipage document, printed in lovely calligraphy.

On behalf of Robin Peterson and Julie Westing, luminaries and founding members of the Black Coats, we cordially invite you, Thea Soloman, to join the Black Coats of Austin.

As a part of our small team of new recruits, you will train, learn, and serve the Black Coats. If you fail to adhere to any of these core rules, an appropriate punishment will be administered swiftly, followed by an exile from the group.

A BLACK COAT’S RULES OF ETIQUETTE AND SERVICE

A Black Coat is never to speak of the Black Coats outside of Mademoiselle Corday or at an official Black Coats function.

Assignments (called Balancings) for the Black Coats are given out by the luminaries only and are taken very seriously. Deviating from Balancings will result in immediate exile from the group.

Black Coats work only within their assigned teams. These three teams are Emperor, Swallowtail, and your team, Banner. Each team is led by a senior Black Coat (called presidents). President Nixon, whom you have already met, is the leader of your team.

Thea took a deep breath. “Team Banner, led by the scariest woman alive. Okay.” Still, she liked the way it sounded. With a grin, she tucked her legs up under her body and kept reading, heart pounding with excitement.

After you begin serving the Black Coats, you will become eligible for your inheritance, one Balancing for the person of your choosing. The luminaries decide at what point you will be given your inheritance.

At the end of your tenure, your service to the Black Coats will be terminated, and you will join our distinguished list of alumni and serve us in a professional capacity.

Mademoiselle Corday runs off the backs of new recruits like yourself. You will be expected to fulfill your duties to the house without complaint and in a timely manner.

You will proceed with your normal life during school hours and will come to us directly after school and all day on Saturdays. We will mail a form to your parents from the school detailing your new community service for the Historical Society for Restoration of Victorian Houses. This is your alibi for all Black Coat–related activities.

She flipped the page over, her hands moving slowly to avoid crinkling the delicate paper.

WELCOME TO THE BLACK COATS,

THEA SOLOMAN.

SIGNATURE: ________________ DATE: ________________

Soulevez-vous, femmes de la vengeance

Thea exhaled a long breath and leaned back against her bounty of throw pillows. Like an arrow, this organization had targeted her greatest desire: justice for Natalie. There was no amount of counseling that could give her this. She would be a part of something righteous.

Thea looked around her bare room. Her walls used to be lined with ribbons, newspaper articles, and handwritten letters from her track coach. It had been the thing she and Natalie had shared; track had been their life. After Natalie died, Thea had pulled down the clippings and the ribbons, and in a bout of hysteria, tried to burn them in the fireplace. Now there weren’t any matches in the house, her bedroom wasn’t as cozy as it once was, and Thea wasn’t a part of anything, anywhere.

But now there was this, a chance to wake up, a chance to belong in an entirely different way, a place where she wouldn’t be known as the sad girl anymore, where she could become someone new. Thea’s smile grew. And then she would have her revenge, the cherry on top of this strange cake. Cabby Baptist would pay for what he did. Thea picked up a pen from her desk. Her hand trembled a little as she scrolled her name across the contract: Thea Soloman.

She read over the contract a few more times before folding it carefully back into the envelope and tucking it into her backpack. There was no way she was forgetting that tomorrow. She lay back against Alma’s soft body, curling into her russet fur. “It’s happening,” she breathed. “It’s real.” That afternoon, when she had been numbly throwing clay, seemed a lifetime ago.

Bill Soloman’s cheerful voice interrupted her thoughts. “Thea! A dad cannot live on air alone! It’s your night for dinner!”

“Okay! I’m coming!” Thea shook off this new excitement and headed downstairs, the possibilities of her future overruled by the hope of finding black beans.

“Mrrmmph, that was delicious.” After dinner her father leaned back in his chair, patting his belly as the overhead lights reflected off his balding white head. Even without hair, he was still handsome, at least Thea always thought so. He had snagged her mother, after all. “I liked the peppers in the quesadillas, Thea. Let’s always put those in. Ladies, shall we retire to the viewing room? Tonight is the Survivor premiere.”