The Secret of Zormna Clendar by Julie Steimle (best ereader for pdf TXT) 📕

“No one else?”

Zormna shook her head. “No. They snuck me out secretly. They had full access and means to get me here.”

“And no one would connect you with this neighborhood, at all?” Jennifer’s heart beat painfully as she had to make sure her family was safe.

Zormna shook her head again, lifting her eyes. “Not another soul. Only those two know my family connection here.”

Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief.

“Look,” Zormna said, watching Jennifer’s face carefully, “I can see you are distraught. And I completely understand why. But if your family was not harmed when my great aunt was killed, then I am sure they are safe.”

“Why would my family be harmed when you great aunt died?” Jennifer asked.

Blushing, Zormna said, “Nothing. Just…”

Yet it came to Jennifer, and she rolled her eyes. “The Irish connection.”

Almost painfully, Zormna nodded. Then she looked around to see if the parents were home. She got off the loveseat and marched back through the house with an impeccable sense of direction, heading to the stairs. She hardly noticed Todd who had just paused outside the sliding glass door in the backyard, watching them. He had barely finished mowing the back lawn and was now sweeping up the back porch.

“You’re not going to tell anyone else about—you know—what happened to your family, are you?” Jennifer jogged around the banister to Zormna’s side again to match her quick march up the stairs. “Because it would totally freak them out.”

Zormna cast her a baffled glance when she reached the top step. “Of course not. I would not have even told you—but you are relentless.”

Relentless. Jennifer almost laughed. She had been called that before.

“And I think you are smart enough to learn not to ask any more questions.”

“I’m smart enough?” Jennifer raised her eyebrows, in tandem of course. One day she’d get that one eyebrow. “What? You think you are smarter than me? I’m in honors classes.”

And, of course, the blonde blinked at that as the reference flew right over her head.

Shaking it off, Zormna muttered, “Whatever.”

The attic door was closed when they came to it. Zormna pulled on the simple cabinet knob, detaching it from the magnet catch. As it opened, Jennifer noticed a shiny new slide-latch lock on the inside for privacy. Both gazed at the transformed space with awe, all dust gone.

“Wow,” Jennifer murmured, going in. “Mom works fast.”

The blonde nodded, ducking through the doorway. She climbed up the two steps to the higher level, surveying the space. A chest of drawers was set at one side with a pipe hanging empty with one end on a two-by-four segment in the wall and the other resting on the top of the drawers. A handful of empty hangers hung on it. Four shelves were set above the brass bed on the far wall. One already had a clock radio sitting on top, set with the correct time. A cedar cabinet had been placed at the end of the bed. Sheets and old curtains covered everything she was not to use.

“She has been extremely busy,” Zormna murmured. She then searched around the door. “Too busy. Where is my bag?”

Jennifer shrugged. That peach bag Zormna had brought, she had entirely forgotten about.

Searching, Zormna gained momentum with each place she looked, first going to the empty bureau, pulling open each and every drawer. Then she looked under the bed. Lifting her eyes with an almost frenzied expression, her eyes set on the cedar chest. She sprang to it and flung it open.

There it was, her bag, sitting in the bottom next to a folded up blanket to use if she got cold at night.

Zormna dropped on her knees, heavily breathing in relief. She clutched the bag to her chest, closing her eyes.

“Ok…” Jennifer walked across the creaking attic floor. “You found it. Great. Now, was all that panicking worth it?”

Lifting a critical eye open onto Jennifer, Zormna frowned. Briskly, she rose, setting the bag back inside the chest.

But Jennifer merely rolled her eyes at the girl. “Chill—would you?”

“There you are.” Her mother stuck her head into the room before Zormna could retort. Her smile brightened on them both. “How was the trip? Did you find any pillows?”

Jennifer slapped her forehead. “I totally forgot!”

“We were distracted,” Zormna explained, her expression returning to her military straight face. 

“By what?” Mrs. McLenna asked, curious.

Angling her head, Jennifer chuckled. “Well…when we got there we saw—”

But her mother waved it off. “Anyway, lunch is ready. Tell me when we get downstairs.”

Jennifer shrugged. There was time later to tell her about the lawyer. And the other things…

Her mother promptly stepped out of the doorway, letting them come through. She was almost giddy, like it was Christmas. Clearly her mom had too much fun getting everything ready for their new guest. Jennifer wondered if maybe she really ought to ask if her mother knew about the deaths of Zormna’s other relatives. She just wouldn’t tell the others.

Jennifer glanced back at Zormna. The girl lingered in the room with that same resigned sigh. Zormna’s eyes trailed over all the things that had already been done. But she didn’t look happy about it.

 “Are you coming?” Jennifer said.

Zormna shrugged, picking up her feet to keep up. “I am.”

In the hall, back towards the stairs, Mrs. McLenna paused, lightly pushing on Jennifer’s cracked-open door when she passed it. “By the way, Jennifer, after lunch you need to clean your room. It is a mess.”

A laugh erupted from Zormna, which she quickly coughed away.

Jennifer shot her a look, but Zormna had averted her gaze, pressing her lips together to mask her amusement.

“What?” Jennifer scowled.

“Nothing.” Zormna kept her eyes averted.

The entire family had gathered in the kitchen and dining area, though did not sit together to eat. Each person had claimed territory around the tile-covered counter that divided the kitchen from the dining area. Todd stood with a sandwich in his mouth. He stopped chewing the moment Zormna entered the room. His eyes followed her as she walked up to the bar, scanning her shape like he was trying to memorize it. Mrs. McLenna returned to where she had been assembling the sandwiches. A wide plate stacked full of them rested on the center of the counter. Mindy and Andrew sat on high bar stools, swinging their feet. Mr. McLenna had claimed his spot at the table with a plate and a glass on a cloth placemat. Mostly, though he talked on his cell phone. He waved to Zormna to make herself at home.

“Come sit by me.” Mindy beckoned her to the stool at her left.

Jennifer shook her head and found a seat at the dinner table. Zormna lingered at the end of the stairs, hesitating. As Jennifer plucked up two sandwich halves, biting in with satisfaction, she called back, “Don’t you have lunch in in Ireland?”

Darkly, Zormna stalked to the empty seat next to Mindy. She deliberately sat like soldier on duty. “Of course we do.” Yet even as those words died on her lips, she peered over the stacked plate with trepidation. A barely hidden cringe in her jaw, her eyes flickered over the triangular sandwich halves.

“What is it?” Zormna whispered to Mindy.

Mindy briefly blinked at her then pointed at the different sandwiches. “That one is PBJ. That one is bologna. There is a ham and cheese one, and I think that one is turkey.”

But the look on Zormna’s face—wide eyes, almost blinded by the details—said she understood none of it. Desperately, she lifted her gaze to Mrs. McLenna. “P. B. J?”

Immediately the mother handed her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Mrs. McLenna exchanged a look with her husband who, Jennifer saw, was also curbing his amusement. They watched as Zormna took the sandwich then pried apart the two pieces of bread to examine the contents.

“Don’t worry. You’ll like it,” Mrs. McLenna reassured her.

Closing the sandwich with a sigh, Zormna grimaced, drew in a breath then wet her lips. She took one bite then started to chew.

And chew.

And chew.

Then swallow.

Licking her lips to clear off the peanut butter smear in the corners of her mouth, Zormna slowly nodded. “You are right. It is…indescribably tasty. Thank you.”

Another amused yet furtive look exchanged between her parents.

And their mother sat down to eat as well.

But Zormna did not eat much more than the few bites, taking her time with the flavor. After one bite more, she raised her voice to say, “Thank you very much for this. But, uh, I think it is time Jennifer and I shared with you what occurred at my great aunt’s house.”

Both parents immediately gave them their attention. Todd and the others listened, though obviously they had not been told all the details concerning the Irish girl’s stay.

Zormna succinctly explained how they had found the door open and who was in the house, allowing Jennifer ample opportunity to chime in whenever she felt like it. Zormna had left out most of the details, such as the part concerning her secret shoulder inspection and the part about opening the safe. Instead she handed the card Mr. Earnhardt had given her to Jennifer’s father, repeating what the lawyer had advised them—to call on Monday to set up an appointment.

“Basically, though, he needs to see a passport, which,” Zormna cringed, “you know I do not have on me.”

Both parents shared looks. They didn’t seem surprised really. Though, they were annoyed.

“So,” Mr. McLenna said, glancing at the texts on his cell phone, “you are saying he identified you by name? He knew who you were?”

“On sight,” Jennifer said.

Zormna nodded.

The adults shared another look with the murmur, “We’ll have to skip the alias then. This is no good.”

“I am sorry,” Zormna said, ducking her head a fraction. “He named me. I did not even introduce myself.”

They nodded grimly.

“It can’t be helped, now.” But Jennifer’s father did not appear pleased. “It just would have been better if you had taken on a more common name. There aren’t very many Zormna Clendars here.”

“Wait a minute. Clendar?” Todd looked at his parents then to Zormna. A crooked grin formed from the corner of his mouth. “Are you guys saying her aunt is the crazy lady of Hayes Street?”

The parents shared yet another of their secret looks and sighed together. Addressing their entire household, they nodded. “Yes. But we are going to be respectful and no longer talk about that in this home. Is that clear?”

Todd’s grin crooked up more. He raked in Zormna’s figure, up and down, and laughed.

Zormna averted her eyes, longsuffering, to the ceiling.

Mindy and Andrew sat with their hands covering their mouths, trying not to laugh.

“Anyway…” Jennifer said to the lot of them. “Apparently the lawyer says that he needs a copy of her passport at least to start the paperwork. She’ll be coming into some money, I think.”

“Jennifer…” Her mother’s voice took on warning.

“I could pay you rent,” Zormna offered, her chin lifting responsibly. “At least until I can apply to become an emancipated minor, according to your law.”

“Rent will not be necessary,” their mother replied.

But their father looked thoughtful.

“Emancipated minor?” Todd frowned. “What’s that?”

Their father shook his head. “We should not even consider that. A girl your age living alone is unusual. It would draw unwanted attention.”

Jennifer nodded to herself. They had to already know about the Clendar family murders then. Perhaps that crazy woman had told them.

“What you need to do is blend in,” he said. “Which we will help you do.”

Zormna nodded, though she didn’t look the slightest bit pleased. “Yes, sir.”

Most of them went back to eating lunch. Zormna hardly took another bite of her sandwich though. She just stared at it, grimly thinking.

“So…” Todd inched closer to his dad, asking in a whisper that Jennifer could hear—and probably so could everyone else, but they pretended not to. “How long will she be staying with us?”

Their father looked to her brother dryly. “Plan on a couple months. We don’t know how long it will take for her to get in contact with her sponsors.”

“That would be her commanding