Nessa: Hey, you're home early. Second week of class and Tegen is already giving you half days?Lenore: No, it wasn't her idea really.
Lenore: Mr. Azrael and Miss Jade are interviewing half of the students this afternoon and the other half tomorrow afternoon. I'm in the tomorrow half.
Nessa: Oh, I don't like the sound of that at ALL.
Lenore: No, neither does Miss Tegen. She fought with Mr. Azrael, but Miss Emi said there's nothing she can do, and they can interview anyone they want, because they're the law.
Nessa: They can't think you children know anything about the murder, though?
Lenore: That's what Miss Tegen said, and Mr. Azrael said something about little pitchers having big ears.
Nessa: Oh, I don't like the sound of this at all, Little Wren. Not one bit.
Lenore: Well, Ama, Miss Tegen is staying with all of the students while they're interviewed. She said she wouldn't have them bullying her defenseless students.
Nessa: Good for Tegen!What did they say to that?
Lenore: Jade suggested she'd watched too many police dramas, but they did agree to let her stay for the interviews. And, honestly Ama, mightn't we know SOMETHING about, well... not the murder... but about the break-in?
Nessa: Of course not! Or... what do you mean, Wren?
Lenore: The night of the break-in was the night Marius left, Ama...
Nessa: Oh Gods, I saw him with a briefcase on the stairs! It didn't SEEM like something he would carry. Oh! That thieving rat! I KNEW we never should've let him in this house. I TOLD Thorne nothing good could come of it.
Lenore: But we can't talk about him, Ama... you said, if his people knew he was ever here... and now he's flown away, so...
Nessa: So... oh, Little Wren. So, you can't tell Azrael and Jade about him.
Lenore: So I have to lie, Ama.
Nessa: Oh Wren, yes. I guess you do. They can't know he was here. It will endanger everyone if they find out. Sometimes, Wren, you HAVE to lie because the truth is too dangerous, or sometimes too upsetting.... Wren, you DON'T know where he is now, do you?
Lenore: (quietly) No, Ama, I don't know where he is now.
Nessa: Oh, thank goodness. Well, the break-in couldn't be related to the murder, because Marius was gone when it happened. So anything we could tell them wouldn't help anyway, right, Wren?
Lenore: Right, Ama.
Nessa: Well, once the police are satisfied that no one in this house knows anything, and they've left, this whole Marius mess will be behind us. (deep sigh)
Nessa: I'm sorry that I have to leave, Wren. I thought you'd be in school this afternoon, so I scheduled to give Wendy her first piano lesson today.
Lenore: It's okay, Ama. I can play with Spot and practice my violin while you're away.
Nessa: Good girl. You might give a thought to cleaning your room too.
Lenore: Yes, Ama. (smile)
(sounds of Nessa leaving... Lenore is alone in the house, with Spot and her thoughts)
Lenore: I didn't want to lie to her, Spot. But it was just like she said. She would be so upset if she knew... Lies are confusing things, Spot. Sometimes they're okay, and sometimes they're not, but that isn't what I've ever read before. Alice didn't ever lie in Wonderland, I don't think. (sigh) But I suppose it is the way things must be.
Lenore: And now I think we have to write to Hawk and tell him what's going on here, Spot. And figure out how to forget he was here for the interview tomorrow. (sigh) It is all rather tricky, Spot. You're lucky you're just a fox and you don't have to worry about lies and such things.