Finding Mia

VIII

RENEE

Renee had thought long and hard about what Mia had asked her not long after she and her cousin, Neil Josten, had arrived at Palmetto; I hope that you can keep my cousin safe when I cannot. Renee didn't know what that meant, but wad beginning to understand. The banquet had been the tipping point, Renee thought. Neil had badmouthed Riko; Jean had called Neil names that weren't his own. And Mia. Well, she hadn't done anything, but Renee had seen the way she'd clenched her jaw whenever Riko had opened his mouth.

Renee may have left her life of crime behind, but she knew a runaway when she saw one. Knew two, in fact.

The meaning of Mia's words hit Renee fully in the face upon hearing the name Hatford. She may have come from a gang in Detroit, but that name had plagued the lands long before she'd arrived. Rumour had it that the Hatfords were a powerful crime family from Britain, and that they had territories in most of America - Renee's old hometown included. 

It made sense. Mia was British - Renee heard the elongated vowels in her words often, especially when Mia was trying her best to conceal them. Renee had also heard of how the Butcher of Baltimore was related to the Hatfords - through his wife, Mary - and that his wife and son had run away years ago. Word travelled, and the Butcher was notorious not only in his home state.

This knowledge put Renee on edge, and she confronted Mia about it one day. 

Mia was sitting in the living room, flipping through a book but not really reading it. Renee entered through the kitchenette and handed Mia a cup of hot chocolate, calm smile on her face. Mia looked shocked at first, but then smiled as she accepted the cup.

'What are you reading? If you don't mind me asking,' Renee asked as she sat down on an armchair and sipped from her mug.

'Oh, just some history stuff,' Mia said, showing Renee the cover. Renee smiled wider for a moment.

'Kevin's rubbing off on you, hmm?' She said, and Renee figured she may have been imagining it, but Mia's ears seemed tinged red as she took a sip to distract from conversation. But that was an inquiry for another time.

'What's up?' Mia asked, turning the conversation away from herself. 'You okay? You don't usually come looking for me.'

'I was thinking,' Renee said. She didn't miss the way Mia seemed to tense up, ready to run. It was ironic, really, since Renee had only seen her run about twice since arriving at the school. 'About what you said to me that first day we met. You asked me to look out for Neil when you couldn't,' Renee didn't tell her that Andrew had already stolen claim over the boy, even though Mia was still very much around. She wouldn't betray her friend's trust, no matter what information she wanted out of another person. 

'Yes,' Mia said, nodding. 'I suppose I did say that, didn't I?' Renee hummed. This was a slow conversation, but she didn't know how to ease into what she really wanted to talk about without Mia making a run for it. Apparently she didn't have to, though, because Mia put her mug down on the table in front of her and turned fully to Renee. 'I know what you're going to say.'

'Oh?' 

'Mhm,' Mia said, bookmarking her page. 'You've figured it out, haven't you? I knew you were a smart one, I just didn't realise how smart.'

'Well I suppose that's a compliment,' Renee said, smile dropping from her face. 'However, I do need to ask; will this be a problem for the team?'