Celine sighed and closed the phone. She would call back tomorrow. The staff must be asleep by now. The next morning she claimed she was going to the library to study, but instead she headed straight for the payphone booth near the station and dialled the number. After the fourth ring, an old man's voice answered: "Saint Teresa Centre... who am I speaking with?"
Celine said:"
_Hello, sorry to bother you. I'm looking for the record of a girl who was left at the centre's door in 20XX, in January."
The man fell silent for a moment, then said:"
_That year... the centre shut its doors after that incident."
Her voice trembled:"
_What incident?"
_"I don't know much," he said. "I was new then. All I remember is that a little girl was left, and days later a black car appeared near the gate, and a strange man asked about her. A week after that, an order came to close for security reasons... the files were moved to the county's central archive."
She wanted to press him for more, but he ended the call abruptly and said:"
_Don't call again. Don't ask about things meant to be forgotten."
After the old man hung up, Celine went home as if walking on a dark cloud. The black car, the strange man, the security closure. Something in Lilia's past was not natural... nor innocent. After that call, she began to feel eyes watching her. It was not a comforting feeling at all, and it was the first time anything like that had ever haunted her...
To be continued...