"They aren't my friends," Strange quickly remarks, with a wrinkle of his nose, as if disgusted that Rita would suggest that he was friends with the Council members...despite the fact that he was just hanging out with them.

"How much has she told you about some of the...oddness that's going on?" Pearl works directly for the Rose Queen. That automatically puts her closer than Strange is with regards to any information, which puts Rita just as close, if not closer, to this information as well. And really, all Strange has right now is a bundle of maybes and perhapses, things which he knows are specific to him but might not be specific to others.

"I'll gladly tell you some Circle information about the oddness in return if you have anything of use for me." Of course, Strange won't tell Rita everything he knows. That'd simply be poor form.