Page 11 of Dangerous Lies

Today she almost missed the clue because Ginger kept taking her attention from the crime scene. She was doing one last sweep when she spotted the message written in blood.

The game is just beginning, my Rose.

The killer was playing a game with her. He'd also left her another gift. Somehow, heknewabout her bug infatuation and today he placed a rare African spider under a jar They weren't indigenous to the United States.

Tyler would be back with it soon. She grabbed a burner phone from the top drawer and looked at the pictures on the wall one more time. Later she would add the latest crime scene photo along with a picture of the note and spider.

Part of her was excited to add the latest spider to her collection, but she alsoknewitwas a gift from a serial killer—one whoknewher name.

Rose stepped out of the room and dialed the one number programmed into the cell phone. Two calls to her sister in one day was a record.

God, this morning seemed so long ago. Rose took a deep breath and hit the speed dial. She wanted answers, but she was also worried to find out, because then she would have to decide if she planned to run and hide from her sister.

“Are you okay? Where's Ginger?” Brit's panicked voice came across the line.

“Everything is fine, sis. I have a few questions. First, how do youknowGinger?”

She had afeeling, butthe answer would change everything.

“Rose—”

“Just tell me.”

“You like him, don't you? He's a good guy. I'm not sure how to explain what we had. He was a target that helped megetcloser to my end goal. At times I wanted comfort. Iknowitmakes me a horrible wife. God, I cheated on my husband, Rose. What woman does that?”

Panic washed over her, Carter wasn't what kept Rose up at night.Itwas the thought of losing her son. One DNA test, and shecouldlose him. Brit's sniffles brought Rose back.

“Nobody thinks you're a bad wife, Brit. You've spent the last few years only trying togetyour husband back, and we don't even—”

“He's alive,” Brit snapped. “Ifeelitin my heart, and that's why Ifeeleven more guilty for falling into bed with Ginger.”

“Tyler and he look alike, does he know?” She said as she slipped out of the back room and sunk to the floor near some of Tyler’s books.

“No and he doesn't need to. Tyler is your son. I made sure the birth certificate was unshakable. You are the best mother that boycouldever want or need.”

Tyler ran back into the room and rushed to her side. He wrapped his little arms around her and placed a wet kiss on her cheek. “Mommy, don't cry. We have more bugs.”

“See, Rose, I don't even need to be in the room toknowhe's yours.”

Rose took a deep breath and contemplated the question she’d wanted to ask for so many years, but she chickened out each time she had an opening.

Brit didn't hug her son. Instead, she gave him right to Rose. The second Rose had looked into his eyes, sheknewhe held the key to her heart, and she would do whateverittook to keep him safe and give him the best life.

“What happens if you don't find Seth, and you decide you want…”

Tyler had taken the bug to the table and had another book open. He wouldn't listen to her when he was on his mission to find the species. Rose alreadyknewwhatitwas, but she let him lookitup.

“Rose, you're my sister, and Iknowwhat would happen if I took him from you. Icouldnever have given him the life he deserved. In the past month, I've been to three countries and slept in so many different hotels. When I find my husband, he's going to need me. Itwouldn't be fair to Tyler, and I don't have the motherly touch like you.”

Brit had made the same comment a few times over the years. What she didn't understand was that Brit would make a great mother. She had been a mother to Rose. Their mother had died in a car accident when Rose was only eight years old, she and Brit were in the back. She didn't remember the accident, and had only read aboutitin the paper years later. Mom had gone to the bar and drank while she and Brit were in the car. Then she’d proceeded to drive drunk and killed another woman. The woman had a small boy in the back seat who lost a parent the same day she did.

“I'm worried Ginger will find out,” Rose said.

“He's a good guy,” Brit said. “Iknowyou don't date, andit'sbecause of Tyler, but what Ginger and I had wasn't earth-shattering. For me,itwas a moment of weakness. No matter what, I'm always on your side and will do whateverittakes to keep Tyler with you.”

“What do youknowabout Xavier Smith and a person called Grim?”

“Xavier is a legend in the mercenary business. From what I've picked up, he has a personal reason to go after Carter, as most do. You can trust them. I have to go.”

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