Page 49 of The Perfect Revenge
Sienna had stopped following Shannon on Facebook after the miscarriage, but now she resumed.That's where she found the woman's posts, which were shockingly forthright.They explained that she’d been told that she could never conceive.After trying adoption and surrogacy without success, she’d given up on ever having a child.Then she’d unexpectedly gotten pregnant.
She was a little cryptic about the circumstances, but reading between the lines, it seemed that she was involved with a guy and got pregnant, but that the guy was no longer in the picture.She was going through the entire process without a partner.
And it looked like it had worked out.Her recent photos showed her with a newborn baby, first in the hospital and then at home.Based on the dates of the posts, the child—a little girl named Rosie—was about a month old.
It was all too much for Sienna.She’d come to the realization that her own inability to carry a child to term anymore was a curse, brought on by her repeated surrogacies.She’d played fast and loose with nature, using her body as a way to pay off her educational debts.She knew now that she’d been wrong to do so.But it was too late.Nature had gotten payback, denying her the ability to ever have a child of her own, or so she had thought.
But after seeing Shannon’s page, she understood that the universe had been testing her.It wanted to see how much emotional pain she could manage before offering her another chance.And it had apparently decided that she’d paid her debt.Now she would be rewarded.
It was clear to her that Rosie was actually intended to beherchild, not Shannon’s.The roles had been reversed.Nature had permitted Shannon to conceive and carry a baby to term, all so that Sienna could finally be a mother.It was only fair.
Of course, Shannon would have to be sacrificed.She hadn't earned her child.Neither, for that matter, had the other women she was a surrogate for.They had all toyed with nature and would need to be punished for playing god.That meant that Veronica Sterling and Maggie Caldwell would have to go.
Even Lena Hayes, who did not have a child, had to pay the price.After all, it was while carrying Lena’s baby that Sienna had first miscarried.That was the original sin— the moment when she’d lost her ability to carry a baby in her womb.Lena, as the source of the problem, would be the first to pay.
Once she made the decision, everything fell into place.This would be her great project, first eliminating the guilty and ultimately culminating in her receiving her just reward, baby Rosie.
It had been far easier than she'd expected.Getting the Propofol was no problem.The surgery center was not as diligent as it should have been about tracking the stuff, and it was easy to get what she needed.She'd also bought disguises, including several wigs.She'd worn them, though she never saw any security cameras on her outings.
Lena Hayes, who was single and lived alone, had recognized her immediately and willingly let her into her apartment, making the first kill easy.Veronica Sterling lived in a large mansion with her husband and child.But Sienna remembered how, when she visited the house years ago, Veronica had complained that her husband never locked the back door.Sure enough, it was open the other night.All Sienna had to do was wait for the perfect moment.It arrived when Veronica came downstairs for a late-night glass of wine, one she never got to enjoy.
Like Lena, Maggie Caldwell, who was now divorced, simply let Sienna into her home.She even invited her back to her bedroom, where she was getting ready for a date.She never saw the syringe coming.And neither would Shannon.As she opened her front door after the walk, Sienna would step forward, jab her in the neck, take Rosie, and start a new life, just as the universe intended.
And it would happen soon.Sienna heard quiet murmuring getting closer and shrunk further into the shadows of the porch.Sure enough, Shannon was returning, and she was apparently talking to herself.But as the woman got closer, Sienna realized she was mistaken.Shannon wasn’t alone.Rosie was with her.
The baby was in a carrier strapped to Shannon’s chest.Sienna was furious with herself.How had she not noticed the carrier before?Yes, she’d been at a distance the other times she stopped by to spy on Shannon as she left for her walks.But what did she think—that the woman would leave her new baby alone in the house while she went for a stroll in the neighborhood?
It was an embarrassing oversight.More importantly, it complicated the situation.Sienna couldn’t just inject Shannon with the poison as she opened her door and let her fall to the floor.What if she landed on her front and Rosie was hurt?It was too risky.
No, she’d have to follow Shannon into the house and deal with her once they were all inside.This would be messier than she wanted.But she wouldn’t let it get her down.She understood that the universe was challenging her again.
If she was going to prove herself worthy of being Rosie’s mom, she’d have to pass this test.Shannon would still die.It would just take a little longer than expected
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
Jessie didn’t complain about Susannah’s driving this time.
Their goal was to get to Shannon Mitchell's house ASAP, and if it meant some stomach-churning turns, so be it.Mitchell's Venice house was only a few minutes from Eileen Tropper's, and they got there quickly.
In fact, it was so close that they didn't even use the siren or cherry light this time.Jessie would have advised against it anyway for the same reason she did when they approached the Tropper house.They didn't want to alert Sienna to their presence if she was already there.They did, however, call for backup once they pulled up across the street from the house, figuring that by the time it arrived, they'd already be inside.
They put their phones on silent so as not to give themselves away if anyone called.Then they dashed up the path toward the darkened porch.They were halfway there when Susannah grabbed Jessie’s arm.
“Maybe you should wait here out front while I go around back.I’ll scout out the situation.If Shannon Mitchell is alone, I’ll let you know.You’re better at charming your way in if necessary.And if she’s not, I can sneak in from the back and deal with any unwanted visitors.”
Susannah’s argument made sense.But Jessie knew the extra unspoken reason that her partner wanted to do it this way.Sneaking in from the back meant leaping a side fence and the associated risk involved.She didn’t want Jessie taking a chance that she might fall and hurt her head again.And by insisting that Jessie wait out front for the all clear, she was taking even more precautions.Jessie, unsure whether to be appreciative or insulted, simply nodded in agreement.
Susannah broke off the path and scurried around to the side.Jessie waited for her to scale the fence before taking the porch steps up to the door.Staying out front didn’t mean standing there twiddling her thumbs.She was about to press her ear against the door in the hope of discerning what was happening inside when she heard raised voices.
She couldn't understand what was being said, but the voices both sounded adult and female.As quietly as she could, she shuffled across the porch to a window.It was mostly blocked by curtains, but there was a small slit.She peeked through.
Sure enough, Shannon Mitchell was there.The petite blonde was standing behind a couch.Attached to her chest was a baby carrier with a tiny infant facing her.The child was slumped against her chest, seemingly asleep.But that wasn’t what sent a cold shiver up Jessie’s spine.Sienna Tropper was there too.
Sienna was standing less than five feet from Mitchell, her right arm extended, a syringe in her hand.The woman looked more disheveled than in her photos.Her brown hair was ragged, and the sweatsuit she wore had stains on it.The two of them appeared to be in some kind of standoff.Jessie couldn't understand exactly what was being said, but she clearly heard the phrases "my baby" and "stay back."
Jessie debated her options.She could try to call Susannah.But the detective's phone was on silent, and even if she could get hold of her, it might take too long.Sienna appeared on the verge of action.
She could knock on the door and hope that Sienna might try to escape or hide the needle.But that was risky.She might also panic and use the thing.Jessie decided she couldn’t take the chance.She needed to do something proactive to ensure the safety of Mitchell and the baby.That’s when her eyes fell on the porch chairs.
