Page 61 of Twisted Lies

“Get home. I’ll…I’ll think of something. Don’t say anything to my brother just yet. I need to do something before he finds out.”

I don’t like the thought of him not knowing, but I know if Claire is asking this of me, it must be important. “You have twenty-four hours. Then I tell him.”

“I need more time.”

“That’s all I can give you. He’s going to be pissed as it is. He deserves to know what’s going on.”

“And he will. First, I need to try something. Give me two days.”

“Fine. You’re the fall girl for this, you know that?”

“Yeah, I get it.”

* * *

CLAIRE

The familiar feeling of being near someone that you know well. It’s a zinging feeling, almost like déjà vu. The connection is pulling me closer to her. Rebecca’s back is to me as she feeds the ducks in the lake. I know she knows I’m here. “Thought I would find you here,” I say softly.

“You just don’t know when to stop. Neither of you do. It’s your character flaw.”

“What’s your flaw?” I ask as she hands me a piece of bread.

“Back then, I guess, caring too much. Fearing my shadow at times. Whatever flaws I had are long gone now.”

“What happened to you?” I whisper.

“Everything.” Her smile is icy as she looks to the side, facing me for a brief moment before looking back at the lake.

“I’m sorry, Bec. We would never have stopped looking if we knew. We thought you were dead. We mourned you for years. I was still mourning you five minutes before you showed up to shoot our brother.”

“Guess you didn’t have to waste those years after all.” She speaks with no emotion as she throws the last bit of bread in the pond. “Don’t try to make me something I’m not. I’ve evolved while you and our brother have stayed much the same. Stay out of my way, Claire. I’ve already shot one of my siblings. I won’t mind doing the other.” She steps away. I grab her arm and hold tight.

“You could have killed him, but you didn’t. My sister is alive. Maybe changed, but you’re here. Come home, Rebecca. Let’s work together.”

Her eyes look me up and down before she stares at me with a dark expression.

“I was wrong. You have changed. You’ve grown weak, Claire.” She rips her arm away.

“I guess we’ll find out, Bec,” I call after her. I know my sister is still in there, but I have a small feeling of doubt forming. I try to block it out, but the more I do, the more it takes hold. What will I do if I’m part of the cause of her death? What would our father say? I’m not sure if I’ll end up where he is. There’s a fifty-fifty shot. If I do, how will I defend any of my following actions? I don’t know.

* * *

LILY

“What do you mean she showed up again?” Elijah rages at both Claire and me. “Neither of you thought I should have this information?” If possible, he breathes fire in our direction. I can feel the heat and have the urge to duck.

“Oh, would you calm down?” Claire says, rolling her eyes. I look at her in shock.

“Calm down! Calm down? You’ve lost it, Claire. Truly lost it.”

“I have not,” she snaps back. “I needed to see her, and that’s what I did.”

“Do tell me, Claire, how that little chat went,” he spits.

“As well as to be expected.”

“So it got us nowhere, and she’s still running free to do whatever she wishes with all the information in the world. Good work, sister. Gold star,” he practically shouts. Claire looks ready to jab a pencil in his neck. I step between them quickly.

---