Page 56 of Sweet Lies

“What happened to you?” I whisper.

“Everything.” Her smile is icy as she looks to the side, facing me for a brief moment before she looks 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 says unemotionally 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.”

She looks me up and down before she stares at me with a dark expression.

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

“I guess we’ll find out,” 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 partly responsible for 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 the actions I might need to take? I don’t know.

ChapterTwenty

REBECCA

I’m leaving for another motel when Julian’s name flashes up on my phone. I haven’t been back to the hall since I shot Elijah. The less ammunition they have access to, the better. I left Ben in charge and haven’t heard of any issues. But if Julian’s calling, there must be a problem.

“Boss.” His voice is shaky. “There’s someone here for you.”

For a moment all I can focus on is my heart pounding in my ears. “Put them on,” I instruct, but there’s no need because I can hear the shifting of the phone.

“Bec.”

Andre. Fucking Andre.

“How dare you!” I hiss.

“You started the game, Bec. You should have known better. It’s far better to deal with me than someone else he’ll hire soon.”

“You betrayed me, going there of all places.”It was my safe space.

“No, I didn’t. I gave you plenty of opportunities to come with me to speak with him. You chose to keep extending this game. You have thirty minutes to get here, or your friend here will pay the cost every ten minutes you’re late.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Test me, Bec. We’ll see.” He hangs up.

Banging my hands on the motel-room door, I scream just as the Uber pulls up. I get in and change the drop-off location. I’ve lost control. I hadn’t expected Andre to get involved. If I were being honest, I lost control the moment I shot Elijah. The plan was to kill both my siblings and be finished. Instead, I left them both alive to corner me.

The bar hasn’t opened yet, but the bartenders are already there getting set up for the day. I don’t respond as they wish me good morning. A few of my employees are there, and they, too, attempt a greeting, but I ignore them. I don’t want anyone else caught in the crossfire. I made a choice, and I won’t let them be harmed because of my actions.

Slamming open my office door, I find Julian sitting in my chair with Andre holding a gun to his head. The safe space I’ve had for years is being tarnished; I’m livid. Julian appears ready to cry at any moment. While he may look tough, he’s just a big teddy bear. He doesn’t deserve to be brought into this world; none of them do.

“Is that necessary?” I snap.

He laughs. “It got you here.”

“Julian, leave us.”

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