Chapter 12 - THE OTHER ROSE
Her name was Rebecca.
Rose's twin sister.
And according to Celeste, she had been the architect behind everything.
The fire.
The disappearance.
The stolen money.
The fake death.
The false identities.
But Rose didn't believe it.
"Rebecca died when we were children."
Eleanor shook her head.
"No."
My mother stared at her.
"You knew?"
"I suspected."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was afraid."
I watched the two sisters face each other.
One had spent thirty years running.
The other had spent thirty years hiding.
Rebecca wanted the fortune.
Rose wanted freedom.
And somewhere between them, thousands of people had been hurt.
But there was one thing nobody could explain.
Rebecca had my face.
Not exactly.
But enough.
And then Lucia saw her.
She pointed at the photograph.
"That's Grandma."
I froze.
"No, baby."
Lucia shook her head.
"That's the lady who came to my school."
My blood turned to ice.
"What lady?"
"The one who gave me the rabbit."
She pointed at her stuffed rabbit.
I grabbed it.
There was a zipper on its back I had never noticed.
Inside was a tiny memory card.
Adrian stared.
"That's impossible."
We opened it.
A video appeared.
Rebecca sat in a dark room.
She looked directly into the camera.
"Hello, little star."
Lucia moved closer.
Rebecca continued.
"You don't know me yet."
I shut the laptop.
"No."
Adrian looked at me.
"She's been watching Lucia."
"We need to move."
"Where?"
"Somewhere safe."
We never made it.
A black SUV followed us.
Adrian accelerated.
The SUV followed.
Another appeared behind it.
I held Lucia tightly.
"Call the police."
Adrian did.
Then the SUV rammed us.
The car spun.
Glass shattered.
Lucia screamed.
Everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, Adrian was unconscious.
Lucia was gone.
My heart stopped.
"Lucia?"
Nothing.
I crawled out of the wreckage.
Then I saw the stuffed rabbit on the road.
Empty.
I screamed her name.
No answer.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Rebecca's voice.
"Now you know how I felt when they took mine."
I couldn't breathe.
"Where is my daughter?"
"Safe."
"If you hurt her—"
"I won't."
"Then let her go."
"Bring me the trust."
"I don't have it."
"You do."
"I don't."
Rebecca laughed.
"Your mother gave it to you when you were six."
I froze.
"I don't remember."
"Exactly."
The call ended.
Adrian woke.
He looked at me.
"Where's Lucia?"
I couldn't answer.
Then my phone received a photo.
Lucia sitting in a chair.
Unharmed.
Holding her stuffed rabbit.
Behind her was a familiar room.
My mother's old dance studio.
May you like
And written on the wall:
COME DANCE WITH ME.
