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out—she’s my best friend!”
“And her dad’s worried sick. I’m sorry, Holly, can’t
let you stay here. Your dad wasn’t exactly thrilled the last
time you stayed over without his consent …”
“Mom, she’s eighteen.”
“It doesn’t matter, he’s still her dad.”
No, he’s not, think. He never was
“You just need to talk to him, sweetie, work this
out.” Melissa’s mom smiles gently. “You need to go home.”
“Sorry,” Melissa sighs as her mom shuts the door.
“This sucks.”
Once again, her analysis is flawless.
Crap sigh.
If can’t stay here, there’s only one place can go
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Rosie
“There’s no place like home,” Dorothy chants on the
screen, clicking her ruby heels, eyes closed tight as Ben
copies her. “No place like home, no place like home …”
close my eyes. There’s no place like home
In the week since Holly left, the house hasn’t felt
much like home. It’s been like living in shell, everybody
wandering round like zombies, waiting for the phone to
ring, for her to come back. Jack’s still kicking himself for
asking Melissa’s mum to send her home—at least she was
nearby before. But while he’s not exactly thrilled she’s
staying at Harvard, at least she’s safe, and as he doesn’t
want to scare her off again, he’s got no choice but to wait,
hoping she’ll come back or call when she’s ready.
The shrill ring of my mobile makes me jump. Jack
and
stare at it, and Megan comes racing in from the
kitchen.
pick up quickly. “Hello?”
“Rosie?” Sarah’s voice sounds unfamiliar, strained.
“Oh—hi!” say, surprised. “Just sec.”
Jack looks at me anxiously, hopeful, but shake my
head.
“Just
friend from home,” whisper, watching his
shoulders droop as
head upstairs. He’s been like this
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ever since Holly left, jumping up at every knock on the
door, every telephone ring. It’s killing him that she’s gone.
Mentioning Sarah might not go down so well just at the
moment either.
“Hi,” say again, closing the bedroom door behind
me. “Is everything okay? It must be the middle of the night
with you!”
“It is,” she says quietly. “I just got in.”
“Sarah?” Something in her voice makes me sit up.
“What is it? Is Nana—”
“Your nana’s fine,” she sighs. “At least for now …”
“What do you mean?”
ask, my skin prickling.
“What is it?”
“Rosie …” She hesitates. “Look, don’t blame you.
really don’t, just wish
just wish you could’ve given me
some warning, that you could have told me yourself.” She
sighs heavily, and imagine her ru
frazzled hair. “Rosie, someone’s found out—about the
swap—I’m being sued.”
“What? No!” tell her, relief flooding through me.
“No, it’s all right. There was
there was
problem, but
it’s over. The case was dropped.”
didn’t know Kitty’d
even opened the case.
“Really?” Sarah’s voice is hesitant, hopeful. “So this
email I’ve got—I don’t need to worry?”
“No, it’s all over,” promise. “Kitty called it off.”
“Who’s Kitty?”
“My—my real mother …” trail off awkwardly. “I’m
sorry, Sarah, came over here to find her—I had to
But
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she called week ago. The charges were all dropped, don’t
worry.”
There’s short pause.
“Rosie …,” she says slowly. “The email was sent
today.”
“What?”
stare at the phone. “That’s impossible.”
She can’t have changed her mind, she can’t …
“I check my emails every day,” Sarah says. “It just
arrived.”
“It was sent to you personally?” gasp, my breath
tight in my throat.
“Yes.”
“Sarah …,”
say carefully, dread trickling through
me like ice. “Who is the email from?”
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Holly
smile as stare at the little pink address book for
the hundredth time.
don’t know why didn’t think of it before. After all,
why should Rosie get everything while I’m left with
nothing?
And Sarah—well, she’s going to get what’s coming
to her, I’ll see to that. Kitty had the right idea. Make her
pay. Make her pay for causing this whole mess. But Kitty
didn’t care enough. Her precious career was more
important than the truth. Well, now I’m going to tell the
truth—just like Rosie did when she arrived on my
doorstep, ate my birthday cake and stole my life.
How does the saying go? The truth will set you free?
Let’s see if Sarah sees it that way.
After all, Melissa was right:
Don’t get mad.
Get even.
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Rosie
This can’t be happening tell myself as Jack swings
the car onto the main road and slams his foot on the
accelerator.
She can’t do this— she can’t sue Sarah— not
now
not after all we went through with Kitty
But of
course, she can. And why shouldn’t she? It’s Holly’s right,
after all
it’s her right more than anyone’s.
But can’t let her. have to stop this— have to stop
this now— but how?
hang up miserably. She still won’t answer her
mobile.
“Keep trying!” Jack urges, the passing headlights
picking out his frown lines in the dark. “We have to find her, make her see that suing won’t help anything, help
anybody.”
He thumps the dashboard and
quickly redial,
getting through to voice mail over and over all the way to
Boston as Holly and Josh refuse to answer.
Finally Jack swings the car to the curb outside vast
redbrick building and jumps out. hurry after him across
neatly manicured quad crisscrossed with pathways and
lined with naked, shivering trees.
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He hammers on the locked door until finally
someone answers.
“Where can find Josh Samuels?” he barks.
The girl shrugs, startled. “I’m sorry, don’t—”
“Which room is he in?” Jack pushes past her.
“Where’s my daughter?”
“Hey.” muscly guy strides forward. “You can’t just
barge in here.”
“I’m looking for my daughter!” Jack says firmly.
“She’s with Josh Samuels, and need to see her now!”
“I’m sorry, sir, you’ll have to leave.” The guy walks
right up to Jack, his hands balled fists at his sides. “Now.”
Shit. “Jack …” tug on his sleeve.
“I’m not leaving,” Jack growls, eyeballing the guy,
“till find Josh Samuels.”
“Really?” The human wall raises an eyebrow.
“Jack, maybe we should—”
“I saw Josh.”
Jack spins and pins the second guy with his anxious
stare. “When? Where?”
“Uh, about half hour ago—”
“Where?!”
“He was getting into his car with
red-haired
chick.”
“Where were they going?” Jack urges.
“No idea.” He shrugs.
“Shit.” Jack sighs.
“But he had suitcase.”
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Jack looks up quickly. “A suitcase?” His face relaxes.
“She’s coming home …”
“You leaving now?” Mr. Muscle grunts.
“Down, boy. We’re going,” Jack mutters, sighing
with relief as we head back toward the car. “My little girl’s
coming home.”
follow silently, an uneasy feeling niggling in my
gut.
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Holly