The world knew before midday on Monday.
Rachel Price, reappeared, a tabletop microphone pointed at her face, wearing Belโs long black knitted dress. Sitting between Charlie and Bel, Police Chief Dave Winter on one side of the wide table, someone from the FBI on the other.
It was playing again on the news now, the third time this channel had run it already. Bel watching herself on TV, betrayed by her own face, by how much the camera made her look like Rachel, sitting side by side.
โThe suspect remains at large,โย Dave said again, with a vague description of him that Rachel had provided, a composite sketch on-screen. It could have been anyone.ย โPlease call the following number if you have any information that could assist in our inquiries.โ
Charlie and Bel never spoke, even though theyโd been given microphones. They were just props, the picture of a reunited family. Happy, but not too much, Dave had told them. It wasnโt a true happy ending until the man was caught.
They passed to Rachel for one small comment at the end.
โIโm so grateful to be safe and back home with my daughter and husband. I would appreciate if everyone respected our privacy at this time as we readjust to normal life.โ
Normalย was a strange choice of word; lifeย hadย been normal, before she came back. She was the one whoโd taken that away.
They werenโt taking questions at this time, thank you and goodbye. Sidling out of the room while the journalists murmured hungrily and the camerasย ๏ฌashed, throwing lightning in their eyes.
โHere.โย Rachel loomed over her now, surprising her, handing over a plate with a sandwich. Bel was careful as she took it, making sure not to touch Rachelโs hand.ย โCheese, ham and pickle, cut into triangles.โย Rachel sat on the sofa beside her, dressed in the old jeans and T-shirt Dad had found for her, both too big.ย โYou said that was your favorite, didnโt you, Anna?โ
She had, yesterday. But she hadnโt realized it would be used against her like this. Did Rachel think this was how she became Belโs mom again? Trying to be too normal too soonโit didnโt feel right. More than that; it felt wrong.
โThanks.โย Bel looked down at the sandwich, still not very hungry. Taking a bite felt like defeat somehow, but she had to; Rachel was right here, watching her, waiting.
Bel bit o๏ฌย a corner, chewed.ย โGood, thank you,โย she said. Rachel gave her a winning smile.
Charlie walked into the living room then, eyes catching on Belโs plate. Rachel hadnโt made him a sandwich. He had his work jacket on, keys to his truck dangling from aย ๏ฌnger. Oh no.
โAre you leaving?โย Bel asked him. She always said that, whenever he picked up his keys, it was one of their routines, their rituals. But it mattered more now.
โGotta get back to work, kiddo. Told Gabe I would.โ
He couldnโt take the rest of the day o๏ฌ? Bel wasnโt going into school; there was no point now. And she knew it would be awful; everyone staring at her now the news was out.
โDo you have to?โย Bel asked, panic seizing the knot in her gut, giving him a chance to change his mind, to stay with her.
โIโll be back for dinner.โ
Bel looked at her phone. It was two oโclock, at leastย ๏ฌve hours between now and dinner. Was he really going to leave her here, alone with Rachel?
โDad?โ
Maybe Bel could insist she had to walk into school for the last hour of the day. What would be worse: the stares, or staying here?
A car door slammed outside the house, close enough to prick at Belโs attention. Charlieโs too, wandering over to the front window, moving the lace curtain to peer through.
โGreat,โย he muttered, dropping the curtain, looming behind it.ย โWhat?โย Rachel asked him, before Bel could.
โA Fox news van just pulled up,โย he said.ย โCNN is already here. And so it begins.โย He wiped his nose on his sleeve.ย โKeep the curtains shut. Donโt let them get anything.โ
Bel nodded. Rachel didnโt.
โShouldnโt I take them something?โย she said.ย โCo๏ฌee? They have to stand out there all day.โ
โBest not to engage,โย Charlie said, not meeting her eyes.ย โWeโve been through all this before, Rachel.โ
โI didnโt say you hadnโt,โย she countered.
Bel swallowed. Toeing the edge of another land mine, all of them. Dad couldnโt really leave her here, could he?
โOh, Charlie,โย Rachel said, stopping him in his tracks. Her voice wasnโt as raspy and rough anymore, closer to normal. Which was worse somehow, because sheโd stolen that from Bel too.ย โCould you leave your credit card?โ
He stared at her, hands hidden in his pockets.
โIโve been back for two days now,โย she said in explanation, rearing up from the sofa, a hard step forward on shaky ground.ย โThereโs things I need. A phone. Clothes, so I can stop stealing Annabelโs. Until I can access my own money again, if itโs still there.โ
โRight.โย Charlie swallowed.ย โOK, sure.โย He dug around in his jeans pocket for his wallet.
โHere.โย He came over, placed the credit card down on the co๏ฌee table with a snap. Retreated again, backtracking through the mine๏ฌeld.
He glanced at the two of them, zipping up his jacket.
โWeโll beย ๏ฌne, wonโt we?โย Rachel said, a smile for Bel that was too sweet, too forced, making the knot pull tighter.ย โItโll be nice to spend some time, just the two of us. We could watch a movie. Make dinner together. Play a board game. Anything you want to do, Annabel. Itโs your choice.โ
What Bel wanted to do was keep Dad here, stop him from leaving. Or barricade herself in her room, away from Rachel. That was what she chose.
โDad?โ
She followed him into the hall, watched him approach the front door, reach for the handle.
โDad, wait.โ
Bel wanted to cry. She never cried, but she would now, just to stop him from going.
โDo we still have Monopoly?โย Rachel asked, behind her.
Dad pulled the door open.ย โSee you later,โย he said, not looking back, even with Belโs eyes burning in the back of his head. Trying to hold him there.
โWhat about chess?โย Rachel said, oblivious to the storm inside Bel.
The front door clicked shut, taking Dad away, resealing the house behind him.
Bel still standing here, left alone with Rachel.
An eruption of voices outside, mu๏ฌed through the glass.ย โCharlie! How does it feel to have your wife back home?โ
โHowโs Rachel doing? Howโs the family coping with her sudden return?โ โHow does it feel toย ๏ฌnally be free of suspicion in your wifeโs murder?
Thatโs a pretty good feeling, right?โ โCan you comment on theโโ
A slam. The rumble of his truck engine, drowning the voices out.ย โCharlie! Charlie Price!โย His own name chased after him as he backed
out and drove away.
A strange silence in his wake, foaming at the edges as Bel went back to the living room, avoiding Rachelโs gaze, watching the TV as the newscasters
introduced another replay of the press conference, aย Breaking Newsย banner declaring:ย Rachel Price found alive after 16 years presumed dead.
Bel swallowed: sheโd been one of thoseย presumers.
Rachel turned the TV o๏ฌย without asking, reaching for the co๏ฌee table.
She slid Dadโs credit card o๏ฌย the edge and held it up.
โHey,โย she said, turning a smile toward Bel.ย โIf you donโt feel like a board game, how about a shopping trip?โ
Bel stared across at her.ย โHuh?โ
โMe, you. Go to the mall together.โย Rachel waved the card, almost fanning herself with it.ย โThatโs what moms do with their daughters, right? Shopping? Fashion shows in the living room when you get home. Itโs one of the big things we missed out on, I think. Iโd really like it if we could try. We can get you some things too, of course. Do you need a new jacket?โย She pocketed the card, waiting for Belโs response.
Bel hesitated, backing up into the arm of the sofa, trying to think of reasons not to.
โAre you allowed?โย she said.ย โThe news only just broke, the police investigation ongoing, the man still out there. Are you allowed to go outside?โ
Rachel didnโt like the question; Bel could tell by the shift in her eyes.
Maybe she wasnโtย thatย unreadable.
โI was locked inside forย ๏ฌfteen years, Anna,โย she said, voice gentle, a sad crackle to it.ย โI donโt have to stay inside ever again for any reason. Come on, weโll have fun, I promise.โ
A sinking in Belโs gut. It took Bel a second to catch up with it, to see past the wrong name, picking up on the other wrong thing.
โSixteen years,โย she said, pointing it out for both of them.
Rachel paused, her expression drawn.ย โThatโs what I said, isnโt it?โ โYou saidย ๏ฌfteen.โ
Rachel narrowed her eyes for one more second, then shook her head, her face blank and well guarded.ย โDid I? Sorry. I meant to say sixteen. Obviously.โ
Obviously she meant to say that, but she hadnโt. Another innocent mistake, like the engine thing. But didnโt two mistakes make some kind of pattern? A slip of the tongue or a slipup of the truth? There must be an explanation: like Rachel had lost count of the years in the basement, just as she said. Because the only other explanation was that Rachel was lying for some reason, that sheโd never been locked inside for any number of years, and it couldnโt be that, right? Just another error; the second time Bel had caught her in as many days. Why was no one else ever around to hear them too?
โWhat do you say?โย Rachel said, studying Bel as hard as Bel was studying her.
โI donโt know,โย she said, speaking carefully.ย โItโs Dadโs money. Things are a bit tight at the moment, not sure we should go out and spend it.โ
A smile pressed into Rachelโs cheeks, blank somehow, reinforcing the look in her eyes.ย โAnnabel, sweetie, you donโt need to worry about that. Essentials only,โย she said with a wink.ย โBesides, he must be getting paid for this documentary about me that he signed up for.โ
Rachel wasnโt wrong there, but that money was for Grandpa.
Bel was running out of excuses, Rachel batting them away one by one.ย โWe donโt have a car.โย She tried again.
โThatโs OK. We can get the bus to Berlin. Or a taxi.โ
That was her last one. Checkmate, Rachel wins. Guess she and Rachel were going shopping then, unless Bel could break her leg in the next few minutes, or Rachelโs. Theyโd be in public, surrounded by other people, but she would still be alone with Rachel.
Wait, that gave Bel another idea.
โI know,โย she said, backed into a corner, coming out swinging.ย โWe should ask the documentary crew to come along.โ
Rachel took a step back.
โR-really?โย she said.ย โIs that what you want?โ
โSure.โย Bel brushed o๏ฌย her knees.ย โTheyโd love to get footage of you at the White Mountains Mall, theย ๏ฌrst place you disappeared, well,ย weย disappeared. Thatโs the kind of thing they get excited about. Artsy, you
know.โย Now it was her turn to wink, just as forced as Rachelโs.ย โMaybe itโll be nice to have a record of ourย ๏ฌrst shopping trip together, mark the occasion. You canโt always rely on memory to keep things like that.โย She smiled, showing teeth.
โOh, r-right,โย Rachel stuttered.ย โIf thatโs what you want. I just thought we could have the day to oursโโ
โCool, Iโll call Ramsey.โย Bel dug out her phone.ย โHeโll be thrilled about this, might even squeal.โ
She pressed his name to dial, walking away from Rachel, into the kitchen.
Ramsey picked up on the third ring.ย โBel?โ โHi, Ramsey,โย she said, brightly.
โWhatโs up?โ
โNothing, just wanted to chat.โ
โBel?โย he said, seeing through her, saying her name sideways.
โI have an idea,โย she said, loudly, making her voice carry.ย โMe and Rachel are going shopping to the White Mountains Mall, for some essentials. We wondered if you wanted to come with us, do someย ๏ฌlming? Artsy shit.โ
Ramsey breathed down the phone.ย โReally?โ โYeah.โ
โItโs a nice idea, Bel, and I appreciate it, I do. But donโt you want to spend time alone with your mum? Sheโs only been home forty-eight hours.โ
โNo, thatโs OK,โย Bel said, brighter.
Ramsey paused, his breath and a stronger breeze prickling against the microphone.
โYou sure?โย he said, not sounding sure himself.
โIโm sure. Tell Ash to wear something normal, we donโt want to attract attention.โ
Ramsey sni๏ฌed in her sarcasm.
โWeโre actually just down the street,ย ๏ฌlming the media outside your house.โ
โGood,โย Bel said.ย โSo you can be here in thirty seconds.โ
She hung up, cutting Ramsey o๏ฌ. Then she leaned into the living room, shooting Rachel a thumbs-up.
โTheyโll be here soon,โย she said.
โGreat.โย Rachel attempted a smile, clapping her hands together.ย โThis will be fun. Thank you, Annabel.โ
โNo problem.โ
โYou should eat the rest of your sandwich before we go,โย Rachel said, pointing to it.
โThatโs OK, Iโm not too hungry. Thanks, though.โ
Not just words: moves and countermoves, an unspoken battle, sandwiches and shopping.
One mistake was forgivable, it made sense. But two? Two felt like something else entirely. She smiled at Rachel and Rachel smiled back. It looked real, but what if it wasnโt? Bel couldnโt be sure, she could only trust the knot in her gut. And it told her what she wanted to hear.
Rachel Price might just be lying.
