Bel wasnโt smiling anymore when Ash dropped her home.
Rachel had taken Dadโs spot, her new car parked in front of the garage, where his truck lived. The truck was nowhere, so Dad wasnโt home from work yet. Fucking great. No Dad, but CNN, NBC, ABC and FOX were all here.
โI guess Iโll see you,โย Ash said as she climbed out.
โI guess,โย Bel said.ย โAs Iโm contractually obliged to.โ
โAlways a pleasure, Bel.โย Heย ๏ฌattened his hand, saluting her as she shut the car door. Trying to out-smartass her; sheโd show him, next time.
Bel tramped up to the front door, ignoring the fourย ๏ฌoating reporters shouting questions at her, protected by their property line, an invisible border they werenโt allowed to cross. She pretended sound couldnโt cross it either.
Bel eyeballed Rachelโs car. Three days back and she was already taking over, muscling the rest of them out, claiming territory. Bel had made progress todayโan ally, a clueโbut not nearly enough. Sheโd need more evidence than that to reclaim her home from Rachel Price. Because that was what it would come down to, wouldnโt it? One or the other.
She slotted her key into the lock. At least she had her bedroom; the last safe space that Rachel couldnโt claim. Sheโd go there right now, shut herself
away until Dad got back, pretend she had homework.
Bel opened the door, holding her breath, preparing to face Rachel again, though she never felt ready enough.
The hallway was clear.
Bel locked her jaw and walked through to the living room. Rachel wasnโt here either, or in the kitchen, though the oven was on, rattling in that way it did. Was Rachel not home? Maybe she went out on a walk?
Something sparked in her gut, that instinct you got in an empty house to call out, make it un-empty, but Bel pushed the feeling down, overrode it. Why would she call out for Rachel? She didnโt want toย ๏ฌnd her. This was a lucky break; she could go hide in her room without having to make excuses. She started up the stairs, skipping the one that creaked. She paused at the top. The door to the spare roomโit was important to think of it like that, not as Rachelโs roomโwas open, and it was empty. The bathroom door was closed, though. No sound of running water, but maybe Rachel was
in the bathtub?
Bel lightened her steps, tiptoeing now, just in case. She didnโt want Rachel to know she was home, force her to reappear again.
She reached her bedroom door and nudged it open.
Someone gasped and Bel caught it too, sealing o๏ฌย her throat, coughing through it.
Rachel was standing in her bedroom, by the bookshelves.
โOh, Anna,โย Rachel said, her gasp breaking into a shy laugh. Sheโd been holding a book, now clutched in front of her heart, like a shield.ย โI didnโt hear you come in.โ
That was because she wasnโt supposed to. And she wasnโt supposed to be here, in Belโs room, in her safe space.
Bel dropped her backpack to theย ๏ฌoor with a heavy thunk.
โWhat are youโฆ?โย she began, unsure how to end that question, becauseย What are you doing here?ย went much deeper than just her bedroom.
โSorry,โย Rachel said, feet shu๏ฌing on the carpet.ย โI was looking for a
book, Carter said youโre a big reader. I thought I could borrow one. Hope you donโt mind.โ
Bel did mind, and right this second, she didnโt know how to pretend otherwise. Rachel had thrown her o๏ฌ, being where she shouldnโt, heart thudding against Belโs ribs,ย ๏ฌght-or-๏ฌight fast.
Rachel held up the book in her hands, spinning it so the jacketย ๏ฌapped like trapped wings.ย โThis is a good book,โย she said. Bel recognized the green of the cover:ย The Memory Thief.ย It was one of her favorites, had been all her life.ย โOne of my favorites,โย Rachel said then, stealing that from her as well.
โItโs OK,โย Bel said.ย โBit boring in the middle.โ
Rachel glanced down at the book,ย ๏ฌngers running over the sharp corners and ridges of once-folded pages.ย โDid someone give you this book, orโฆ?โย she said, stilted, trying to make conversation. Maybe Bel had thrown her o๏ฌย too.
โNo, I bought that copy a few years ago. Grandpa used to read it to me when I was a kid, I wanted to read it again myself, as not-a-kid.โ
โThatโs sweet.โย Rachel slotted the book into the empty space on the shelf, recompleting the row.ย โThat your grandpa used to read to you.โ
โHe started when Dad was in jail, for your murder,โย Bel said,ย ๏ฌnding her footing again, stepping forward.
Rachel nodded, chewing on her secret thoughts alone, face guarding them closely.ย โI should go visit him, Charlieโs dad.โ
โHe probably wonโt remember you much,โย Bel said, scoring points where she could.ย โHeโs forgotten who me and Carter are, and weโve always been here.โ
Rachel chewed harder, the inside of her cheek, then she blinked, changing her face.ย โYou just missed her; Carter was here. Sheโs very sweet, isnโt she? Couldnโt stay for dinner, but she helped me set up my new phone, actually. All done, just have to practice using it.โย She moved her hands behind her back, hiding them, a click in her shoulder.ย โI know you were too busy yesterday. But itโs done now, anyway, and she put your number in for me.โ
Thanks, Carter.
โIโll text you, so you have my number,โย Rachel continued.ย โYou can call me anytime. You know that, right? Anytime.โ
โSure,โย Bel said. Anytime, just not the last sixteen years, the years people tended to need their moms most.
Bel stepped forward again, clearing the doorway. She wanted Rachel to leave, though she wasnโt sure her bedroom would ever feel safe again now, Rachelโs mark left behind on everything sheโd touched and looked at. How long had she been snooping around in here? Had she sat on the bed? Had she opened the nightstand drawer, or the closet? Had she found Belโs collection of stolen things?
โIโmย ๏ฌlming my interviews the next two days,โย Rachel said,ย ๏ฌnding something else to say, another reason to stay.
โCool.โ
โI called Ramsey, actually, tried out my new phone.โย She rubbed one eye.ย โHe had an idea, for us to have a big family meal on Friday night, the whole family: us, Je๏ฌ, Sherry, Carter, my mom, your grandpa too, and the caregiver. Whatโs his name again?โ
โYordan.โ
โYordan. Ramsey will organize caterers to come in, so we donโt have to cook. You can help me pick the menu if you like. Theyโllย ๏ฌlm the dinner for the documentary. Thatโll be fun, wonโt it? All of us together again.โ
Funย wasnโt the word Bel would have gone with. But at least the house would be busy, full of voices, not this uncomfortable give-and-take alone with Rachel.
โWill be nice to have everyone around.โ
Rachel smiled at her.ย โWe could ask for anything. Steak? Paella?โ โDad doesnโt like shrimp. Got food poisoning one time.โ
The smile faltered on one side.ย โHow was your extra-credit thing?โย Rachel asked.
โYeah,ย ๏ฌne.โ
โRamsey mentioned that he saw you today, after school,โย Rachel said.
Fuck. Bel might have caught Rachel in some of her lies, but she was about to catch her back. Unless Bel thought fast.
โOh yeah, I went into the hotel,โย Bel said, making it up as she went.ย โI hadย ๏ฌve minutes before the meeting, and I remembered Iโd left my
scrunchie there when Iย ๏ฌlmed my interview. Went to check if it was in lost and found.โ
Convincing enough. No holes, unless Rachel really went looking. Rachel nodded.ย โAny luck?โ
โNo, no luck.โ
Ramsey wouldnโt have told Rachel what they talked about, right? That Bel was onto Rachel, starting to unpick her lies. No, he wouldnโt, Bel could tell from the light in his eyes; heโd seen opportunity in Belโs suspicions. And he couldnโt be taking advantage of her if she was actually taking advantage of them. Using them to document any evidence she found, a permanent record. Scratching each otherโs backs, using Ash to do it.
โWill your dad be back for dinner?โย Rachel asked,ย ๏ฌnding something new to say, which meant Bel must have convinced her, covered her own tracks.
โHe normally gets home earlier than this,โย she said.
โItโs lasagna tonight. Store-bought. Didnโt have time to make it,โย Rachel said, almost guiltily.ย โDo you like lasagna?โ
If Bel had to answer one more time whether she liked something or not, she might just scream.
The front door slammed below.
โHello?โย Charlieโs voice rang out.ย โKiddo?โย Thank fuck for that.
Dad was home, and that was good, because it wasnโt really home without him.
