โWhat do you think happened to Charlie, and Je๏ฌ, and Sherry?โ
Ramsey waited for the answer, sitting in the Royalty Inn conference room, haloed by the bright softbox light behind.
Bel was on the couch, cushions arranged neatly around her.
She wasnโt alone this time. Mom was on one side, Carter the other.
Her knees pressed against the co๏ฌee table. A full bottle of water they werenโt allowed to drink, three glasses this time. And the marble chessboard, still missing its queen. Bel had it in her pocket, was going to put it back when they wereย ๏ฌnished. She didnโt need it anymore.
โI donโt know,โย Mom said, taking this one.
It was theirย Exit Interview.ย At least, that was what the clapper board said. The last scene ofย The Reappearance of Rachel Price,ย with what was left of the Prices.
Ash was here somewhere, hiding behind the glare of the lights, wearing that ugly purple sweater again, the one with the dinosaurs. James was behind the big camera, Saba with the microphone tripod, its grayย ๏ฌu๏ฌy head hanging over them.
โItโs been two weeks since Je๏ฌย and Sherry were last seen.โย Ramsey steepled hisย ๏ฌngers.ย โAlmost a month since your husband, Charlie, went missing. Do you have any idea where they are, why they left?โ
โI donโt know where they are,โย Mom said, holding his gaze, blinking just enough to make it believable.ย โThe police are convinced Charlie left the country, ran away to Canada. That Je๏ฌย and Sherry did too, they found evidence to support that, like it was planned somehow, the three of them. As toย whyโฆI can only guess.โ
โAnd what is your guess, Rachel?โย Ramsey pushed.
She took a breath, like she needed time to think.ย โMy reappearance put a lot of strain on the family. A lot of stress, a lot of adjusting, and it also came with a lot of scrutiny, a lot of questions, and a lot of attention from the media.โย She paused, holding it for e๏ฌect, like Bel had told her to.ย โI think me coming back stirred something up. I donโt know if they were involved in something illegal, but I think my return was the catalyst, part of their decision to leave, why they felt they needed to. Bel, you heard your dad and your uncle Je๏ฌย arguing a lot, even before I returned, didnโt you?โ
โYeah,โย Bel said, picking up the thread.ย โA lot ofย ๏ฌghts. Always about money. Thatโs why Dad actually agreed to this documentary in theย ๏ฌrst place; he was desperate for the money. I donโt know if that had anything to do with it.โ
Her mom nodded, taking theย ๏ฌoor again.ย โWe donโt have the answers. Iโve tried, wondering what secret they shared, what made them want to leave. Maybe they thought I knew something, from back before I disappeared, maybe that would explain it, butโฆI donโt. I guess we just have to hope theyโll all come home someday and we can work through it.โ
โWhat about you, Carter?โย Ramsey turned to her.ย โHave you heard from your parents at all, since they took o๏ฌ?โ
Carter sat up straighter.ย โNot since the night of Grandpaโs eighty-๏ฌfth birthday.โ
โAnd how does it make you feel, that theyโve gone? That they left you behind?โ
โItโs sad,โย Carter sni๏ฌed.ย โWhatever the reason is, must be pretty bad for them to leave theirย ๏ฌfteen-year-old daughter behind, no contact. I miss them, and I hope theyโre OK. But they chose to leave, and I like to think
they left me behind to protect me somehow. Iโm still dealing with all this. Only been two weeks.โ
โYouโve been staying with your aunt and your cousin?โ
โYes,โย Mom said, answering this one.ย โCarter is family too, and she will always be welcome to stay with us, for as long as she needs. Weโre happy to have her, arenโt we, Bel?โ
โAsk me in front of the camera, why donโt you, so I have to be nice.โย Bel smirked.
Carter punched her in the arm.
Ramsey smiled, watching the two of them, giving the moment space.ย โSo itโs another mystery, what happened to Charlie, and Je๏ฌย and
Sherry?โย he followed up.
Mom nodded.ย โAnother mystery.โ
โCircling back.โย Ramsey leaned forward, which meant a di๏ฌcult question was coming.ย โWe still donโt have answers to the main mystery of your disappearance, the man who took you, Rachel. You identi๏ฌed Phillip Alves after the incident at your home a couple weeks ago, when he broke in. But police have since discovered that Phillip Alves was in Mexico the day you were released, when you reappeared, so it canโt be him. Any comments on that?โ
โYes,โย Mom said, like sheโd expected it, because she had. Theyโd prepared answers for any question Ramsey might ask.ย โIn that moment, I was sure it was him. It was dark, and I only ever saw my captor in the dark, he never got close. Maybe it was just the fear, when I saw him attacking Bel, and instinct took over. I was wrong. It wasnโt Phillip Alves. The man is still out there, somewhere, and now Iโm not sure Iโd even recognize him, if I do see him.โ
Ramsey nodded,ย ๏ฌngers cupping his chin.ย โAre you concerned, at all, that youโll never have the answer? That the police will neverย ๏ฌnd him?โ
They hadnโt prepared for this one. Bel slid her hand along the couch, nudging her littleย ๏ฌnger against her momโs leg, letting her know she was right here. It didnโt matter if the camera saw.
Mom looked at her, half a second, and that was enough.ย โIf youโd asked me a few weeks ago, I might have said yes. I thought I needed that answer, that I couldnโt live without it. But now, I think Iโm OK with the not- knowing. Iโve been a mystery myself for a very long time, the past sixteen years, so I think Iโm OK, living in mystery.โย Her voice cracked and it was real, Bel could tell the di๏ฌerence.ย โBut I wonโt live in fear anymore. I did that for a long time, and I fought my way home, back to my family. Itโs time to move on, answers or not. And I have these two here, to help meย ๏ฌnd my way.โ
Ramsey sat back, a smile that was all eyes and no teeth, holding the three of them in his gaze.
โAnd thatโs a wrap!โย he said, bringing his hands together, clapping, holding it out to them.
James joined in, behind the camera. Saba too.
And Ash, emerging in front of one of the lights, glowing, winking when he caught Belโs eye.
Bel clapped too, sent it his way. Then Carter. Then her mom.
The room came alive with the sound of their scattered applause, and no one wanted to be theย ๏ฌrst to stop.
They clapped, not just because it was ending, but because it mattered. Because it had changed them, all of them.
โ
โYouโre leaving today?โย Mom asked Ramsey, out in the parking lot.
James and Saba were loading their equipment into the van behind. Ash was struggling to carry one of those large metal trunks, knocking into the hotel door with a crash.
โYeah,โย Ramsey said.ย โOurย ๏ฌight is this evening.โ
Bel and Carter hung back, leaning against their momโs car.
โWell.โย Mom held out her hand.ย โGoodbye. Thank you, for everything, Ramsey.โ
his.
Ramsey took her hand, but he didnโt shake it, held it between both of
โNo. Thank you, Rachel. Weโll be in touch. About theย ๏ฌlm.โย Ash dropped something else.
โDo you need a hand?โย Carter asked him.ย โYours clearly donโt work very
well.โ
Ash smirked.ย โStarting to sound like your cousin.โ
Ramseyโs eyesย ๏ฌicked over to Bel.ย โI know you donโt think youโre slinking o๏ฌย without saying goodbye to me, Bel Price.โ
โCaught me,ย mate.โย She sidled over, replacing her mom, who went to help Carter.ย โSoโฆthe documentary is done.โ
โIt is. Not going to be the plotty, twisty story I thought I had a few weeks ago,โย he said pointedly.
Bel dropped her eyes.
Ramsey knew. Of course he knew. He didnโt know everything, the whole truth, but he knew as much as Ash. Heโd seen their footage, before she destroyed it. He knew Rachel was lying, that a stranger hadnโt kept her in a basement for sixteen years, that the answer was closer to home and the Price family had secrets, he just didnโt know what.
Theย ๏ฌlm that could have been.
Ramsey was watching her.ย โNo,โย he continued,ย โit wonโt be the plotty, twisty story I thought I wanted. It will be something better, something with aย human element.ย A quieter story, about a mother and daughterย ๏ฌnding each other again, overcoming their di๏ฌerences and doubts. A journey that changes both of them. Not as shocking as theย ๏ฌlm I once had, no, it probably wonโt make as much moneyโit de๏ฌnitely wonโtโbut itโs a story worth telling.โ
Bel nodded, unsure what to say.
โGot something for you.โย He lowered his voice, pulling something out of his pocket, a memory stick.ย โIโve been aย ๏ฌlmmaker a long time,โย he said, almost a whisper.ย โI always make sure the footage is backed up to the cloud.โ
Belโs heart staled in her chest, dropping to her gut.
Lips open around a phantom word. Oh no, oh fuck, the footage.
But Ramseyโs eyes were kind. Not a threat, but a gift. He held the memory stick out toward her.ย โItโs gone now. I deleted it all, permanently, everything you and Ash shot together. This is the last remaining copy. Thought you might want it.โ
He handed it over.
Bel took it, herย ๏ฌngers brushing his. Ramsey had the footage; he could have had thatย ๏ฌlm he wanted, the one that exposed Rachel, the one that pitted her and Bel against each other, plotty, twisty, shocking. But heโd chosen not to. Heโd made his choice.
โThank you,โย she said, pushing the memory stick into her pocket. Ramsey smiled.ย โItโs your story, not mine.โ
He held out his hand.ย โWell, I guess this is goodbye, then.โ
โDonโt think so,ย mate.โย Bel batted his hand away. She leaned up with both arms and hugged him.
Ramsey returned the hug, holding tight but not as tight as her.ย โIf you ever need anything, sweetheart, just call me, yeah?โย he said.ย โI know Iโm halfway around the world, but Iโm always here, OK?โ
โOK,โย Bel said, mu๏ฌed against his jacket.
Ramsey pressed a kiss to the top of her head, buried in her hair.
โRight, go on.โย He pulled away, eyes glistening.ย โGet out of here, before I start bawling.โย He wiped his eyes and waved his hand.ย โGo on, Iโm serious, get out of here, mate. Canโt be crying out on the street.โ
Bel laughed, stepping away from him, but she couldnโt get out of here, not quite yet.
โAsh!โ
He was standing right there, not helping, like heโd been waiting for his turn.
โWhat?โย He walked over,ย ๏ฌares swishing against the concrete.ย โIโm very busy.โ
โToo busy for this?โย Bel dropped her backpack to the crook of her elbow, reached inside for the yellow fabric. She handed it over.ย โI went back
to get this for you.โ
Ash unfolded the cropped T-shirt and his face lit up.ย โPugs Not Drugs,โย he said, turning it around to show her the sad, chubby pug.ย โI love this little guy. Gonna wear it all the time.โ
โOf course you will,โย she said.ย โYou know, youโre ridiculous, and strange, and pretty annoying, actually.โย She took a breath, unlocked her jaw.ย โBut Iโm glad I met you.โ
Ash pointed the pug at her.ย โFlattery will get you nowhere, Bel.โ โThat was the last one.โ
โYeah.โย Ash balled up the T-shirt, holding it to his chest, in front of his heart.ย โIโll miss you,โย he said quietly.
โReally?โย She sneered.ย โBut Iโm unpleasant?โ
Ash laughed, pressed the T-shirt to his mouth.ย โThoroughly unpleasant.โย Bel stepped forward. She prodded him in the shoulder with twoย ๏ฌngers.
โI guess Iโll see you,โย she said.
โI mean, we probably wonโt. I live in a di๏ฌerent country, butโฆโย He stopped himself, eyes shining as they found hers, glazing over. They would both cry about it, tears that felt happy but tasted sad, just not here, not now. He reached out, pushed twoย ๏ฌngers against her shoulder.ย โI guess Iโll see you too.โ
โBel!โย Carter called.ย โYou ready to go?โ โIโm ready,โย she said, keeping it to herself.
Mom blipped the car, opening the driverโs-side door.
Carter hesitated.ย โWhere do you want to sit?โย she asked Bel.
Bel paused, eyesย ๏ฌoating from the front passenger door to the back.ย โIโll take the backseat.โ
She climbed in, sitting here because she could. The backseat wasnโt the thing that hurt her, it was the men who had chosen to. Her mom never abandoned her, so it couldnโt hold that over her anymore. And really, it was just a seat, same as the front.
Mom started the engine, pulling out onto Main Street. Bel turned to watch theย ๏ฌlm crew standing there, waving, shrinking behind them, until they were just specks and stick people, then nothing.
Ramsey said it was her story, but it was his too. And that made her think of something, a memory that turned over, became something new.
โRamseyย ๏ฌlmed a documentary last year, it didnโt get picked up, they said it lacked aย human element.ย He shot it in Millinocket, Maine. But thatโs the same place youโฆโ
Mom blinked; Bel watched her in the rearview mirror.
โIt was you!โย she said.ย โYou were Lucas Ayer on Twitter. Left a comment telling Ramsey to look into the Rachel Price case. Youโre the reason this documentary happened.โ
Mom shrugged.ย โI saw theย ๏ฌlm crew around town, got scared that someone might spot me, recognize me in the background. So I laid low. But it got me thinking, that a documentary could be useful. I wanted to see Charlie have to lie on camera, pretend he had no idea what happened to me. But also, you know, money. That if I came back, theyโd o๏ฌer me more for my side of the story, that it would keep us going for a few years. So I tweeted him. Didnโt think it would work. I guess I was too good of a mystery to miss.โ
โYou told me you donโt understand Twitter,โย Carter said, feet up on the dashboard, legs too long.
โNo, thatโs still true. TikTok is the most confusing, though. Why is everyone so loud?โ
Carter laughed.ย โYou just need to turn your volume down. I showed you already, the buttons at the side.โ
โToo many buttons,โย Mom muttered.ย โThereโs literally just three.โ
A squad car was parked ahead, Police Chief Dave Winter outside, writing up a ticket for someone. Dave spotted them as the tra๏ฌc slowed. He waved, badge glinting. Mom nodded and Bel pressed her lips into a smile. Sheโd let Dave out of his promise. He had been right, he owed Bel nothing, and Charlie even less. As long as he stayed far away from the truth.
Carter sti๏ฌened as they drove past.
Mom noticed.ย โAnyway,โย she said,ย โI thought that interview went really well.โ
Carter shrugged.ย โI donโt know. I think I took too long with my answers, that my face gave it away whenever Ramsey said Je๏ฌย or Charlieโs names. What if they can tell Iโm lying? What if people watch it andย ๏ฌgure out that I killed them both?โ
โCarter.โย Mom stopped at a red light, turned to her.ย โI donโt want to hear you say that, even think that. You didnโt kill anybody, trust me.โ
Carter pulled her legs back, tucked her hands between her knees.ย โI did, though.โ
โListen to me, you did not kill anyone. Charlie pulled Je๏ฌย over the edge.
He killed him.โ
โBut I pushed Charlie. I killed Charlie.โ
Mom breathed in, held on to it for a long moment, the turn signal ticking, counting it down before she let it go.ย โNo, Carter. You didnโt kill Charlie. I did.โ
โWhat?โย Bel said, mind reeling, doubling back, going for her heart.ย โWhat are you saying?โ
Momโs eyes were on the road, not on them.ย โJe๏ฌย was dead. I thought Charlie was too, but he survived the fall, woke up when I was dragging him through the mine. He was in a bad way, couldnโt move, couldnโt really speak, but his eyes were open. He begged me not to do it.โย She coughed, sliding her hands down the steering wheel.ย โHe didnโt survive the second fall.โ
โWhat?โย Carterโs hands went to her mouth.
โYou said you wouldnโt lie to us anymore.โย Bel stared through the back of her momโs head. If she was telling the truth, why was she only saying this now, two weeks later?
โIโm not lying,โย Mom said, keeping her eyes to herself.ย โThatโs what happened. Carter didnโt kill anybody. Charlie killed Je๏ฌ, and I killed Charlie.โ
There was a shift in Carter as she said it, almost instant; Bel watched it happen from the backseat. A lightening in her shoulders, a brightening in her eyes, a new ease in the way she held her mouth, the way the air passed through, not quite so heavy anymore.
And Bel understood.
Maybe Mom was lying to them, oneย ๏ฌnal lie, but if she was, then that was why she did it. To keep Carter safe, not from the police, but from her guilt. And if that was what she was doing, then it was a lie Bel could live with, could forgive. A truth she didnโt have to know, one last mystery of the great, disappearing Rachel Price. The kind of thing a good mom would do.
Mom pulled into the parking lot, backing into a spot.ย โSo donโt say that again, Carter, because itโs not true. You didnโt do anything wrong.โย She turned o๏ฌย the engine and reached across, losing herย ๏ฌngers in Carterโs copper hair.ย โOK?โย she said, tugging at a strand.
โOK.โย Carter pressed the word into a smile, wrestling her hair back. Maybe sheโd even be able to sleep in her own room tonight. Not that Bel minded, except her little sister did kick in her sleep. Legs way too fucking long.
The spare room was now Carterโs, and Mom had moved back into her old bedroom, new bed, new mattress, throwing out anything Charlie had touched.
โRight, come on.โย Mom unclipped her seat belt.ย โWe have paint to buy.โ โNot more paint,โย Bel growled, climbing out.ย โDo you like eggshell, or
oatmeal, or dove?ย Itโs all white, Mom, just pick one.โ
โHave you seen the swatches sheโs put up on my wall?โย Carter emerged from the car.ย โSays I can choose, but at least three of them are the color of vomit.โ
โGirls, stop bullying me or youโre both grounded.โย She grinned.
โIf you ground one of us for anything,โย Bel said,ย โit should be the number of times Carter saysย fuck.โ
โFuck o๏ฌ.โย Carter tried to trip her, standing on her heels.
They laughed. Carterโs laugh sounded like Belโs, and Belโs sounded like Momโs,ย ๏ฌtting together, like they belonged.
โCarter!โย a voice yelled across the parking lot.
They all turned to see where it had come from, Bel sti๏ฌening, her bones locking. But it was just Carterโs friends from school, standing outside Rosaโs Pizza, next to the hardware store.
Carter waved.
โCan I go?โย she asked Mom, but her eyesย ๏ฌicked to Bel, waited there instead.
Bel dipped her head, tilted her chin.ย โOf course you can,โย she said, saying more than that with her eyes.ย โGo on.โ
โThanks,โย Carter hissed.ย โIโll see you in there, MoโAunt Rachel,โย she corrected herself, people passing on the way to their cars.
Carter ran away from them, disappearing as her friends re-formed around her.
She left. And that was OK, because Bel knew she would come back. Carter would always come back, whether she was just going over there to say hello to her friends, or if she went all the way to New York for dancing school. The people who loved you, the ones who really cared, they would always come back.
Sometimes, they even came back from the dead.
โGuess itโs just you and me, kid.โย Mom hooked her arm through Belโs, heading toward the entrance.ย โYou OK? What are you thinking?โ
โNothing, sorry,โย Bel said. Actually, it was something.ย โI was thinking I would message this girl. Sam. The one who gave me the bracelet with the skulls. She used to be my friend.โ
The last friend Bel ever had, before she pushed everyone away. But she was ready to be somebodyโs friend again, now she knew how it worked. That it didnโt matter if they drifted, or someone got hurt, or it didnโt last forever. It still mattered.
โYeah.โย Mom looked at her with a knowing smile.ย โYou should. Maybe invite her over sometime?โ
Bel nodded. She just might do that.
Mom picked out a shopping cart, wheeled it toward the doors.ย โWe should get some bookshelves too. For the living room.โ
โIโd like that.โ
โAnything else you want?โย Mom said, glancing down at the list in her hand.
There wasnโt.
Bel just wanted to be here, with her mom, looking at a thousand shades of white and pretending to see a di๏ฌerence, because it wasnโt about the paint at all. It was about them, a daughter and a mom, learning all the ways they couldย ๏ฌnd each other again,ย ๏ฌt back together, trying, until it was like it never happened, like no time had been taken from them at all.
Theyโd get there. They were already well on their way.
The automatic doors sprang open for them, and Bel helped her mom push the cart through, righting one of the wheels.
They crossed the threshold, walked inside.
The doors slid shut behind them, taking them away with a midnight shush.
They disappeared.
But this time, they did it together.