Lindsey’s Mom had been giddy for the past couple of days. Trey told her it was nothing, stress from the new restaurant there was nothing to worry about. Lindsey semi-bought her story. Margaret approached Lindsey twice with something to say then suddenly remembered she had to unload the laundry or bake the cake she’d been meaning to.
Lindsey hadn’t spoken to Serge since she was caught sneaking back in. It sucked because she missed him. His sexy glasses, dazzling eyes and most especially their rides home from school. Riding home with Clem and his recent girlfriend was a mini terror show. Betty was terrifying. How did Clem pick them? She threatened to cut off Clement’s toes more than once since Lindsey had met her. She kept a tooth and nail collection. Lindsey didn’t want to know where they came from. Clem was stuck with this one. Lindsey stuffed her text books in her locker then turned to the courtyard where she’d wait for Jordan to return with their lunch.Happy Reading. XOXO
Lindsey shouldn’t have been doing it, her stuffy nose and puffy cheeks confirmed it. At two in the morning before the sun was awake and she couldn’t sleep, Lindsey pulled out her laptop and logged in to her F******k. She hadn’t done that in years. She searched Leah’s profile. The realization that there really was someone out there who had her face only continued to pull her in like quick sand. Knowing she’d lived a good part of her life without someone so close to her soul was baffling for her. She couldn’t help wonder what their lives would have been like. They would have annoyed the crap out of each other and made their parent run mad while they were at it.Pictures of Leah fishing with her Dad filled the screen. Acne faced Leah and Jordan appeared on the screen next. Lindsey remembered her own horrid acne years. She watched Lindsey’s life over the last few photos.‘It’s good to know you had a nice life.’ She sniffled.Lindsey logged in to I*******m.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ A man jumped out of his car. Lindsey was bent over clutching her knees. The man looked at where she’d jumped out of then back at the panting girl. ‘Hey, was someone chasing you kid?’ He slammed his door shut then walked towards her. Lindsey managed to straighten herself and control her breathing. That was too close. Leah didn’t make a single move to try to escape. ‘Yeah, he tried to grab me. I have to call the police he has my sister.’ ‘Your sister?’ The man with brown bushy hair fished out his phone and rapidly dialed for help Clem burst onto the street with his girlfriend by his side. They scanned the area for Lindsey before spotting her across the road. Doors opened and people came out of their homes to find out what was going on. Surely, the man in front of Lindsey wasn’t the only one who called the police. From the other end of the road Lindsey noticed Serge jogging up the street. ‘The police
Margaret didn’t feel great about living Lindsey at home with a swarm of reporters outside and the search party still going home. It was the second day of the search and still they didn’t find a shoe to bring them hope. Margaret wondered how a forest could be so big and so consuming.Clem promised not to leave the house until they got home. Trey wanted to get Margaret how of the house and do some work at the restaurant. It seemed to relax her a bit, though he could still tell her mind was wandering.The tiny bell Trey installed on top of the door dangled alerting them both of someone’s arrival.“Quite a fancy place you have here,” the soft voice said.Margaret’s recognition of the voice nearly froze her to the spot.“I’m sorry we’re not open for a couple more weeks.” Trey said.The short blonde woman smiled, looking around the place. “Oh, I can see that.”“Tr
After Margaret broke the news they piled into the car and drove to the scene. Lindsey noticed her mother shaking and her father’s muscles tense. They replaced all the wiring as far as Lindsey knew. They didn’t have any information what could have started the fire or how bad the damage was. When they arrived at the building the fire department was there along with the police. The police were taking statements. The building was as black as coal. Everything in it was gone. The new windows, the new tiles all their hard work gone in flames. ‘Oh no,’ Margaret sobbed. ‘This is messed up,’ Clem said. ‘How could this happen?’ Lindsey muttered. Detective Montgomery approached the family along with the chief of the fire department. He introduced Chief Carson to the Goodman’s. ‘Detective why are you here, wasn’t this an accident?’ Trey asked The detective and chief shared a glance. ‘This wasn’t an accident.’ Luther said. Ma
Maybe it wasn’t an hour later when Lindsey got home, but Clem wasn’t there to ask questions. She was the one determined to ask questions that morning at breakfast. She wanted to know who her parents believed caused the fire and what they were going to do. All their savings went into that place. ‘So, mom, are you going to ask Lindsey when she’s bringing her new boyfriend over for dinner?’ Lindsey dropped her fork. She should have known Clement Goodman would have other ideas. ‘Boyfriend?’ Trey asked, with a mouth full of eggs. ‘Don’t listen to Clem.’ Lindsey mumbled, her cheeks turning bright red. ‘What boyfriend? Is it that boy up the road?’ Trey looked between his children. Lindsey shut her eyes. As well as going to see Leah’s old friends today she and to come up with ways to get her brother back. ‘Well, when are you bringing him over?’ Margaret asked. Clem frowned and Trey gawked at her. ‘You didn’t just say th
It was easier to tell a stranger the things that plagued you at night. You didn’t know how they would react. They might not judge you the way your friend would. Lindsey had found the perfect stranger. Now to find a guy called Dylan in Hollow Cove.‘I don’t think Jordan will want to speak to us for a while.’ Serge said when they were both in the car.‘She’ll come around when it all sinks in.’‘Are you going to the police.’‘I kind of want to check it out myself first.’Serge ran a hand down his face. ‘You’re not going to investigate a missing person’s case Lindsey. You almost got kidnapped. This is a good lead, give it to the police.’‘I will, after I check him out first.’Serge leaned back and stared at Lindsey who in turn grinned at him.‘Will you help?’‘Of course, I will. First I want t
‘Do you think we should tell Jordan and Gloria about the plan?’ Ruby asked, when the car stopped in front of Lindsey’s house. Jordan wouldn’t be happy she went behind her back. Still she deserved to know. She would want to be in on the operation as well. ‘I’ll tell Jordan. She’ll be pissed, but I know she’ll want in.’ Ruby nodded, ‘You’re right. Will you keep me posted?’ ‘Of course. Thanks for your help.’ Ruby smiled. ‘I hope she’s okay.’ Lindsey hopped out of the car and watched as Ruby drove off. The sun shined on her face as it slowly said goodbye. Hollow Cove woods which had been abandoned by the police and rescue workers beckoned her. It was as if now that everyone was gone it was ready to reveal its secrets. Instead, Lindsey looked ahead to the house slowly filling up with people and driveway with cars. Her parents white truck was parked at home. ‘They’ve started early.’ Lindsey murmured. Orange blended in
It was four in the morning in the morning, but Lindsey walked into her closet and dialed Dylan’s number. ‘What do you mean Leah was there?’ It sounded like Dylan crumbled a piece of paper against the speaker. ‘I saw her I tried to speak to her. She freaked out.’ ‘What did she look like? What happened after?’ ‘She… looked awful. She’s definitely under the influence of something. She took what Dean had a ran off. I heard a car drive off, but I didn’t see it.’ ‘Someone’s aiding her! It could be the guy who tried to grab me in the woods.’ Dylan exhaled on the other end. ‘Lindsey, I think we should go to the police.’ She nodded. Lindsey clenched the front of her shirt. It was the right thing to do. They had a chance to bring Leah home even if Lindsey wasn’t sure where home was. ‘What about your brother?’ ‘Dean… he’s got to get his shit together. I don’t know, but I can’t keep quiet anymore.’ ‘
Six months later. Libby and Lindsey were found in the morning. Leah burst through the attic door and found her other halves sound asleep in a wardrobe like little kids hiding after a bad dream. She couldn’t resist but join them. “Can’t believe you guys had a sleep over without me.” Leah said. They giggled until silence came over them. “I think Cami’s dead.” Lindsey confessed. “No, the police grabbed her about a mile from here. She’s beaten up but she’ll live.” The girls embraced just as they embraced each other in their lives. Lindsey managed to convince her parents not to leave Hollow Cove because there was a lot worth fighting for there. Libby moved in with Marg and Trey who were undergoing the process to legally adopt her, but she committed herself into rehab where she got the help she needed. Cami was locked up and was going to stay hidden away for a very long time. “Our six month anniversary is coming up.” Serge said to Lindsey. Lindsey and Serge, Dylan and Leah were on a
Lindsey, Libby and Cami watched as Frank’s junk filled car disappeared into the distance. It was sometime in the afternoon and the sun was slowly leaving them. It would be dark soon.“Mind untying us so we can go home?” Lindsey held out her wrists.Cami sneered at her. “You may have a place to go Lindsey, but Libby here doesn’t have a place to on this earth.”“That’s not true! Libby has me and Leah and my mom Margaret who would love to have another daughter.”Cami rolled her eyes, “Marg isn’t all that. I was the popular one, the pretty one. Everyone wanted to be my friend not hers. I don’t see why you like her so much.”“For one she never abandoned me!”Cami waved her away, looking at the road for which way to go next. “You think if I had been right I would have abandoned you girls?”“I don’t think you remember what it means to be right.” Libby muttered.Cami glared at her, “Remember who’s side your own baby girl. Because in a few hours you’re going to need your fix and only I can giv
She just couldn’t catch a break could she? At six in the morning Jordan got a call from Celeste asking her if Leah was at her place. Leah had been discharged yesterday morning. The day after Lindsey had gone missing. They still had no clue where she was, but the phones at the station was ringing off the hook with sightings and tips all leading to trails gone cold.Now Leah was missing again? Jordan couldn’t go back to sleep after that call. Even though Celeste told her not to worry and that Leah would turn up. How had she left the house without anyone noticing? There were cops outside her house and no one saw her leave?She hadn’t told her parents where she was going when she left the house. In fact, they were both asleep when she walked out the front door at seven in the morning. Leah was still hurting about Lindsey running off to save Libby then getting caught. She felt like Lindsey had abandoned her. Jordan was there when Luther asked her a bunch of question, plenty which she could
Vanished again. Now it was like Camille was taunting him, telling him that he would never catch her. She’d been under his nose this whole time. Keeping her secrets like treasure to her chest. She’d sprung a surprise on the sleepy town. Not one girl, not even two, but three girls who shared the same face and Luther Montgomery hadn’t been able to bring them all home. There was always one left. Now he had one of them safe in the hospital when two of them were in the wind. He didn’t know what to think, but his mission would remain the same he had to bring them home. He wasn’t sure how much he could trust the third girl in all this. From what Lindsey told him she had aided their birth mother in luring Lindsey in, what if she did the same this time? His men scooped out the hospital, questioning staff members and those visiting the hospital. His partner was asking to see the camera footage. He’d be damned his they weren’t working. He spoke to the kids he was pissed to say the least, but at
“I don’t understand. You know I’m Lindsey. I thought you were here for Leah.” Lindsey yelled from the back seat of the junk infested backseat.“You girls so predictable. Your mama was right.”Lindsey scrawled. If it weren’t for the knife she would have bolted out of the parking lot. But Frank forced her into the car and bound her hands with a pair of old pantyhose. Why did he even have these?! They made Lindsey recoil.At least she was on her way to Libby. They could come up with a plan together. Now that she was in the car driving towards the cabin she could see the route they took. Only they weren’t going to the forest. Frank left the opening to Hollow Cove woods behind and kept driving.“Where are we going?” Lindsey asked.He wasn’t going rogue, was he? He chuckled and it didn’t give her a nice feeling.“You’ll see. Just sit tight.”That was hard to do. The town kept moving, waving goodbye. Fear swelled up inside her chest more than regret. She meant to save Libby and if it meant g
“So no one has one of those tiny recording devices? Or ear pieces. Those could come in handy right now.” Jordan asked from the back seat of Serge’s car.They were in the hospital parking lot trying to figure out how their plan was going to pan out.“Well, we don’t have any of those.” Clem grumbled.“We still need to communicate. Does anyone know where we can get walkie-talkies?”The boys groaned.“She’s right we need gadgets. At least to help us communicate. Walkie-talkies wouldn’t be so bad.” Lindsey beamed as if her heart wasn’t racing from what she was about to do.“The police would have been better equipped.” Serge mumbled.Lindsey frowned at him, “Serge.”He raised his hands, “Yes, I know. Sorry.”Lindsey said then looked at her friend then brother. A thought came to mind. “I don’t think we should tell Leah about this.”“I second that.” Jordan said.“Why not? Doesn’t she want to be in on her sister’s rescue mission. Still can’t believe there’s three of you.” Clem grumbled. “One w
After an awkward yet delicious meal with her family, Lindsey was glad to whisk her boyfriend away. With her disturbing phone call with Cami Lindsey couldn’t even concentrate on the food. Marg was an amazing cook and thank goodness too that’s why Clem didn’t contribute to making things more awkward for Lindsey.Her mom loved Serge and he was quite the charmer, but Trey wasn’t having any of it. He especially didn’t like to hear that Serge and his cousin lived alone most of the time. When they went upstairs so they could talk Trey blasted that he wanted all doors and windows open.“Listen, I don’t like your plan babe.” Serge said.Lindsey sat on her bench by the window. She stared out at the massive black forest that spread out for miles. All she could think about were those hollow trees and how her sister was somewhere in them.“I didn’t expect you too.”Serge groaned. He got up from the edged of her bed and sat down beside her on the bed. Her grabbed her hands and gripped them, but in
Lindsey stayed with her sister while she ate until she fell asleep. She excused herself from the room, telling Leah’s parents she would be back in a couple of hours. In actual fact Lindsey was going to cook up her plan to save Libby which meant she would be gone a lot longer.“Oh, there you are. Want to get a bite to eat?” Lindsey’s mom asked.Lindsey stopped in her tracked. Shoot, she thought to herself. She needed to ditch her parents if her plan was going to go anywhere. There was no way they were going to let her do anything alone after what happened especially since Cami and her partner were still in the wind.Trey and Margaret booth stood from the waiting chairs. The wheels in Lindsey’s head quickly turned. She was hoping to meet Cami while it was still day light.“Why don’t you guys go ahead, I’ll grab something from the cafeteria and come back here.”Her parents shared a look. In true fashion her parents reacted the way she expected them to.“Oh, honey we don’t need to go anyw
After calling the police, Leah was rushed straight to the hospital. Lindsey had been checked out too, but it was Leah in the more concerning condition. Lindsey hadn’t stopped shaking despite Serge’s embrace keeping her warm.Her parents, Jordan, Clem, Dylan and Leah’s parents were all in the waiting room at the hospital while Detective Luther and his squad searched for the third girl who had her face.“We should go honey, you should rest.” Margaret rubbed her daughter’s back.Lindsey shook her head, “No, I need to make sure Leah’s okay.”“She’ll be fine baby. She’s in good hands.” Trey said.Lindsey looked across the room where Serge stood next to Dylan. The outcast boyfriends. Serge offered her a small smile and little nod.Even if she went home she wouldn’t be able to sleep because she lost her other sister. Gosh, what would Cami do to Libby? She felt horrible, she was the one who convinced Libby to run, but there was no way she was going to leave her with Cami and her latest boyfri