You could have knocked me over with a feather. “I’m a twin?”
She nods, miserable and clearly living through the memory of that night. “I was so happy at first. I thought…you know that it was a new beginning. And then, we found out that one of the twins was a girl. That’s when everything changed. They weren’t nice anymore. I didn’t understand. Until, I heard them one night. Talking-to Agnes, and I knew their plans. They said no one could know about the girl. That they’d would take the boy to him…and kill me and frame me for Joel’s death.” She shakes her head, her eyes distant, as if she’s back in time, reliving the memory.
“That’s how I found out they’d killed him. Agnes shot him, set the house on fire and everyone thought I’d run off with someone. She told them, if I ever came back to Winsome, they’d all be ruined.”
I close my eyes against the wave of nausea that threatens to push my breakfast up.
“They didn’t want anyone to know about her because she would have a claim to the money.” Phil says in a wooden voice.
I glance over at him, surprised.
“What?” I ask.
But, he staring at Susan, his face pale and his jaw set. “So, what happened next?” he coaxes in a gentle voice.
“They kept me locked in that room. I gave birth there, with a doctor Agnes brought with her. She sat there, in a chair, watching the whole time. The girl, she came out first. And she was strong and loud and she had a whole head of blonde hair…but they took her away and didn’t even let me hold her. Agnes left and said she’d back be back in a week. I knew she was coming for you. I was so scared. The lady, turns out she wasn’t really Agnes’ friend, at least not to the point where she was willing to help her kill me. She let me go and told me to run. She gave me clothes, and shoes and you.”
She looks at me, longing and regret in her eyes.
“You were smaller than your sister, but perfect. I wasn’t going to make you live a life on the run. I just wanted to make sure they couldn’t find you. I was still bleeding after giving birth, and I was tired. I left you at the church in Ithaca, it was as far I could walk and I knew that devil would never think to look there.Then I went back to Texas and turned myself in.”
“Why did you do that?”
“I wanted them to know that I was alive and knew their plans. I thought maybe I could find a way to get my daughter back. In exchange for my silence. Drew came to the jail and told him what I wanted. He laughed. Said she was with a nice family, but if I did anything but plead guilty, they’d kill her. I felt so stupid. But my babies were all alive. Phil you were with his pretty French wife. I knew she loved you. So I changed my plea, and avoided death row and them. And this is where I’ve been.”
My lungs seize and my head starts pound. I can’t speak. I just stare at her. This is worse, so much worse than I imagined. What the fuck is wrong with these people? I don’t know how Beth survived.
“Did you say, East Winsome?” Phil’s question comes out as a croak.
“That’s what they said. The lady, the one who’s helping me, she thinks she might have found her, though. They’re doing DNA tests now.”
“What lady?” Phil asks.
“Her name is Serena Milne,” she says her name with affection and awe.
We exchange bewildered glances. “And who is she, exactly?”
“She’s with the FBI. She’s been working on this case for almost four years. She’s close to catching him she’s got someone on the inside who’s helping her get all the dirt of them. She’s gonna bring Wolfe and Tremaine down.”
“The FBI has been investigating The Wolfes? Are you sure she’s telling you truth?” Phil asks, his skepticism clear.
“She said you wouldn’t believe me.” Susan crosses her arms over her chest, and leans away, her eyes growing guarded again.
“No, it’s not that. We just…this is a shock. Do you think she’ll talk to us? Your FBI lady?” Phil asks.
She relaxes a little, but her nod is wary. “That’s up to you. She knows you’re here today and gave me permission to tell you about her. I can let her know you want to talk to her and she’ll contact you.”
“Can you give us her number?” Phil asks.
“No. I don’t have a way to reach her because she’s hardly ever alone and doesn’t want to blow her cover. She always calls me. Every other day. So, I’ll tell her. But she’s not just trying to bring them down. She’s trying to clear my name.”
This is all more than we could have hoped to learn when we came. Agnes Wolfe is a monster and I can’t wait to take her down along with her son.
“We’re glad that you’ve got someone else trying to help you. We’re going to do everything we can to get you out of here and get you justice.”
Her lined face goes slack for a second and then, her composure disappears as surprise and relief seem to overwhelm her. “You…you believe me?” she asks in a whisper.
“Of course,” we say at the same time, shocked that she’s asking.
Her green eyes, the same shade as mine, shine with tears before she covers her face with her hands and starts to sob.
She’s had her whole life stolen by these fuckers and I’ll spend every last dime I have to see her free.
Goddamn Drew Wolfe.
“I hate that fucker so much,” Phil says when we get back to our hotel.
“I’ve never wished death on anyone, but the world would be safer without him.”
I nod, my agreement. But, I think the ultimate punishment would be deprive him of the things he’s stolen from so many - his freedom.
“And what about this FBI person? Who could it be?”
“I have no idea, but my mind is blown.”
I flop down on the bed, and close my eyes, exhausted from the overload information and emotion.
“Hey, did Beth call you?” Phil asks, and the worry in his voice fills me with dread.
He’s staring at phone, his finger swiping up, and then stopping suddenly. He peers at the screen and then closes his eyes, and groans.
“What?” I ask, pull my phone out curse when I see all the missed calls.
But when I read her text, I really start to panic.
“Oh my fuck. She sent this almost six hours ago. She’s landed already.”
“What money? What does this mean?” Phil asks, I’m trying to call Beth back.
I throw my phone when it goes to voicemail. “Fuck,” I snarl, my heart racing.
“What’s going on? She can’t be here by herself. If they know she’s coming, she’s in danger.”
Dread makes me nauseous and the growing panic in his eyes makes my head spin.
“Fuck, why didn’t she wait for me? And what is this about Cameron? How could your grandmother have her?”
Phil looks like he’s as sick as I am.
“I don’t know… I don’t know. But if it’s true, it’s a very bad thing. We need to get to Duke’s before she does. I have his address, but we’re an hour out. We might be too late.”
The thought of that man with his hands on her makes me want to rip him from limb to limb.