The Case of the Bad Twin by Shannon Greenland

Author:Shannon Greenland [Greenland, Shannon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SEG Publishing

Chapter 19

“Good visit?” Aunt Grace asks as we ride home.

I nod.

She’s been trying to talk to me the whole way, but I’m just not in the mood. I don’t know what to think of Mom’s early release. I should be happy, but I’m not. I like my life with Aunt Grace. I like having my own room. I like not living out of a suitcase. I like school.

Do I have to go with Mom? Will she make me? I don’t want to hurt her feelings.

With a sigh, I watch the intra-coastal water zoom by as Aunt Grace takes the bridge over from the mainland back onto Piper Island. I like living on an island named after my grandparents.

Is this the news that was in the envelope from Mom’s lawyer? Why didn’t Aunt Grace tell me?

She hangs a right on the coastal highway and I keep silent the remaining minutes home. When she pulls into our carport, I stay right where I am, looking at the colorful stones lining our walkway. At the pinwheels rotating slowly in the breeze. At Lolli propped against the shed.

I like Lolli. I don’t want to say goodbye to her either.

“What is it?” Aunt Grace asks.

“What did Principal Berger want?” I ask instead of answering her question.

She pauses, much like he did, taking a moment to put her sunglasses in her purse and to slip on her regular red-framed ones. Then she looks at me. “Someone sent an anonymous email with your mom’s mug shot attached.”

My heart falters a beat. “What?” I whisper. “Why?”

“Alluding that since your mom is a criminal, you may be as well.” Aunt Grace reaches over the gear stick and takes my hand. “Principal Berger puts no stock in it. You know that, right?”

I nod, but my face heats with embarrassed tears that are about to come. Very few people know about my mom. Or at least I thought so, but obviously, I’m kidding myself. I’ve been here three years, thinking everyone believed my lie that Mom was away on business. They were all probably just taking pity on me. Poor Penny-Ann and her incarcerated mother.

Sliding my hand from Aunt Grace’s grip, I grab my phone and climb out. With the news of Mom’s early release, this time capsule could be the last thing I do for Piper Island, but why even bother now? It’s probably a good thing Mom wants to hit the road. Piper Island will be rid of both of us.

I’m walking inside when I get a text from Diamond: DIDN’T GET TO ALL THE HOUSES, BUT THE ONES I DID DO WERE A DEAD END.

OK, I simply respond.

Another text comes in: I HAVE TO GO HOME FOR A FEW HOURS, BUT I SAW EAN AT THE SKATE PARK AND HE HAD THE BACKPACK WITH HIM.

This makes me pause. THE BLUE AND BLACK ONE? I type back.

YES!

The same backpack Rocco had at his aunt’s house. The same backpack I saw in the office at The Pit. A new wave of determination rolls through me.

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