Page 188 of Beautiful Scars

Sarah cranes her head, trying to get a better look.

“I told Anne-Marie that I’d come back for Madison, and if Helen Ford had anything to say about it, she should tell Helen I threatened to burn the building down with a gun to her head.”

“Sh—ugar.” Well caught, Sarah. “Helen will think you did this. Not Cole. Kill, what if she’s already called the police?”

I shake my head. “She won’t phone the police. I have too much—”

For the second time, I stop myself.

I was about to tell Sarah that I have too much shit on Helen for her to go involving police. I hold all the cards. If she calls the police for taking Madison, Meisie and I can explain how Madison ended up here in the first place and how it was done without the mother’s permission.

But that’s not the case anymore.

If Helen doesn’t already know Alex is dead, then she will soon. But I’m betting she already knows. I have a feeling she knew I’d be walking into her office long before I did.

Especially since now she has more dirt on me than I do on her.

“What are we going to do?”

“Good question.”

We sit for a second as Maddie starts singing a nonsense song in the back of the car.

“What if you pretend to be Cole?” Sarah says quietly.

I run through how that option plays out. If I’m the one who took her, then I guess it makes sense for Cole to bring her back. Cole’s the straight twin.

Annie-Marie won’t say anything.

“Alright. Play along.”

We get out of the car. I open the door for Maddie and help her out of the car seat. She clings to my hip like a monkey, refusing to let me put her down on the ground.

“Can I have a sleepover again?” she asks as I cross the street with her.

There’s the part where it hurts to refuse her. I can’t say yes, that wouldn’t be right. Without Meisie, then what am I to her? Then again, I can’t even explain in four-year-old terms why I’d have to say no.

“That would be fun, wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah and next time we’ll have Krabby Patties for lunch!”

I chuckle. “Sounds like a plan.”

I ring the intercom. Four short blasts and one long one, so she’ll know it’s me.

But it’s not Anne-Marie who opens the door.

It’s Helen.

As soon as the door is open wide enough, I shove my free hand out and try one of my brother’s sleazier smiles. “Cole Hendry. Nice to meet you. Sorry it’s not under better circumstances.”

Helen looks from me, to Maddie, and back to me again.

Then she stands aside and pulls the door open. “Come in.”

As soon as we’re in the corridor Madison wriggles out of my arms and runs away, calling out for “Granny Annie”.

“You brought her back,” Helen says.