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I bite in a laugh when Rachel literally stomps her foot, reverting to approximately the behavior level of her preteen nephew gobbling cookies in front of the TV.
What’s interesting is Marina. She pauses her table-clearing, eyes flitting between her son and youngest child. Marina is no shrinking violet, but the vibe I’m getting is that Rachel rules the roost when it’s only the two of them.
Marina snatches a pair of plates from the table. “The living room, please.”
“There are too many people out here!”
“That’s the idea.”
Perhaps it’s overstepping, but I fire off a scowl at Marco for his under-the-breath comment.
“Fine. We’ll study at Tanner’s house.”
“We have guests, young lady.”
No one else contributes to the drama, but heads bob from mother to daughter like it’s a tennis match.
“I have an online assignment I have to turn in by midnight. Tanner’s helping me.”
“Or himself…”
More muttered words while Marco jiggles the remaining ice left in his water glass.
Rachel stutters, stammers, stomps. “Fine.” She grabs a ring of keys off the counter. “He rode with me. I’ll take him home.”
Marina jams her fist into her hip. “You have work to do and it’s getting late. You cannot fail this assignment, too.”
“Well he can’t stay here all night,” Rachel whines.
“You got that right.” Marco raises his volume so it’s audible to his sister this time. She glares daggers—and I don’t blame her. However…my sympathies are shifting ever so slightly. As the night has worn on, I’m noticing not just a closeness, but a handsy clinginess that’s sort of a red flag. And Tanner’s palm seems a wee bit too comfortable a wee bit too low on Marco’s sister’s back. Just sayin’.
Marco pulls in his feet and stands, tugging keys from his pocket. “Tell you what. You’ve got work to do and I’ve got time on my hands. I’ll drive Tanner home.”
Poor Tanner.
Adolfo’s chair scrapes the weathered linoleum and his cowboy boots hit the floor. “Mind if I ride along?”
I press my fingers to my mouth. Oh my.
At this point, the best the poor kid can hope for is that someday his parents find where they buried the body.
CHAPTER 24
Annalise
Undulating water froths the tops of my feet. In. Out. In again.
There’s something ahead of me, something small, water overlapping it. I take steps, but they’re slow, mired by the gritty paste sucking my feet down. Effort labors my breath, but I have to get there. I know I must. My racing heart arrives before I do, but suddenly I’m above the mass, looking down. A scream thickens in my throat. I try but can’t push it out.
I drop to my knees and touch the form. A baby. Ababy.
Mybaby. A tiny, beautiful little girl with pale skin and hair like mine. But her eyes are emeralds, green like the sea she’s drowning in. I try to lift her, but the water washes in, rising. Rising. I grab hold, but I’m no help. Her own mother, helpless.
Worthless…
The water is claiming me, too. I scream—or try to, but there’s no air. No air. No air…
I’m vertical before I’m awake, gasping. There’s no water preventing me from filling my lungs with oxygen, but my mouth and throat are as dry as the New Mexican desert. I can’t even swallow.
