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The pavement was warm beneath her socks. The driveway had been gravel. It was what had torn up her feet, but…this was going to damage her feet, even more.
But Crispin just kept walking.
For what had to be at least an hour.
Then…she saw them. Lights.
Sirens.
In the distance.
She looked down. It was twilight out, but she was wearing a light pink shirt. But if they were going too fast…they might not see her at all.
She stood there by the road, and waited.
There were four SUVs. She waved her free hand. The other held Orion tight. She couldn’t drop him.
The first driver blew his horn at her.
He’d seen her. She knew it. But he kept going.
The SUV had had TSP written on the side.
She started bawling the instant she saw those letters. The TSP would always mean Heather and Hope to her.
The fourth one stopped.
For her. The doors opened. A man and woman hurried out.
Crispin just stared.
A blond woman was there, getting closer. So much closer. Crispin just shivered. The woman wore a TSP Forensics polo. Just like Hope’s. Just like Hope’s. She wished…she wished it was her aunt running up to her now. “Pen? Pen, sweetheart, it’s ok, now. It’s ok.”
“I’m not Pen.” Crispin said almost woodenly. “I’m nother.”
Now? Now she knew why people had called herPen.Why they had asked about her blue hair.
It hadn’t been her. It hadn’t been her. It had been… “My twin. She’s my twin. And I didn’t know about her. How could I not have known about her? Why did my first mother do that? Why? I’m not Pen. Pen has blue hair. I don’t. I don’t. I’m not Pen. I’mCrispin.We’re different people.We’re differentpeople.”
The woman came closer, as a man stood speaking on the radio. “You are Crispin Coleson, then? We’ve been looking for you, too.”
“Yes. My name is Crispin Coleson. My mom’s name is Bonita Coleson. My aunt Heather works for the TSP. So does my aunt Hope.”
“Who is the little boy, Crispin?” the woman came closer. “My name is Bailey Addy. This is my husband right here. I work forensics at Finley Creek. He’s the sheriff of Value. We are here to help. Who is this little boy?”
Crispin looked down at the little boy sleeping in her arms. He looked so much like Iagan. Or Nicholas. “I think…I think maybe he’s my baby brother, too. The men who took me…locked him in. And set the building on fire around us. We were going to die. But we got outside. Sydney and I—we climbed down the side of the house. Before…she went back in. She went back in…for Pen.”
“Who took you? Do you remember? How many other people were there?”
“I remember. I remember everything. I remember everything. I’ll probably never forget. There were lots of people there. Sydney and me. The men who took me. And the old man who was in charge of it all.” Crispin nodded, as the woman led Crispin to the SUV. Crispin’s left foot protested, and she stopped. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can walk anymore. I’m sorry. I just can’t. I can’t.”
“Ok, you won’t have to.” The man was off the radio. He had a blanket in his arms.
Crispin reached into her shirt, pulled out the Jilly Silly doll. She handed it to the blond woman. “This is his. His name is Orion and he’s my brother. His Jilly Silly doll is all he has left now. Please don’t let him lose it. Please don’t let him lose it. It’s all he has in the world now. Don’t let him lose it, too. Please.”
“It’s ok. He won’t lose it, I promise. We will take care of him, I promise. We’re going to take you to Barratt County Gen. Get you both help there.”
“No.No. My mom works at Finley Creek Gen. Finley Creek. My sister works there, too. My aunt Joy. My cousins Samia and Eden. I want to go to Finley Creek Gen. Where my family is. I want my family. I want my family more than anything in the world. I want my mom. Can you take me to my mom? Please? Please?” Crispin’s tears finally overflowed. “I just want my mom.”
