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Her brain feels electrocuted. Sadie is here. Or Sarah. Whatever she goes by now, she isa resident of Halcyon Ranch.This cannot be a coincidence.
A knock comes, and Lenna whips around. It’s Rhiannon. “Hey!” she calls brightly. “How was the morning with Amy?” She stops, her gaze falling to the open suitcase and Lenna’s frenzied expression. “What’s the matter?”
“Get away from me,” Lenna whispers, her voice low and ragged.
Rhiannon’s eyes widen. “Wh-what happened?”
“I have to go. I shouldn’t have come here.”
“Lenna.” Rhiannon takes a few steps into the room. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t come in here!” Lenna hisses. Everything she’s learned—the diapers Rhiannon stole from her room, the whispers, and now Sadie being here—it’s not a coincidence. “Are you two working together? Is that it?”
“Huh?” Rhiannon looks around. “What do you mean? What the hell are you talking about?”
“I heard you whispering to someone last night. I heard about the outhouses. You lied about using the bathroom. And you broke into my suitcase and stole diapers to…to what?”
“Diapers? I…”
“And what about the tea? Did you drug me? Drug my baby?”
“Lenna!” Rhiannon’s eyes go round. “I don’t—”
“You were talking toher,right? You’re both angry at me, and now you have me where you want me?”
Rhiannon takes a deep breath before saying, “Lenna. I think you’re having some kind of episode…”
She tries to touch Lenna’s shoulder, but Lenna wrenches away. “If you come any closer, I’ll scream.”
Rhiannon takes a beat. “Okay.Okay.I admit, I noticed that Jacob was wearing disposable diapers when you came. So I went into your suitcase—I guessed the code—and took the diapers because I was trying tohelpyou. Marjorie is so weird about disposables—I was going to talk to you. I shouldn’t have just taken them, though, and I shouldn’t have gone into your things. I’m sorry.” She searches Lenna’s face. “That’s why you’re upset?”
Rhiannon looks so bewildered, but it’s a ploy. It’s got to be. She has to know Sadie is here, and that it all connects. Perhaps Sadie has been looking for her all this time. Lenna vanished so soon afterthat all went down. Moved in with Daniel. Cut off all ties toCity Gossipand her LA life.
“How did you find me? How did you know I was still in Southern California?” Lenna demands.
Rhiannon looks confused. “I looked for you online.”
“I’mnotonline. I took myself off all social media. I had to.”
“You had to…?” But after silence, Rhiannon shrugs in exasperation. “Your dad has a Facebook page. There are pictures of you—and the baby. You’re not tagged, but that’s how I found you, okay?”
Her father.She didn’t realize her father even knew how toworkFacebook. But of course. Everyone in his apartment complex probably has Facebook, posting photos of their grandchildren.
“And I still had your cell phone number in my contacts. You sent me a text, way back when. I saved it.”
At least, Lenna thinks, she was right aboutthatpiece of the puzzle. “Well, I have to hand it to you. I fell right into your trap. I thought you wanted me here so I could get some help and we could be friends again. What a fucking fool I am!”
Rhiannon searches her face. “Thatiswhy I want you here!”
Lenna laughs mirthlessly. “Would you drop the act? You’ve trapped me here. Withher.”
“Who?And…why would I want to trap you?”
Jesus, does she have to say it outright? But maybe this is what Rhiannon wants, too. For Lenna to face her guilt. “Because of that email I sent, Rhiannon. The one that got you fired fromCG.”
Rhiannon’s eyes widen. “Wait.Yougot me fired?”
Lenna glares.
