“I’ll get them.”
“No, stay with the twins. I’ll go.”
I crossed the driveway as the first firework cracked over the lake.
Then the garage side door opened.
Melissa stepped out.
We both froze.
Her face was flushed. Both hands smoothed the front of her floral skirt.
“Oh my God,” she said with a shaky laugh. “You scared me.”
I looked past her into the dark garage.
“What were you doing in there?”
“I got lost looking for the bathroom.”
“The bathroom is inside the house, Melissa. You know that.”
“I know,” she said too quickly. “I thought there was a door through here.”
“You took a wrong turn across the driveway and into the garage?”
Her smile twitched.
“It’s dark.”
“The patio lights are on.”
“Gaia, move.”
That did it.
Not the lie.
Not even the garage.
The command.
I stepped into her path.
“What are you hiding?”
Her eyes flashed.
“Nothing.”
“Melissa.”
“Move.”
“Show me.”
She clutched the front of her skirt with both hands.
“It’s none of your business.”
Then I saw it.
A strip of white fabric hanging just below the hem.
My body went cold before my mind fully understood.
“What’s under your skirt?”
Her mouth opened, but no words came out.
“Melissa,” I said slowly. “Show me.”
She spun toward the gate.
“Stop,” I said.
Her yellow heel caught in a crack near the edge of the driveway.
She stumbled hard.
Both hands flew out.
The white satin pouch slid from beneath her skirt and hit the concrete.
Pearls spilled out in a soft, terrible scatter.
For one second, the world went silent.
Then Melissa lunged.
I snatched the pouch and gathered the pearls against my palm.
“No,” I whispered.
She grabbed for my wrist.
“Give it to me.”
I pulled back.
“This is Elaine’s.”
Her nails dug into my skin.
“Hand it over, Gaia.”
“Let go.”
“If you don’t give it to me right now,” she hissed, “I’ll tell everyone you stole it.”
I yanked my arm free and pulled my phone from my back pocket.
Melissa’s eyes widened.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling the police.”
“Don’t you dare.”
I pressed the phone to my ear and kept my voice steady when the dispatcher answered.
“I need to report a theft at my home. The person is still here and trying to leave.”
Melissa stepped closer.
“Hang up, or I’ll scream.”
“Go ahead,” I said. “Everyone should hear this.”
PART 3
Before Melissa could answer, the back gate swung open.
William came first.
Then George and Ryan.
Elaine followed with one hand pressed to her chest. Behind them, the twins hovered until George pointed them back toward the yard.
“Gaia?” William asked, looking at the pouch in my hand. “What happened?”
Melissa’s face crumpled instantly.
“She attacked me.”
I held up the pouch.
“She came out of our garage with this hidden under her skirt.”
“That’s a lie!” Melissa cried. “I caught her with Mom’s necklace.”
Elaine whispered, “Melissa…”
For Complete Cooking STEPS Please Head On Over To Next Page Or Open button (>) and don’t forget to SHARE with your Facebook friends.“Elaine gave it to me for safekeeping,” I said. “I locked it in the garage cabinet.”
Ryan closed his eyes.
“Mel.”
William’s jaw tightened.
“Tell me Gaia is wrong.”
Melissa looked at him.
“Will…”
“Tell me.”
“She gets everything!” Melissa snapped. “The cookout. The praise. Mom acting like Gaia is some saint because she drives her to appointments.”
Elaine’s eyes filled.
“You think love is something people steal from you?”
Melissa turned on her.
“She is not your daughter.”
“No,” Elaine said. “But she has loved me like one.”
George stepped forward.
“Did you take your mother’s necklace?”
Melissa looked down.
“Answer me,” George said.
Ryan rubbed a hand over his face.
“She was angry before we came,” he admitted. “She said you were making a mistake, Elaine. I didn’t know she would do this.”
Melissa stared at him.
“You were supposed to be on my side.”
Ryan looked exhausted.
“I was. For years. I’m tired.”
A siren chirped once at the curb.
Melissa turned to me, her eyes hard.
