T*Witches 3: Seeing Is Deceiving (14 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE BITTERSWEET TRUTH

Beth was waiting when Cam got there. Hungry for a download — and, to Cam’s relief, for ice cream, too. “About last night,” her friend started, holding her palm out for a spoon, “how could you know what happened? You weren’t even there.”

“I actually was — later. And I always suspected that something was” — she poked Beth in the ribs — “pardon the expression,
fishy
… about Helping Hands, but it took a while before I figured out the real deal.”

The bulletin that Helping Hands was a scam didn’t shock Beth, not after the rave. “Was that a surreal scene, or what?”

Cam, spooning ice cream into her mouth, agreed. “Raves in our sleepy little hamlet. Who knew?”

“The whole thing feels like one weird dream.” Beth shook her head. “I even dreamed that someone wanted to kill me. Over-the-top much?”

Cam bit down on the spoon. And let it slide.

But Beth remembered Thantos and Fredo. “Who
were
those people?”

“They’re the bad guys, Bethie,” was all Cam had to say.

Beth rushed on, “Bad guys — like Ms. Webb. I trusted her! I worked so hard for her. What a total lamebrain I was.”

“You weren’t alone on the lamebrain train. At least one really cute guy was right there with you, if it makes you feel any better.”

“Shane. Mr. Wright. Mr.
Yeah, right,”
Beth said sarcastically.

Cam pulled Shane’s note out of her jeans pocket and handed it to Beth. “A message from the aforementioned Mr. Wright. I don’t know what he wrote, but he really is okay. You weren’t wrong to trust him.”

Beth couldn’t hide a half-smile. Or the blush creeping up her neck. “Uh, I think I’ll open it later. First, tell me how you found out about the whole scam.”

Cam dug deep into the creamy dessert. “It was a clever plan — full of half-truths. Sunshine House really
is
what they said it was. Unfortunately, you weren’t raising money for it.” When Cam told her about Lizzie, Beth was shocked. She hadn’t been asked to steal anything. So far.

“So your mother’s necklace —”

“Mom found it. She totally forgot she’d put it in the vault for safekeeping. She’s been a little frazzled lately. But now I understand why you thought I took it.”

“I never should have doubted you, that’s so my bad. I
know
you, Elisabeth Ellen Fish, and you would never do that, no matter what.”

“No matter what, huh? Who’d have thought I could be so easily tricked? I really believed we were doing something good, something important,” Beth said mournfully. “How stupid was I?”

“Not stupid! Just hurting.”

Beth searched Cam’s face. “You know?”

“Sort of. I know bad stuff is happening at home.”

Beth swallowed, fighting back tears.

“And instead of being there for you, I totally turned my back. Butt-ugly truth alert…” Cam paused and sucked in her breath. “You were right. It never, for one
second,
occurred to me that it
wasn’t
about me, that you weren’t still just bummed about the Alex thing. I messed up. If you let me fix …?”

A teardrop slid down Beth’s freckled cheek. “So you know about my parents?”

Cam had brought tissues. “Some. Ready to hear more. If you want.”

“They’re always fighting. It’s like if my mom says one thing, my dad contradicts it, even if it’s just some stupid small thing. And then my mom argues, or she’ll get all sulky and quiet. Or my dad walks out. Finally, yesterday they told me and Lauren they were having problems. They’re going to try some counseling thing. But if it doesn’t work” — Beth’s voice cracked — “they’ll probably separate.”

Cam put her arm around Beth, who rested her frizzy head on Cam’s shoulder. “You must be so scared,” she said gently.

“It’s like they’ve already decided. Like the counseling thing is just some sort of exercise.”

“You never know,” Cam said evenly. “If they have a good therapist, it could work out. I know from my dad’s practice — they handle lots of divorce cases — that at least half the time, it actually does work out. Your parents have a lot of good years between them. A whole history, not to mention two extremely fabulous daughters. There are bumps in the road of all relationships.”

“Even ours,” Beth conceded. “At least we’re sorta back on track.”

“Sorta?! What’s this sorta stuff?” Cam playfully nudged Beth off her shoulder. “Friends —”

“Till the end!” Luckily, Beth didn’t notice Cam shudder when they locked pinkies.

While Cam was off mending fences, Alex was mending a song she’d started. She tinkered with Dylan’s guitar — which now really did feel like hers — trying out lyrics and chords. It was cool that the whole Helping Scams thing was busted, but Dave had not said anything about Ike. Had he still not heard, or had Ike responded and Dave not wanted to tell her?

“Positive thoughts, send positive karma out there.” That’s what Amanda would say now. “It’ll come back to you.” Alex liked Amanda.

“Face your fears head-on.” That’s probably what Sukari would say. “And make a plan.” She liked that girl, too.

“Oh, just hire a good lawyer. You can buy your way out of having to go with the evil stepmonster.” Alex could practically hear Brianna in her head.

The next sound she heard wasn’t in her head. The front door slammed so hard, it rocked the house — and not in a good way! The argument, apparently, had been in progress awhile.

“How could you do that? Aside from everything
else, you embarrassed me — I get a call at a client’s house, come to the principal’s office to get you!?”

Emily. Offended
and
on the offense.

“Sorry to mess up your day, but it’s no big deal.”

Dylan. Guilty, sulky, defensive.

Alex tensed. She knew the reason for their moods and their ’tudes.

“What’s going on with you?” Emily was now pacing the kitchen. “It isn’t bad enough that you’re dropping out of everything. Now you’re smoking! What are you trying to prove?”

Alex could hear Dylan slump into a chair. She pictured him propping his elbows up on the table, head down, running his hands through his hair. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing. So what if I’m sick of basketball? And everyone smokes, so I tried a couple of lousy cigarettes. I’m not trying to prove anything. I’m just being me.”

Alex ached. She’d failed him. She’d caught him smoking at school a few days ago and made him stop. But she wasn’t in school today. And he’d gotten caught.

“Being
you?
Listen to me, Dylan Michael Barnes.
You
don’t smoke. And that’s all there is to it.”

“You don’t even know me,” Dylan whined.

Emily gritted her teeth. “All I have to know is this. Nicotine is a drug. And as long as you’re under this roof,
you will not smoke. Now, go to your room. You’re grounded.”

“For how long?”

“Indefinitely!”

Alex heard Dylan drag himself up the stairs. And she knew better than to go down to the kitchen, where Emily would be fuming. But she couldn’t help it. Her sister had
dared
her to break into Emily’s head. Well, this seemed like the primo moment. Okay, Ems was freaking — with good reason! But Alex needed to know, did Emily blame her?

She found Dylan’s mom on the phone with Dave, asking if he could come home now. She didn’t tell him why, but hung up, apparently satisfied that he was on his way.

“Hi,” Alex tried to sound casual.

Emily was startled. “What are you doing — oh, I forgot you were home today.” Tense, she asked if she and Cam were feeling better, but what Alex heard was not concern for her health.
I just bet this is her influence. He’s done nothing but defy me since she got here. And now this!

“You’re wrong,” Alex said. “For one thing, I had nothing to do with Dylan’s decision. He doesn’t confide in me, and even if he did, I wouldn’t tell him to drop out of sports. No matter what you think, I’m not turning your son against you.”

Emily brushed away her bangs, flustered. “How did you …? I’m not blaming you.”

“But that’s what you’re thinking. It’s written all over your face,” Alex improvised.

Emily whirled on her, her voice loud now. “Tell me you didn’t know he was smoking!”

“I did know that. But —”

Dylan came flying down the stairs and rushed into the kitchen. He’d heard. “Mom! Wait. This is bogus. Be mad at me all you want, but you’re wrong about Alex.”

Emily’s eyebrows arched. “You don’t need to protect her.”

“Mom!” Dylan was more upset now than he’d been before. “You don’t understand! Alex tried to make me stop. When she found out I was smoking, dude, she went medieval on me. She follows me everywhere at school — she’s like the butt police. She’s totally in my face. It’s like this obsession with her.”

Her mother! Oh, my god, her mother died of cancer. I wonder if it was
— Emily’s hand flew to her mouth.

Quietly, Alex told her, “Lung cancer. It was lung cancer. And yes, she was addicted to cigarettes.”

Dylan awkwardly wrapped his arms around Alex. “Sorry for playing the dead-mother card that first day when you went postal on me. That was totally out of line.”

Tears welled up in Emily’s swimming-pool-blue
eyes. Alex heard her thinking,
I thought I was trying to be a good mother, to accept her. But look what I did — just because she’s different from us, and sarcastic, I assumed she was a bad influence on him.
Out loud, she said, “Alex, I’m so sorry.”

Cam and her dad ended up getting home at the same time, walking in on Emily sobbing quietly and Dylan hugging Alex.

“Is this a very special episode of
7th Heaven?”
Dave quipped. “Tell me it’s nothing worse.”

Emily, wiping away tears, explained everything.

Dave went into default lawyer mode. “Any other witnesses?” He looked at Alex, who shook her head. And his son, who said, “Mom pretty much got it all.”

“Okay, then,” he said, adjusting his bifocals on the bridge of his nose.

“I’ve made my decision. A) Dylan. You’re not smoking. That’s nonnegotiable. And B) We’re a family. We make mistakes, we misjudge one another, and sometimes say hurtful things. But in the end, we do what’s right for one another. Thank you, Alex, for trying to do that.”

Cam asked the question Alex was afraid to. “What about Isaac Fielding? Is the hearing set up?”

Dave’s face brightened. “Postponed. Indefinitely. He hasn’t responded to our letters, faxes, or e-mails, either
through his lawyer or on his own. So for now, we keep moving forward.”

“Dude, I like the sound of that.” Dylan joked, “I’ll get started building the cupboard below the staircase —”

Alex kicked Dylan. “I’ll get started waving my magic wand every time I even
think
you’re thinking about a cigarette. I am gonna be in your face, Dudley.”

“I’m counting on it, Harry.”

Emily laughed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I guess I’ll have to read the book.”

“Great idea! Do that instead of cooking.” Ooops. The words came flying out of Cam before she realized she’d said it aloud. She quickly backpedaled. “I mean, you know, it’s not like you have to cook every night.”

Emily grinned sheepishly. “It’s pretty… suckola, isn’t that your word?”

Cam put her arms around her mom.

Alex stood there, inches from them, rolling her eyes at the sappy moment. Suddenly, Emily and Cam, as if they’d had the same idea at the exact same time, reached out to her.

Reluctantly, Alex stepped into their embrace and joined the hug fest.

Emily pulled away only to say, “Grab a chair. This kitchen table fits our family — of five. Perfectly.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

UNDER THE
SACRED TREE

There was a place, the highest point in Mariner’s Park, where Cam had been going for many years. The park itself was in the center of the historic district of town, and the spot, one Cam had claimed a long time ago. Or had it claimed her? She’d been almost magnetically drawn to it, though it wasn’t more than a scraggly patch of green under an ancient elm tree. Sitting under it gave her a dazzling, unobstructed view of the Marble Bay harbor. And she liked to gaze out at the boats, at the water. Cam had never told anyone about going there. It was
her place to write, to think, to daydream, to plot, sometimes even to cry.

Alex was the first, and only, person she’d ever shared it with.

On one of the last days of late autumn, when the air was ripe with the scent of snow, Cam and Alex headed there together. A little more than a week had passed since the rave, since they’d busted open the Helping Hands ring of thieves, since Beth and Cam had made up — and since they’d seen or heard from Thantos, Fredo, Karsh, or Ileana.

Alex felt the wind in her hair as she pedaled next to her twin, through Cam’s stately suburban neighborhood. It was so neat and antiseptic. What was
she
doing here?

Once, Alex had said to Cam, “You’re acting like you can just cut and paste me into your perfect little life. Well, you can’t.”

Yet that was exactly what was happening.

And it didn’t totally suck.

The twins turned onto the main road that led into town, then circled through the narrow winding streets that gave way to the cobblestones of “old town, Marble Bay.” They locked their bikes outside the stand by the arched entrance to the park and without a word or signal raced each other up the winding path that led to their tree.

Alex got there first, half a second ahead of Cam. She pinged Cam’s shoulder. “Dude, I beat you.”

“Gloat not,
dude,
” Cam mimicked. “I totally let you win. It’s all part of the new, unselfish Camryn Barnes.”

“Delude yourself much? I
am
the faster twin!” Alex plopped on the ground and Cam settled in beside her.

“Yet you’re not so fast on the uptake news. ’Cause I don’t think you heard this —” Cam’s eyes glinted mischievously.

“The uptake news? What are you, the new Brianna?”

“Well, it was Bree who called. But ‘Our Lady of the Satellite Dish’ knew
what
happened, but not why.”

“Okay, I’ll play,” Alex said, plucking a blade of grass. “You’re busting to tell me — go for it.”

“
Who:
Brice Stanley, magnanimous movie star.
What:
donated a ton of money.
To:
Sunshine House! And sista-clone, I think you know why!!”

Alex’s majestic eyes widened. “You think?”

“Think! Duh! We probably totally shamed him into doing it.”

“But how?” Alex asked. “That little e-mail exchange between Sunshine House and uh … Brice … was confidential.”

“E-mails? Confidential? If you’re gonna be a lawyer’s daughter, you’ve got a lot to learn, cybernaif. A) No such
thing as confidential e-mails, and B) Ever hear the word
leak?
When Sunshine House heard from deep-pocketed, good-hearted Brice, they probably leaked it to the press. And then how would it look for pricey Bricey to do a U-turn? Can you say, ‘Stinko publicity’? His handlers probably told him it was cheaper to make the donation, even if he was sorta scammed into it.”

“So in the end,” Alex said, “Helping Hands — with an assist by a couple of T*Witches — did really help Sunshine House. I’d call
that
majorly unselfish.”

“Whoo-
hoo
! I
am
the unselfish twin!” Cam raised her arms triumphantly.

Alex couldn’t help herself. “Yeah, I wonder if Uncle Thantos is up on your personality change.”

Cam’s smile faded. “Thanks. I needed that. Can’t be too happy, can we?”

“Sorry. It just freaked me when Shane said that Thantos knows everything about us.”

Especially since he’ll be back.
Cam shuddered, knowing Alex was reading her mind. She stuck out her chin defiantly. “Just let him! Every day, we get stronger.”

Alex slumped against the tree. “Right, keep the faith.”

Instinctively, Cam and Alex touched their sun and moon charms, which hung securely around their necks.

“Ileana said she used our necklaces to free Karsh.
So that would mean they work for people besides us,” Cam ventured.

“For relatives, that would make sense,” Alex agreed.

“So,” Cam said it, “you’re pretty certain she’s — well, because of the eyes, I guess.”
But she’s not our mother….

Alex was on the train.
No way.
She shrugged. “Older sister?”

Thoughtfully, Cam said, “Maybe she’s not related. Maybe these charms work for anyone, if you’re trying to do something good. And maybe lots of people on, uh, Coventry Island have the same weird eyes as us. How would we know, we’ve never been there.”

They stared out at the harbor in silence, for how long they didn’t really know. Then, jarringly, Cam’s watch beeped. She jumped, almost forgetting why she’d set it.

Alex reminded her, “Something’s going on chez Barnes — hadn’t we better be getting back?”

Cam gently smacked her palm against her forehead. “Emily’s birthday. Party going on.”

“Emily?” Alex said. “Don’t you mean Mom?”

Cam searched Alex’s face for even a hint of sarcasm. She found none.

“She’s not only pretty good at the mom thing, she’s all we’ve got,” Alex added.

“I don’t know,” Cam said slowly. “It doesn’t seem
like anyone really knows what happened to Miranda. She just vanished.”

“Listen to me,” Alex said earnestly, “I know something about moms. And so do you. If Miranda were alive, she would have contacted us by now — Sara or Emily would have. They’d have gone to the ends of the earth and beyond to find us, they’d —”

But Cam tuned out. She couldn’t help it. Her head suddenly began to throb, and she felt so cold, her teeth chattered. She shut her eyes against the stinging sensation. And Camryn saw:

A room, bathed in sunlight so bright no one without supersight could have seen what was in it. A woman was staring out a big window. Her hair, a dark chestnut color, was braided down her back. And then there were colors! A kaleidoscope of brilliant shades, vibrant patches … a quilt? Was she clutching a quilt?

“Als?” Cam grabbed her sister’s hand hard.

“What?” Alex held tight, her knuckles white.

“I feel it. I know it. She’s alive.”