Page 87 of Sing Me Home
Liam always picked up girls like this, but they weren’t exciting enough for his taste. Deep down, Liam wanted someone who challenged him, not stroked his ego. He hadn’t figured it out yet but the rest of us had.
“Hi, Ella,” Charlie said with a smile. Everyone else followed.
Ella waved as she and Liam sat down at the table.
“W-wow,” Liam sputtered at Bowen. “What’s going on up here?” He scratched his eyebrow. “You install a grab handle for me or what?” He made a playful swipe at it.
“Back. Off.” Bowen smacked his hand. “Don’t be a hater.”
“Of that?” Liam guffawed. “Dude, it looks like a tiny dumbbell for caterpillars.”
“I dunno,” Ella said. “I kind of like it.”
Bowen preened.
Liam recoiled, squinting at her like she’d just asked how many home runs a touchdown is worth. Then he turned to Bowen. “I can’t wait to see Granny’s reaction. Twenty bucks she tells him he’s bound for the fiery pits.”
“Enough about my piercing. Clearly you’re all jealous.” Bowen slapped the table. “Let’s go. It’s time to play.”
“Uh, Charlie?” Sage’s usually timid voice broke through the noise. “She’s talking about you.” She pointed at the TV.
Charlie’s name flashed across the screen and Theo scrambled to turn up the volume.
Cassidy Forrest, the host ofThe Truth Issmiled at the camera. “Who doesn’t love a little Dupree family drama?”
“Me,” Bowen said. “I don’t.”
Theo shushed him.
Charlie was a ramrod next to me, her fingernails digging into my knee.
Cassidy rubbed her hands together the way she always did right before she sent some celebrity spiraling into complete and utter ruin with nothing more than a well placed rumor and a wicked little smirk. “A month ago, Millie Schneider, former girlfriend of Cash Dupree, went on theBreaking Curfew with Nate Midnight Show, feathers ruffled at being traded in for ‘Cash’s favorite cousin, who’s technically not his cousin. At all,’” she quoted Dad’s words from the concert verbatim. “And it got people curious—and by people I mean us here atThe Truth Is.” She turned and a different camera took over. “Charlie Dupree is the daughter of Tally Dupree and stepdaughter of Ashton Dupree, the minds behindSpy vs. Sigh,niece of Ford Dupree.” She let out a low whistle. “Nowthatis a family tree.”
Griffin huffed. “They left out Blue.”
The show cut to a hospital room where a woman with long brown hair lay motionless, hooked up to a ventilator. My fingers balled, nails cutting into my palm. I squinted, sure the video was doctored because it looked like…
“Charlie?” Theo choked. “Is that you?”
James, the official shusher of the evening, did his job, aggressively scowling Theo into silence.
But it wasn’t the Charlie sitting next to me. TV Charlie was pale and lifeless, a breathing tube taped to her mouth. Her hair was matted to her forehead, her arms limp at her sides. The picture was grainy, probably taken on someone’s phone.
If it really was Charlie, someone had sat on that picture for a very long time.
The camera cut back to Cassidy. “The Truth Iswent undercover to learn the truth and boy did we ever. Turns out Millie was wrong. Charlie Dupree isn’t an addict and she didn’t spend time in rehab.”
“Dang,” Theo said. “She just cleared her name.”
But Charlie was only tensing more.
Cassidy continued, “But Millie was right too. Charlie Dupree has secrets.” Cassidy walked toward the camera. “Turns out Charlie Dupree was admitted to a Las Vegas hospital as a Jane Doe after a violent acid attack left her in critical condition. She spent two weeks in the ICU, fighting for her life while her family had no idea where she was.”
Fighting for her life?
“Acid attack?” Theo’s words sounded strangled.
James waved his words away as Cassidy went on. “Sources confirm that Charlie suffered third-degree burns to her abdomen, leading to severe shock and systemic complications. Due to the extent of her injuries, doctors placed her in a medically induced coma to stabilize her condition and manage her pain. She remained on a ventilator for several days as her body fought to recover.”
