Page 76 of Deadly Little Scandals
She was obviously thinking of herself and baby Audie, but my mind went to a different place—and to a different older sister.Hope.
“Funny you should mention that,” I told Sadie-Grace. “My perusal of the White Gloves dossiers did yield a possibility….”
I told them about Summer—about her blond hair and brown eyes, the cancer, her date of birth.
“Was that the only possibility that jumped out at you?” Campbell asked me in a tone that suggested that she was probably going to make me pay for not mentioning any of this until now.
“No,” I said, but I couldn’t bring myself to elaborate on Victoria’s other theory.
As luck would have it, I didn’t have to.
“It could be me,” Campbell stated, finally earning Lily’s complete and undiluted attention. “It’s not like my grandfather would admit it if it was.”
“You?” Sadie-Grace was almost comically wide-eyed.
“Walker was always Daddy’s favorite,” Campbell said, looking at Lily, even though it was Sadie-Grace she was responding to. “I was supposed to be Mama’s.”
“His and hers,” I said, because she’d told me that once. “Like towels.”
“And yet…” Campbell dragged out the words. “Mama and I have always been like oil and water, gotten along like a house on fire, insert conflict-laden cliché of your choice here. She adores Walker. She’s never adored me. My birthday’s almost here, and she hasn’t said a word.”
“Do you think your mama forgot your birthday?” Sadie-Grace asked, wide-eyed.
“I’m not really wondering about Mama andmy birthday,” Campbell said, her voice flat.
“You’re wondering if you’re really hers.” I cut straight to the thick of it.
“Maybe I’m not,” Campbell tossed out. “Maybe I’m just my father’s daughter. It would explain some things, not least among them why Walker and I are so close in age.”
“And why your mama…” Sadie-Grace started that sentence but didn’t finish it.
“Doesn’t find me to her taste?” Campbell suggested. “I always just figured she fell head over heels in love with Walker the day he was born, and I came so soon afterward there just wasn’t any more oxytocin bonding hormone left over for me.”
“What about Boone?” Sadie-Grace asked suddenly. “He’s the right age, too. Your dad and his mom are twins. And he’s so much more injury-prone than the rest of you.”
I so did not want to know how Sadie-Grace had injured Boone now.
“I’m going to change the subject,” Campbell told Sadie-Grace, “before you take a shortcut to TMI.” She pivoted. “In case any of you were wondering, I’m planning an epic birthday party, but it issoepic that it will require months of planning and will thus be held on my half birthday, once this summer and all of its drama is just a blip in the mirror.” Campbell didn’t give any of us the chance to reply before she changed the subject a second time. “Now, who wants to hear my update on the Lady of the Lake?”
I saw Lily shiver, even though she couldn’t have possibly been cold. It was a hundred degrees out, and the rest of us were sweltering in swimsuits.
“What update?” Lily said quietly.
“My ‘friend’ at the deputy’s office says they’re bringing in a forensic sculptor.” Campbell awaited our response.
Sadie-Grace raised her hand. “Do I want to know what a forensic sculptor is?”
“That depends,” Campbell replied coyly. “Do you want a play-by-play on how someone can reconstruct a face from a skull?”
ast one in pays the price.” Liv shot a playful look at Sterling. “That would be you. Or…” She stretched the word. “Would it be her?”
All of them were in the water now. Sterling and the local girl had come down together.
I can’t be the one who says it,Charlotte thought.
For once, she was glad that Julia seemed able to sense exactly what she was thinking. “My brother hit the water a second before she did.” She glanced at the new girl. “That makes you last, sweetie.” Julia flipped onto her back to float. “You were the first off the ledge, Liv. What are the rules—and what’s the price?”
“The rest of us head back up,” Liv decided, pushing off J.D. and swimming for the shore. “And, new girl, let’s see you tread water.”
