Chapter 16 - LAUREN CALLS
Lauren called me at 2:06 in the morning.
Unknown number.
James was awake before I finished saying hello.
"You got what you wanted," Lauren said.
Her voice sounded strangely calm.
"What I wanted?"
"Mom and Dad hate me. Police are looking for me. James gets to play hero. You're the perfect daughter again."
"Lauren, you hit Emma. You tried to take money from her trust."
"It's not her money."
There it was.
No denial.
I put the call on speaker while James quietly started recording from his phone.
"Whose money is it?" I asked.
"Mine. Dad promised me. Before you came along. Before your perfect little family."
"Dad's money belongs to Dad."
She laughed softly. "You always were good at sounding reasonable while taking everything."
"I didn't take Mom. I didn't take Dad. I didn't take the company. I didn't take your life."
Silence.
Then her voice cracked.
"You took the room."
I frowned. "What?"
"My room. My parents. My future. Everybody looked at you like you were a miracle. Do you know what they called me after you were born? Difficult. Jealous. Troubled."
"Because you hurt people."
She breathed hard into the phone.
"They made me that way."
"No. They failed to stop you. That's different."
She went quiet again.
For the first time in my life, I wasn't trying to make her understand me. I wasn't trying to calm her down.
I was simply telling the truth.
"Where are you?" I asked.
"Does it matter?"
"Yes."
"Why? So your soldier can come save you?"
James didn't react.
Then Lauren said, "Tell Dad to meet me at the old warehouse tomorrow at noon. Alone. If he doesn't, I send everything."
"Send what?"
Her answer was a whisper.
May you like
"Proof that your father isn't the man you think he is."
The line went dead.
