The police had really done a number on Mom. Dad had to give her a seductive to calm her down. Lindsey knew her Mom was fragile and so did Clem, he was right about not telling her that day. Maybe they were both wrong she didn’t have to find out from the police. Lindsey believed it would have been much calmer if they told her themselves.

She was much better in the morning, she even made breakfast which Lindsey ate and finished just to me her happy. No one mentioned the police, DNAs or Leah King and Lindsey wanted it to stay that way.

Lindsey walked out of the house in blue jeans, a pink top, a long white cardigan. The blue sky was obscured by morning clouds. A bitter breeze clapped her cheeks. She couldn’t wait to turn on the heater in the car.

‘Ugh, Clement! Hurry up!’ Lindsey yelled at the house. The car was locked at Clement had the keys. He was lucky he did because Lindsey would have left him behind.

‘You’re not still eating are you?!’ Lindsey threw her hands in the air.

The front door of the house next door creaked open and a woman with white curly hair, round rimmed glasses, pink bunny slippers and a pink robe walked out. Her back was slightly hunched and she steadied herself with a cane and smiled at Lindsey.

Oh no, she’d woken the poor lady. Lindsey scratch her head and chuckled. The lady’s smile deepened.

Lindsey helped the lady back into her home. The last time she saw her she was with a man but he didn’t seem to be around anymore. She closed the door behind them and guided the lady to a comfy brown sofa.

‘Are you alone Ma’am?’ Lindsey asked.

She nodded. ‘Everyone calls me Marie dear. I live by myself my son comes over only once in a blue moon or when he argues with his wife and she kicks him out.’

She had a home full of pictures, many of children or teenagers. Four brown shoulders, a yellow rug under a brown coffee table and an empty fireplace.

‘You’re not Leah, I know you’re not.’ Marie said, catching Lindsey off guard. Lindsey exhaled and her shoulders slumped. She smiled at Marie.

Marie pointed at a picture on a table full of frames and ornaments a few feet away from Lindsey.

‘Leah grew up in Hollow Cove, right next door.’ Marie explained.

Lindsey scanned the photos. Many were self portraits, but one was of a teenager with big curly hair which reminded her of herself when she was younger and couldn’t control it. Lindsey picked up the picture and squinted at it. Her blood nearly froze in her veins.

‘That picture was taken outside her house when she was thirteen.’ Marie said. Lindsey tried to shake the ice off her skin but the chill remained.

Lindsey gingerly handed the picture to Marie.

Marie stared at the picture with gloss in her eyes but a smile on her face. So many memories flashed back to her mind. She could have sworn the flutter of a child’s laughter flew in the air.

‘I watched this girl grow up. I saw her fall, cry and laugh. She was like one of my own. You may look like Leah so much so but I won’t be fooled. But if this is God’s way of returning her to us then I won’t fight Him.’ Tears rolled down her face and sobs attacked her voice.

Lindsey fiddled with her fingers, she wished she hand a tissue. ‘I’m sorry Marie. She much have meant a lot to you.’

Marie dried her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘She did. It hurt me that there’s no closure for us. It’s just a giant mystery. I felt so useless when I couldn’t tell the police anything. I hadn’t even seen Leah the day she disappeared.’

Lindsey wanted to cry and scream when people kept throwing Leah’s name in her face but she never stopped to think she meant so much to many. Like Jordan and Marie. She couldn’t blame them for their shock and grief.

‘I’m sure you’re a wonderful girl dear.’ Marie beamed.

Lindsey chuckled. ‘You caught me yelling at my brother.’

‘Oh, I had three of my own I know how annoying they can be.’

Lindsey smiled she made a note to visit Marie again.
‘I have to go Marie or I’ll be late for school. Will you tell me how you know I’m not Leah… I’m just curious.’

‘Of course! Leah walked with her left foot first while you walk with your right foot first.’

Who would have thought, Lindsey mused.

***

Lindsey walked down the porch steps as a black SUV zipped passed her. Lindsey gasped and ran into the street.

‘Oh come on!’ She threw her hands in the air.

‘I get ready first, leave the house first and he ups and leaves me! I need my own car seriously because I can’t with Clem.’ Lindsey grumbled as she marched through the street.

She marched passed a house with a with a white vehicle parked in front of it. A guy in a black leather jacket and sneakers was about to enter his car when he spotted Lindsey.

‘Hey!’ He said.

Lindsey froze and turned to the sound of the voice. Her face turned red, it was him! She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and shoved her hands in her cardigan pockets.

‘Uh, Hi?’

He smiled. ‘Don’t you go to my school?’

‘Umm yes, are you going that way? I mean of course you are.’ Lindsey bit her lip. She wanted to turn her heels and continue walking and never look back.

‘Need a ride?’ He chuckled and pressed his glasses up his nose.

Lindsey feared she’d say more stupid stuff, she nodded and rushed to the car. She buckled in and tried not to stare too much. He had a smooth face and black hair that had to be as soft as cotton candy.

‘What’s your name?’ He bought the engine to life. The car smelled of pine and had smooth leather seats. It wasn’t stuffy or had week old clothes in the back or empty rapper littering the car.

‘Lindsey. Yours?’

‘Serge.’

‘Are you from around here Serge?’

He chuckled. ‘No, I’m from the beautiful streets of Barcelona. I’ve lived all over America most of my life though.’

Lindsey nodded. He didn’t have a distinctive accent. Lindsey admired the way he caressed the stirring wheel and the movement of his muscles. She mentally scolded herself for staring.

‘How long have you lived here?’ Lindsey asked.

‘Three months. I live with my cousin but he’s in another town for a concert might not see him for a week.’

Wasn’t long before they pulled into the school parking lot. She’d been trading Serge's enchanting cologne for the sweaty and gross classrooms of Hollow High.

‘You’re not a senior are you? I haven’t seen you in my classes.’
Lindsey sighed, unfortunately she had more time in school left. ‘No, I’m a sophomore.’

‘I hope I’ll see you around Lindsey. Need a ride home?’

‘Yeah… I don’t mind.’ Lindsey smiled, she opened the door and sucked in a cold breath.

She couldn’t wait for the final bell. Then she paused, how did he not think she was Leah? The case was massive in Hollow Cove. The time they first saw each other he was shocked to see her? He wasn’t playing her was he? The colors of her imagination turned black. Was he pretending ignorance for a more sinister reason?