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“My parents and Liam got the same painting in Italy.” I hold up a finger, listing out the things I know. “My parents sent theirs home. Liam came and stole it.”
Caleb steeples his fingers. “Why would he want two of the same painting…unless one wasn’t real? Maybe your parents' was a fake and the copies got switched.”
That makes more sense than anything else. But I still need to confirm with Connor.
“I need to make a call.” I hit Connor’s number but it goes to voicemail. That man is always letting his phone die. I call Maddie next.
She answers immediately.
“Amelia? Are you okay? Are you speaking under duress, say hippopotamus if so,” Maddie says.
“How on earth would I work that into a conversation if I was?”
Her sigh is audible through the phone. “Connor! Amelia’s alive.”
“Is that her? Is she on the phone?”
I grimace at his worried tone. I’m the worst. He probably thought something had happened to me. Like Justin. Like our parents.
“Amelia?” Connor yells through the phone and I yank it away from my ear to avoid an instant migraine. “Why didn’t you call me last night? Where have you been?” He lowers his voice. “Has Caleb been…respectful?”
I cringe. This is awful. “I’m fine. Caleb had my phone checked for bugs. Sorry, I should have warned you. And you’ll be happy to know he got me my own room at a hotel.”
Connor is silent for a moment. “That doesn’t sound safer than staying with me and Maddie.”
“Relax. I’m safe. You’re safe. That’s all that matters. I’m sorry I scared you.”
“It’s okay.”
I know it’s not. And when this is over I’ll make it up to him.
“I have a random question,” I say, glancing over at the desk where Caleb has been pretending to work but is also totally eavesdropping. “You know that painting Mom and Dad sent back from Italy? Do you still have it?”
Connor scoffs. “Of course not. That thing was hideous. I was going to take it to the thrift store but it was worth a thousand dollars, so I sold it to the museum.”
I press a hand to my mouth. That painting was worth nothing. At least to that museum. To me, it’s everything. “The one downtown?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Just curious.” I swallow. “Hey, just a sec.” I put the phone on mute and tell Caleb what Connor told me.
“Connor didn’t know there was a more valuable painting behind it,” I say.
“But Liam did.” Caleb is already typing away on his computer again.
Is the painting all Liam wanted? The knowledge that my parents played a piece in this mystery, however small, causes goosebumps to break out on my skin. My parents died on that trip. Because of Liam? Will I die because of Liam too? My heart slows to a crawl. I swallow back my fear and unmute the call.
“Hey Connor, you and Maddie should do something fun tonight. Take her somewhere nice.” My voice cracks and I turn away from Caleb.
“Millie, are you okay?” Connor asks.
“Besides the obvious trauma?” I chuckle.
He exhales. “Yeah, besides that.”
“I’m fine, Connor, really. But I am bored with nothing to do. Go do something fun for me, okay?”
“Maybe I will. Love you, sis, be safe.”