Set Me Apart
Lindsey fashioned a black hoodie and sunglasses to school. Maybe she would make it through the day without people gawking at her. ‘You’re making it obvious, Lindsey.’ Jordan leaned against a locker.Lindsey ripped her glasses off. ‘Forgive me for trying to keep people from staring at me.’
‘People always want what they can’t have. If they can’t see you they’ll only follow you until they can.’Lindsey sighed, she looked ridiculous anyway. She pulled back her hoodie and shoved the glasses in the locker.
‘I guess you’re right. I should probably dyed my hair blonde and get contact lenses.’
‘They will have to get used to it.’ Jordan shrugged.‘Will you get used to it? She was your best friend.’ Lindsey’s heart broke for Jordan.
Last night when she came over all Lindsey could think about was she was sleeping in Leah’s bedroom. The hot pink had been Leah’s choice. How did she tell her parents? Lindsey wasn’t even sure they knew about Leah King. Mom would be upset Lindsey knew for sure.
‘Yeah, until Leah’s found.’ Jordan said.
They walked to the courtyard during lunch. Jordan wore a grey jacket and black leggings. Jordan naturally had black curly hair that stumbled down her back. A couple months ago she cut it in half and dyed it a light shade of brown.
Since Leah’s vanished Jordan stopped hanging out with most of her friends. Quit most of her extracurricula activities. Her attendance record dropped drastically. School was just a reminder of someone who wasn’t there anymore.
Lindsey scanned the courtyard for her brother when two girls in one inch heels walked up to her and Jordan. One of them wore dangling earrings, she had long brown hair and the other was petite and blonde.
‘Oh my gosh… I’m sorry the resemblance is just unbelievable.’ The brunette said and the blonde nodded.
Jordan sided at Gloria and Ruby. Gloria, Leah and Jordan had been a dream team. Ruby was more of an outsider looking in. She’d taken it upon herself to insert herself into their group. Jordan fortunately wasn’t part of it anymore.
Lindsey turned to Jordan then back at the girls. This is what she didn’t want.
‘Sorry… I’m Gloria. Leah and I were really close and I just can’t believe it. Hi Jordan.’ Gloria turned to Jordan who nodded in return.
‘Nice to meet you I guess.’ Lindsey replied.
Gloria nodded. ‘Same… Lindsey. I guess we’ll see you around.’
‘Will I have to go through this everyday?’ Lindsey turned to Jordan.
‘Leah was pretty popular.’ Jordan sighed.
The bell announced the resumption of classes. Lindsey draped the hoodie over her head. She would seriously consider those contacts and a blonde wig.
***
Lindsey survived another day at school. She strolled through the busy hall. Clem was by the car with a girl under his arm and a few guys leaning against the car.
Lindsey noticed a white Mercedes parked next to the SUV. Lindsey had seen it before parked in their neighborhood. She’d seen the owner too. He was the guy Lindsey made eye contact with and stormed off on yesterday. She ducked and scurried to the car and jumped into the back seat.
The windows were tinted so he couldn’t see her. He wore white frame glasses and a gold chain. He had black silky hair and brown eyes. Then Lindsey sulked, he likely thought she was Leah too.
Why did he have to be good looking? Clem kissed the girl under his arm goodbye and hopped into the car.
‘Why are you sitting in the back seat? Do I look like your chauffeur?’
Lindsey groaned. ‘You might as well be my new chauffeur if you don’t want Kelly to find out you’ve replaced her without her consent!’
‘Very funny Lindsey, you mind your own business.’ Clem brought the SUV to life.‘You’re a pig.’
‘You don’t know what I’m going through.’Lindsey narrowed her eyes on him. How awful, he couldn’t FaceTime his girlfriend and drive to see her over the weekends. They’d only been living in Hollow Cove for less than a week!
‘I don’t know what I’m going through! People think I’m that missing girl!’
Clem nodded. ‘Right, right people don’t believe I’m your brother. What are you going to do?’ Lindsey flopped on the back seat. ‘There’s nothing I can do, Clem. Unless the police find her body and people finally accept we’re two different people.’Clem pulled into the neighborhood. A police car sat in their driveway. Clem slowed the car. A uniformed man and a man in jeans and black shirt spoke to their parents at the door. Margaret’s face was blushed and puffed. Trey could barely get a word in because his wife spoke over everyone.
The detective didn’t know what to make of her behavior. Whether those were real tears or crocodile ones.
‘Clem what’s going on?’ Lindsey asked.
Clem put the car in park and turned to his sister. What could have happened they had only been in Hollow Cove a couple of days.
‘Look there they are. Ask her yourself, that’s our daughter Lindsey.’ Trey pointed at the kids.
Lindsey froze. Clem wrapped his arm around beer shoulders and guided her to the house.
‘What’s going on here?’ Clem asked.‘They think we kidnapped our own daughter!’ Margaret sobbed. Trey held her back.
‘No, ma’am we’re simply following up on reports. Our department has been flooded with people claiming to have seen Leah King.’ The detective said.
‘As you can see, Detective Montgomery, that’s our daughter not Leah.’ Trey said.
Detective Luther Montgomery was the lead investigator in the Leah King case. The first missing person case in Hollow Cove for close to a decade. The last one eight years ago was seven year old Cassie Parker. She’d only gone to the park without telling anyone.Leah King vanished into thin air on an average day. No witnesses, no enemies. One thing Detective Luther knew was the truth was hidden in the King family. The parents knew something. They hid something about what happened to Leah. He never bought the story of her going to a department store to buy something for her Father.
He wanted another crack at the man but they packed and skipped town. Actions of a dirty family? The case soon went cold.
The girl Luther saw standing in front of him sure as the sky was blue and his name was Luther was Leah King. He had her picture framed on his desk. The girl he saw was Leah King.
‘Do you know that your daughter is identical to Leah King? And this house is the one the girl was raised in? How do you explain that?’ Luther spat.
Margaret's eyes turned to saucers and threatened to pop out of her head.
‘That’s impossible! Lindsey grew up in Florida with us! She’s our daughter.’ Tears and mucus blended on her face.
Lindsey fought the urge to break free from Clem and run up the road or into her Mother’s arms. The detective bore into her. It was like he examined her from within.
‘There’s been a misunderstanding here detective, that’s what it is.’
‘Then you wouldn’t mind a DNA test to clear this misunderstanding up?’
The neighbors peaked out their windows and gazed from their driveways. Lindsey shrunk in Clem's embrace. People would stare at her more than ever. How would she walk the streets without gawking and shouting at her. ‘A DNA test?’ Margaret gasped and turned to Trey. ‘Okay, Lindsey was adopted but she’s my sister's daughter that doesn’t make her any less my child! No one will ever take her away from me!’ Trey gripped his wife’s shoulders and guided her into the house.‘Detective you can come back for that test. As you can see my wife’s really upset.’
Lindsey and Detective Luther locked eyes for a moment that dragged on for what seemed like minutes. When he was gone Lindsey could finally breathe. She ran into the house. Dad had taken Mom to their room.The house seemed like a killer grinning at her, or a captor keeping
The Boy Next DoorThe police had really done a number on Mom. Dad had to give her a sedative 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. Margaret 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.
Other than Clement, Jordan was the only other person Lindsey knew. Approaching people when she had someone else’s face was like attempting to climb Mount Everest. Jordan and Lindsey strolled the halls in comfortable silence until they got to the parking lot. Lindsey knew it was weird for Jordan but she needed her company. Jordan didn’t ask questions anymore or stare at her awkwardly. Clem was by the car with his usual radical looking crew and his new girlfriend Amber. She’s a red head in serious need of a protein package at a salon. Serge’s German vehicle was right where she left it. ‘Hey Jordan, you know that guy—’ Lindsey fumbled with her words. Jordan raised her brow. ‘What guy?’ Serge emerged from the school, Lindsey bobbed her head at him when he stopped to speak to a guy. Jordan smirked and narrowed her eyes at him. ‘I see you. He’s okay but that one is more up m
Lindsey walked into the sitting room. Two policemen sat on her couch while her parents stood in an embrace. Clem sat with his arms crossed over his chest as far from the policemen as he could. The Detective who visited them last time stood when Lindsey made herself known to them. Margaret’s face was red with worry. ‘What’s going on?’ She asked. ‘They’re here for the DNA test.’ Her Dad spoke. Margaret buried her chest into Trey’s chest. Lindsey backed up. Detective Luther's eyes shot up, fearing Lindsey would bolt. ‘Is this really necessary? I’m not Leah King! How many times do I have to say it?!’ ‘That’s what you say but we have to investigate to be certain.’ Detective Luther said. ‘Mom, Dad can’t you say no?’ ‘They wouldn’t do that if they had nothing to hide.’‘It’s alright Lindsey they just want your hair. Let’s get
Hollow Cove Woods The house had been fully established now Lindsey’s parents were left with the small matter of getting their dream restaurant up and running. Lindsey and Clem tried to help out when they could, mostly Lindsey since Clem had a new girlfriend and group of friends he had to keep up with. When Lindsey wasn’t sweeping at the restaurant she was doing homework with Jordan, or critiquing Serge's far from perfect cooking skills. Lindsey still feared what her Father would do when he found out Lindsey was spending long hours with a boy. School hadn’t gotten less weird, she could have sworn she had three stalkers. If it weren’t for Jordan practically chasing most people away she would have dropped out of school at least until the case was over. Lindsey thought the DNA test would have taken top priority but it had been almost a week and the results still weren’t out. One day a ‘Remember Leah King' poster had been stuck on
Blood & Questions The envelope with the results that could blow Detective Luther’s case wide open sat on his desk. He’d been staring at it for nearly half an hour. It should have been in Hollow Cove sooner but the M.E’s office in the next town didn’t understand the significance of the case. The case that haunted him. It was like a poker game, he was pondering his next move. He knew the results without a shadow of a doubt, but what he would do with them he didn’t know. The office door opened and slammed shut. ‘Luther the results are in!’ Detective Harry said. He’d recently been assigned to help Luther. He was a younger detective with truck loads of enthusiasm. ‘I know.’ He pointed at his desk. ‘Then why haven’t you opened it yet? What are you waiting for?’ Luther straightened himself. ‘Go ahead Harry do the honors.’ Harry picked up the envelope and ripped the top off
Leah Lindsey’s Mom had her head in her hands when Detective Luther left their home. She wouldn’t let Lindsey comfort her. ‘I don’t know whether to be happy or freaked out about this. They’re not trying to take you away from me that’s good.’ She paced the room. ‘Mom do you want me to call Dad?’ Margaret shook her head. ‘He’s busy with the restaurant. I need to find your birth certificate, every hospital report, photo albums and… yes the adoption papers. Detective Luther might find them useful.’Margaret started up the stairs, rumbling all the way.Lindsey shot her Dad a quick text. Lindsey didn’t want to leave her Mom home alone, but her fingers trembled and sweat drenched her armpits. She marched out the front door, hoping her Dad would be home any time. Lindsey ran all the way to Serge's house. She hammered on the door. Serge answered a couple seconds later. His hair
Familiar Faces Margaret stuck the broom under the brown table. She couldn’t wait until all the cutting, smashing and painting was done. They needed replace the broken tiles with a modern wooden floor and brand new glass for the massive window. They had just finished the repairs on the ceiling, half of it was gone in the kitchen when they bought the place. They required a whole new kitchen something they both didn’t mind. Trey held paint samples up to the light. It was just the two of them that Saturday afternoon, the electrician cancelled on them. Despite all the work that needed to be done the restaurant was the last thing on Margaret’s mind. She couldn’t get the predicament her family was in out of her head. Cami had another daughter and didn’t tell anyone. Margaret hadn’t told her parents yet, she didn’t know how to tell her parents her sister gave birth to twins! She wasn’t sure it was true but
Lindsey cracked the door open. She slipped in one limb at a time. The hall lights were on. She hugged her shoulders and attempted to tip toe up the stairs.‘There you are!’ Her Father blasted.Trey stood in the living room entrance in his grey robe, fluffy slippers with a baseball bat in his hand. Clem appeared next to him with another bat in hand, ruffled hair and wrinkled pajamas.‘Trouble maker! You got any idea what time it is?’ Clem added.‘Dad I can explain.’ Lindsey held her hands out.‘You’ve got three seconds.’‘I bet she was with that boy!’ Clem blasted.‘What boy?’ Trey yelled.‘Shut up Clem!’ Lindsey cried.‘You better start talking Clem.’ Trey ordered. Margaret heard the commotion and came down stairs. She found Lindsey clutching her j