Free The Lost Sister by Megan Kelley Hall

about the fate of Ravenswood now that her family’s plans of turning it into a luxury hotel was halted by Finn, his family, and the historical society.
    “Hmmm?” Darcy murmured, trying to wipe off some of the Elmer’s Glue that the child had rubbed onto her skirt. “Oh, I don’t know. You never know with Kate—she’s always getting involved in something these days. The more visibility, the better. Anytime there’s a chance of a photo opportunity or a chance of getting her face into the social section of the paper, Kate Endicott’s there in a heartbeat.”
    “Some things never change,” Maddie said dryly.
    Darcy laughed conspiratorially. She added in a hushed tone, “I’m sure her family is making money off of it in some way. Trying to find some way to cut through all that red tape so that they can get their precious hotel. You know the Endicotts.” Her smile froze on her face as she noticed someone behind them in the hallway. God forbid it got back to Kate that Darcy Willett had been badmouthing her.
    “Anyway,” she continued, “I’ve got to get the kids ready for pickup, but let’s get together soon.”
    “I’ve got the rest of the break.” Maddie raised her arms awkwardly. Why am I suddenly turning into a dork now that I’m back on my old stomping grounds? she thought angrily. It’s as though the old, gawky Maddie Crane is slipping back inside to reclaim my body.
    “Perfect! So then you’ll be here for the big gala we’re throwing at the end of the month out on Misery Island. Kate will be thrilled!”
    The bell rang, and Darcy made a “call me” symbol with her hand, as she backed into the classroom.
     
    Reed Campbell threw back another drink; he’d lost count as to how many at this point. His brother, Trevor, had come and gone, and now Reed had to clear his head of all the bullshit that his brother had heaped on him during their visit. Talk around town was Maddie had come back for winter break. Trevor had come to tell his older brother to lie low; the last thing he needed was to get wrapped up in all of that again. It had taken him months to live down the rumors of his alleged involvement with Cordelia and Maddie, and if he took up with her again, it would never go away. “It’ll follow you around like a beer-goggled one-night stand,” as Trevor put it so eloquently.
    “Asshole,” Reed muttered under his breath, as he thought about his kid brother’s ulterior motives. He didn’t give a crap about Reed; Trevor Campbell only cared about saving his own ass. He was worried that if push came to shove, Reed would rat him out about what really happened with Cordelia. If she ran away, it would have been because of Trevor’s raping her. Trevor was just a thorn in his brother’s side, but unfortunately he was still his brother. The bastard brother.
    Reed sighed as he remembered all the newspaper headlines when Cordelia disappeared. Teen-Loving Teacher. Prep School Pedophile .
    There was never a shred of evidence connecting them, but what did that matter in this town? All they needed to convict him in public opinion was a hunch. Or someone with an axe to grind with the ability to spread a rumor at lightning speed.
    Someone like Kate Endicott. Despite her constant attempts at seducing him, there was no way he was going to betray his brother and sleep with Kate: his teenaged student and younger brother’s girlfriend. But Kate didn’t get what Kate wanted, something that she wasn’t used to. So she got her revenge by creating this uproar, and consequently destroying his life. Reed wondered as the whiskey burned its way down his throat if Kate knew the real truth behind the rumors. If she knew that it was Maddie that he had fallen for and not Cordelia. Either way, it didn’t matter. He was too old to be thinking about those girls, which was what he told Kate the numerous times she hit on him. But she never let up. Even now with his new girlfriend, Kate was always waiting in the wings (and