Free Wish of the Heart by Malia Mallory Page A

looked around. “Yes. This is the place.” She took money out of her pants pocket and gave it to the driver.
    Macie moved to open the door and Rose nodded, sliding across the seat after Macie got out. Rose stood in place until the driver departed.
    As the car drove away, Macie wondered if she’d missed her only chance. Abandoned buildings lined the street and the stench of rotting garbage filed her nose. The streets were deserted.
    Rose examined Macie’s pale face with satisfaction. “It looks like you’re finally getting the message. I’m in charge.”
    Please consider what you’re doing, Rose.” Macie balanced on the balls of her feet, prepared to take her chances.
    “I know what you’re thinking, but if you run, I’ll shoot you for sure. I’m an excellent shot. My father used to take me to the shooting range regularly. He always wanted a son, but I was as interested in guns as any boy.” Rose stared off for a moment, lost in her memory. She snapped back to the present. “If you do what I say, maybe you’ll live.”
    Macie couldn’t believe what she heard. This was a Rose she could never have imagined.
    Rose’s feverish eyes were unblinking. “Let’s go inside. I don’t want to stand here anymore. After all, someone might see.” She laughed and motioned toward the door.
    Macie shuffled on her feet and advanced toward the heavy metal door that marked the entrance. She prayed for a passerby.
    Rose strolled after her with an unconcerned air and fluffed her hair with her fingers.
    Macie examined the door. It was a solid piece of metal, heavy and rusted. She pulled the handle. It didn’t budge, and she stepped back.
    “Oh no, you don’t. Go inside. Now,” Rose ordered.
    Macie braced her weight against the door and heaved it open. The interior was dim and debris littered the floor. Light entered through broken windows on the far side, illuminating the floating dust in the air.
    “It’s quite lovely, isn’t it?” Rose asked. She giggled at her own joke.
    Macie remained silent, her eyes scanning the room for a way out. The windows were too high on the wall and there were no other obvious exits from this room. Doorways opened off the room with no indication of whether they were dead ends.
    “I know it’s old and run down, but it has charm. Look at those beams. And the wide plank floor. All original.” Rose laughed again and kicked a stone across the room.
    Macie tried to put distance between them, taking small, slow steps toward the more shadowed area.
    Rose fixed Macie with a sharp gaze. “I have this feeling you’re going to be difficult like your sister. So much alike, you two. Always in one another’s pockets. Always sharing everything. But she didn’t share the most important thing with you, did she?” Rose continued, nudging small pieces of brick with her toe like a child kicking stones on a playground.
    Macie gasped. “What are you talking about?”
    “The cause of her death.” Rose sounded matter of fact, as if she were discussing the weather.
    Macie raised her hand and pointed at Rose. “It was you, wasn’t it?” Her finger shook with fury.
    “Not exactly,” Rose mused. She swayed from side to side.
    “How can you not exactly murder someone?” Macie demanded, taking a step in Rose’s direction.
    Rose waved her hand dismissively. “Murder? Frankly, what happened was her own fault.”
    “Her own fault?” Macie retorted, her voice rising.
    “Yes. Your sister was simply too good at her job. Too nosy. Too curious. She couldn’t let things go. I tried to reason with her, but she wouldn’t listen.” Rose spoke as if the subject was lunch instead of murder.
    “You killed Karen,” Macie spat. After all this time, Macie finally knew and it didn’t help at all.
    “We argued. I pushed her. She fell. That wasn’t my fault. She shouldn’t have had so much clutter around. It’s hazardous.” Rose smirked and played with the buttons on her shirt.
    Macie flexed her fingers. The