Free Family Case of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal

relationship.” Thanks to you.
    “I should go,” Riley said. “I’ll put this on so I don’t lose it.”
    Lacy watched as she fastened the sapphire necklace around her neck. She remembered the exact moment Robert gave it to her on her birthday and all the accompanying words of love he had said. She waited for the inevitable stab of pain the memory would evoke, but none came. Instead it was a dull throb, like an echo of an old wound. She smiled. “Looks good on you.”
    Riley smiled and stood. “Tomorrow we’re going to talk about where you got those clothes,” which Lacy knew was actually code for “I’m going to take your clothes.” She let herself out. Lacy took off her sock and threw it at the door.
     

Chapter 9
     
     
    Lacy was dreaming. Jason was there, smoothing his hand over her hair. But Tosh was there, too. “Mrs. Rae’s urine output is up by thirty percent,” he said.
    Jason smoothed his hand over her hair again.
    “But what about me?” Tosh said.
    “Lacy,” Jason said.
    “Mmm.”
    “Lacy, we need to talk.”
    Lacy was still in that twilight haze between awake and asleep when she felt the bed sag beside her as if he was sitting down. He smoothed his hand over her hair again and she reached for him, drawing him close for a kiss so he was forced to lie down beside her.
    “Lacy, I’ve missed you,” he said, and Lacy came fully awake because the person pressed up against her wasn’t Jason; it was Robert.
    She scrambled away from him and fell out of the small bed, landing hard on her backside. “Robert, what are you doing here?”
    “I wanted to talk to you, and this was the only way we could get a minute alone.”
    “In my bedroom? You can’t be in here. And you kissed me.”
    “You kissed me,” he accused.
    “I was asleep,” she said.
    “You always kiss men in your sleep?”
    “I’m ignoring your question and going back to my earlier what are you doing in here?”
    “I just…I really miss you, Lacy. I didn’t realize how much until I saw you again. I think I’ve made a horrible mistake. Riley is…she’s not…you.”
    Lacy pressed her hands over her ears and stood up. “Stop it, just stop. Maybe someone should have told you this a long time ago, but you cannot switch between sisters every time you get bored.”
    “It’s not boredom. It’s the connection, the deep, gut-level one that you and I shared.”
    “That connection was severed when I found your tongue in my sister’s mouth. Get out of my room and let’s never speak of this again,” Lacy said, but Robert remained on her bed, staring up at her with soulful puppy eyes.
    “Lacy, can’t you understand that I was confused? I thought Riley was what I wanted, but I think I was wrong. I’m pretty sure it’s you.”
    “See, I always thought you were sort of a miracle because you turned out okay despite your family, but now I realize that mental illness is a ticking time bomb and yours just went off. You have issues. Now get out of my room.”
    “Not until we talk about this,” Robert said. “Not until I make you understand.”
    “I’ll never understand; don’t waste your breath. Jason.” She raised her voice, but she didn’t yell. She didn’t need to, though, because he was there, and he was wearing a bathrobe.
    “You wear a bathrobe?” Lacy said.
    Jason’s eyes darted from Robert lying on the bed to Lacy standing beside it. “Really? That’s what’s first and foremost on your mind right now? Because it’s not what I’m thinking. What’s he doing in here?”
    “That’s the question of the hour. He says he’s not leaving,” Lacy said.
    “Yeah?” Jason replied. He took a step forward and Robert scrambled out of bed, scurrying toward the door.
    “Look, I just came to talk to Lacy, okay?” Robert said.
    “In her bed?” Jason said.
    “I was just sitting there. She’s the one who pulled me down and kissed me,” Robert said. They both turned to look accusingly at Lacy.
    “I thought he