The Twin Missing From the Family Photo novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: What Miles Brought

Carrie's POV

Miles picked a diner near the Portland airport, in a booth by the window, with his back to the wall.

I sat across from him.

Talbot stayed outside in the truck, with the engine off, where I could see him through the glass.

My brother had lost weight.

He turned a coffee cup around and around in its saucer and did not drink it.

"You look terrible," I said.

"I haven't slept." He glanced at the truck. "That's your boss."

"That's Talbot."

"Does he know about me?"

"He read your email. He drove me here. He's going to sit out there until I come out."

Miles let out a short laugh with no humor in it.

"Good. You should have somebody."

I waited.

I had learned how from my mother. You wait until the other person is more afraid of the quiet than of you.

"I pushed you down the hill," Miles said.

My stomach turned over.

"Do you remember? You were eight. I was thirteen. Dad had just taken Ivy to the hospital again, and Mom said you had to stay with me. You wouldn't stop asking where Ivy was. I told you to shut up. I pushed you, and I didn't think about it, and then you were rolling."

"My knee," I said.

"I saw the bone. I thought I'd killed you." His eyes were red. "And Dad came home and looked at your knee. He didn't say it was an accident. He looked at me and said, She'll tell people it was her fault, because she always does. She's the strong one. Leave it."

"I did tell people it was my fault."

"I know. I let you."

I put both hands under the table, because they were shaking.

"Why are you telling me now?"

"Because I've been Dad's errand boy since I was twelve," Miles said. "I take the equipment orders for the practice. I pick up the prescriptions. I follow the girl who gets too close to the truth. I did it for you last month. I told Trevor your address in Portland."

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