Birthright

is go away for a few weeks,” Richard said. “Disappear long enough to stall the police investigation so that I can get Dory somewhere safe. So I can arrange for Dorothy’s release. Without you, they lose their most vital link. That’s all you have to do.”
    “Is that what she told you? Is that how she talked you into spying on the house, into helping her blow up the trailer? Is that how she convinced you to help her do this tonight? Are you so blind you can’t see she’s only interested in causing pain? In revenge?”
    “Nobody else has to get hurt,” he insisted. “I’m asking you to give me time.”
    “She’ll just lie.” Dory shook back her hair. “She’ll say what she thinks you want to hear. She wanted my grandfather to pay. My mother to pay. Everyone to pay. But she’ll pay now.”
    Crouching, she held the gun to one blond head.
    “Dory, no!” Richard shouted even as Callie sucked in air to scream.
    “Which one will you save?” She shoved the other figure into the water. “If you dive in after her, I’ll shoot this one. If you try to save this one, the other drowns. Tough call.”
    “Dory, for God’s sake.” Richard lurched forward, only to freeze when she swung the gun at him.
    “Stay out of this. You’re pathetic. Hell, let both of them drown.” She shoved the limp body into the pond, then aimed the gun at Callie. “While you watch.”
    “Go to hell.” Braced for the bullet, Callie prepared to dive.
    She sensed the movement, barely registered it as Jake rushed out of the trees. She was in the air, over the water, when she heard the shot.
    She felt the sting, a quick bite of pain across her shoulder, but she was in the water, swimming desperately to where she’d seen the first of her mothers slide under.
    She still didn’t know which one.
    But she knew she’d never save them both.
    She filled her lungs with air and plunged. She was blind now, diving deep into the black, praying for any sign of movement, any shape.
    Her lungs burned, her limbs went heavy and weak in the cold water, but she pushed down, farther down. And when she saw the glimmering shadow, gritted her teeth and kicked with all her strength.
    She grabbed hair, pulled. With no time to use the knife, she hooked a hand under rope, using it to tow as she kicked hard toward the surface. Lungs screaming, muscles weeping, she hauled the dead weight up.
    White lights danced in front of her eyes. She prayed it was moonlight on the surface. She was clawing at the water now, fighting not to panic as it seemed to come alive and drag her down. Her boots were like lead, and her right arm quivered from the strain.
    When her air gave out, she flailed, struggled against her body’s desperate need to breathe. Weakened, floundering, she began to sink.
    Then she was rising up again as hands pulled her toward the surface.
    She broke through, choking, coughing up water, wheezing as air, blessed air, filled her lungs. Still she shoved weakly at Jake as he towed them both toward the bank.
    “No. The other one. The other went in a few feet up. Please.”
    “Doug’s in. It’s all right. Get her up. Let’s get her out. Take her!”
    She thought he shouted to someone on the bank, but she couldn’t see. The white dots swimming in front of her eyes had gone red, swirling. Her ears were ringing. More hands grabbed for her as she started to crawl her way out.
    She rolled toward the unconscious figure, pushed at the hair. And saw Suzanne’s face.
    “Oh God, oh God.” She cast one desperate look toward the pond. “Jake, please, God.”
    “Hold on.” He dove back into the water.
    “Is she breathing?” With shaking fingers, she pushed attangled hair to try to find a pulse. “I don’t think she’s breathing.”
    “Let me.” Lana pushed her aside. “Lifeguard, three summers.” She tipped Suzanne’s head back and began mouth-to-mouth.
    Callie shoved herself up, staggered toward the water.
    “No.” Matt held the gun now, kept it trained on Dory as she lay facedown on the ground. Richard sat beside her, his head in his hands. “You’d never make it, Cal. Then somebody’ll have to jump in for you. Cops’re coming,” he said as the sirens cut the air. “Ambulance, too. We called both as soon as we heard the gunshots.”
    “My mother.” Callie looked toward the pond, back toward Suzanne. Then simply collapsed to her knees when three heads broke the surface.
    She heard the wretched coughing behind her. “She’s