An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 13

Maru walked into the breakfast room looking a like she hadn't slept a wink. That might as well have been the case. She kept tossing and turning all night, wondering if she had done the right thing in letting Echo run off like that. At one point, she stormed down the hall to Echo's room and knocked gently, wondering if maybe she hadn't dreamed it. After all, this was Echo!

She'd been stuck all night somewhere between disbelief and concern. Still, she'd told herself it was no big deal. Echo would be back soon to explain just what was going on... but Echo had not been in her room that morning and it looked like she wouldn't be making an appearance any time soon. As she approached the table, she wondered if she shouldn't say something but of course, she wouldn't. Echo had kept all kinds of secrets for her before, it was the least she could do.

"Maru, honey, are you not feeling well?" Her mother asked as she took a seat at the big table. It was the concern in her voice that made everyone turn and Romy gasped.

"What happened to you?" Romy asked, leaning forward and placing her pretty face in her hands. She had always doted on Maru, as she was the youngest and the most like herself.

"I'm fine, just had trouble sleeping." Maru said, immediately asking one of the girls for coffee.

"It was a weird night." Alice agreed. "I had this strange dream about Echo... just couldn't find her."

Maru didn't say anything, she only buttered her toast, hoping she wouldn't choke on it. She'd almost had a heart attack when she passed Echo's room earlier and she wasn't there. The only clue Maru had was a short text that read: Going to spend the day in the city. I'll text you later.

"Where is that girl, anyway?" Vera asked, noticing that she was the only person who wasn't at breakfast.

"She mentioned to me yesterday that she was going to meet her publisher in the city." Maru said, hoping that her voice wasn't shaking. Romy grinned as she noticed the way Maru pressed her lips together, the same way she always did when she lied. She contained a chuckle as she wondered what those two were up to.

"Really? Well she should have waited for us, we would have driven her in." Vera said.

"Oh right. You know how Echo is, she'll want to be in and out and not have to wait for one of us to drive her back." Romy said, focusing on the newspaper again. Whatever those two were doing, she was not going to interfere- not unless she had to, of course.

"Exactly." Maru said, turning back to her plate. She decided not to say any more. Fortunately, every one would leave the house soon and no one would notice what time Echo did or didn't get back... as long as she was back before everyone else this evening. Maru frowned. Of course Echo would be home before then... right? Echo wasn't the type to just disappear all day. 

Then again, Maru hadn't thought that Echo was the type to sneak out at three AM either.

"What's up with you?" Lena asked, taking a bit of her food and looking at Maru.

"I told you, rough night." Maru responded simply, still not looking at her. It was hard for Maru to lie to Lena. She was her twin. As it was, none of the girls were very good at lying- their parents had always taught them to be as truthful as possible but Lena... she could sense what Maru was feeling. Twins.

"Okay." Lena said, immediately aware there was something else. She could bug her about it, she could ask her what was going on but if she knew Maru, she knew that she would tell her when she got the right moment.

"I'll be in late tonight." Romy said casually, as she turned the page of the times. "I'm having dinner and drinks with a friend."

"Me too." Lena teased.