They Just Don't Know You

Chapter 1

Jade's POV

Friday, August 30

If I believed in omens, this would be a bad one.

There's only one suitcase left on the baggage carousel. It's bright pink, covered with Hello Kitty stickers, and definitely not mine.

My brother, Karl, watches it pass us for the fourth time, leaning on the handle of his own oversized suitcase. The crowd around the carousel is nearly gone, except for a couple arguing about who was supposed to keep track of their rental car reservation. "Maybe you should take it," Karl suggests. "Seems like whoever owns it wasn't on our flight, and I bet they have an interesting wardrobe. A lot of polka dots, probably. And glitter." His phone chimes, and he pulls it out of his pocket. "Nana's outside."

"I can't believe this," I mutter, kicking the toe of my trainer against the carousel's side. "My entire life was in that suitcase."

It's a slight exaggeration. My actual entire life was in South Shields, back in England, until about eight hours ago. Other than a few boxes shipped to Vermont last week, the suitcase contains what's left.

"I guess we should report it." Karl scans the baggage claim area, running a hand over his close-cropped hair. He used to have thick dark curls like mine, hanging in his eyes, and I still can't get used to the cut he got over the summer. He tilts his suitcase and pivots towards the information desk. "Over here, probably."

The skinny boy behind the desk looks like he could still be in high school. A gold name tag pinned crookedly to his blue vest reads "Aaron". Aaron's thin lips twist when I tell him about my suitcase, and he cranes his neck towards the Hello Kitty bag still making carousel laps. "Flight 2612 from Newcastle? With a layover in London?" I nod. "You sure that's not yours?"

"Positive."

"Bummer. It'll turn up, though. You just gotta fill this out." He yanks open a drawer and pulls out a form, sliding it towards me. "There's a pen around here somewhere," he mutters, pawing half-heartedly through a stack of papers.

"I have one." I unzip the front of my backpack, pulling out a book that I place on the counter while I feel around for a pen. Karl raises his brows when he sees the battered hardcover.

"Really, Jade?" he asks. "You brought In Cold Blood on the plane? Why didn't you just ship it with the rest of your books?"

"It's valuable," I say defensively.

Karl rolls his eyes. "You know that's not Truman Capote's actual signature. Norma got fleeced."

"Whatever. It's the thought that counts," I mutter. Our mother bought me the "signed" first edition off eBay after she landed a role as Dead Body #2 on Law & Order UK four years ago. She gave Karl a Sex Pistols album cover with a Sid Vicious autograph that was probably just as forged. We should've gotten a car with reliable brakes instead, but Norma's never been great at long-term planning. "Anyway, you know what they say. When in Murderland..." I finally extract a pen and start scratching my name across the form.

"You headed for Echo Ridge then?" Aaron asks. I pause on the first l of my last name and he adds, "They don't call it that anymore, you know. And you're early. It doesn't open for another week."

"I know. I didn't mean the theme park. I meant the..." I trail off before saying town and shove my book back into my bag. "Never mind," I say, returning my attention to the form. "How long does it usually take to get your stuff back?"

"Shouldn't be more than a day." Aaron's eyes drift between Karl and me. "You guys look a lot alike. You twins?"

I nod and keep writing. Karl, ever polite, answers, "We are."