Chapter 14

The earring in saffire’s avatar was an identical match to one of a pair that Cara had sent Arianna for what would be her last birthday on earth. The hummingbird was in the very same position, with wings spread upward. Tears brimmed in Cara’s eyes as she opened her file of digital images and selected a close-up of herself. She hurriedly sized it to the correct dimensions for an avatar, then uploaded it into her Eclectic Café profile. Once it was showing on the boards, she wiped tears from her face and typed a private message to saffire_21. This time, Cara was going for broke.

Arianna, is that YOU? This is Cara! Look at my avatar! Please let me know that you’re okay!

After hitting send, she went back to the boards and waited. She waited through all the posts from other users telling her that she looked beautiful, and why hadn’t she posted a close-up of her face sooner? Sniffing, Cara crossed her arms and kept her eye on the red bolded print that would appear with a new PM, but nothing happened. Five minutes passed, then ten. She watched dismally as post after post went by, and not a one of them from saffire.

Not_Morrissey: Did saffire leave already? I was just getting ready to serve her up a new can of whoopass tonight! Dammit!

GreatScott: Dude, it’s saffire! Did you actually think she’d stay for more than five minutes?

smk02: Those hummingbird earrings were SO apropos for her…always flitting in and out of here like she does.

BloominElle: I didn’t even get to say hello this time!

Bellybutton: Yeah, not even one nummie! WTF? Is she PM-ing anyone right now?

Cara buried her face in her hands. The fact that saffire hadn’t fired back a what the hell are you talking about? PM said everything. Saffire was Arianna. She had no doubt in her mind, now. There was no need to call Colin Huxby or the British authorities. And “saffire” would probably never come back again, unless it was under a different identity. Her worst nightmare had finally happened. She’d been exposed.

The phone rang in the living room, raising Cara’s head. Dear God. Would Arianna actually call? Does she even have my current number? She sprung from her seat and got to it on the fourth ring, just before her answering machine kicked in, and answered breathlessly, “Hello?”