THREE

"Do you believe her?" Paige asked as she looked over a page Leo had given her. "Do you think she might be Prue's daughter?"

"I don't think she's lying," said Leo. "I think she's being honest about her suspicions. But she has so little information to go on. It's possible she is Prue's daughter but we don't have enough to go on. That page has everything about her that we know. We thought you might be able to learn something through your connections."

"I'll see what I can do," said Paige. "At least I should be able to verify her story. About being born the same time Prue was in the same hospital. That's interesting. Her first name is Patricia. It's the same as our mother's name."

"It would have been just like Prue to name her daughter after her mother," Leo said. "Of course, her name could have been changed during the adoption. It might just be coincidence."

"Maybe," said Paige. "I'll let you know what I find out."

"Thanks," said Leo.

He then headed for a secluded spot where he could orb back to the manor.

"Maybe we should call your parents and let them know you're okay," suggested Piper as Patricia finished her meal. "I'm sure they're worried about you."

"No, they aren't," said Patricia. "They don't want me any more. My dad said I'm a freak."

"You're father told you that?" Piper asked. "Why would he say something like that to you?"

"Oh, uh, I don't know," said Patricia nervously. "They just don't want me any more, that's all."

"I find that hard to believe," said Piper. "They adopted you, didn't they? They didn't have to. They chose to do it."

"Yeah, but they changed their minds," said Patricia. "I'm not a little baby any more. I guess they don't want someone as old as I am."

"I'm sure that's not true," said Piper. "A parents love doesn't change just because you get older."

"You got any kids?" Patricia asked.

"Not yet," said Piper.

"Then how do you know?" Patricia asked.

"I was raised by my grandmother," said Piper. "From the time I was younger than you are now. She didn't stop loving me just because I got older. If anything she loved me even more."

"She sounds nice," said Patricia.

"She was," said Piper. "She passed away a few years ago."

"Everybody around here dies," said Patricia.

"Not everybody," said Piper. "But people do die. I still think we should call your parents. Regardless of how you think they might feel, I'm sure they're worried about you. I'll tell you what. Why not let me call them and tell then you're okay? We won't tell them where you are just yet. We'll just let them know that you're safe. How's that sound?"

"We don't tell them where I am?" Patricia questioned.

"I promise," said Piper. "We just say that you're safe and unharmed."

"Well, okay," said Patricia. "I'm sure they don't care, but it's okay with me as long as you don't tell them where I am."

Patricia pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Piper. It had an address and phone number written on it. Patricia told Piper that was the address and phone number for her parents. Piper got up and walked over to the phone. As she reached for the phone a man suddenly appeared beside her.

The man stood just over six feet in height. He had reddish colored hair and several days' growth of beard. He was dressed casually completely in black. Piper had only to look at him to know what he was. He was a warlock.

Patricia screamed as the man struck out, striking Piper in the face, knocking her against the wall. Piper struck the wall and slumped to the floor dazed as the warlock pulled a dagger out of his belt.

"Now," said the warlock, "I'll have what I came for. The power of a witch."