Dirty Little Secrets

Chapter Eighteen

"The world was on fire, and no one could save me but you. Strange what desire will make foolish people do." –Wicked Game, Chris Isaak

Anger fueled me the next day as I stalked towards Natalie Clavera. She stood outside of the science block, flicking through a text book as she hovered near a brick wall. Not many people were around, and I had to admit she must have had nerves of steel to isolate herself so much when there was a rabid—and pissed—Camila Stryker on the loose.

I stalked up to her and grabbed her by the collar, shoving her back into the brick wall. She screamed in surprise, which deteriorated into a yelp of pain as she hit brick.

"You didn't think I'd find out?" I growled.

"W-What are you talking about?" she whispered, staring at me with terrified eyes.

"I know about your little phone call to the police yesterday," I whispered. "I guess you could say I'm a little angry."

She lifted her chin. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I reached out and smacked her across the face so hard her cheek smacked into the bricks. She let out a little sob, and I leaned closer. "Don't play games with a girl who can play 'em better, Nat," I whispered. "I don't know what you think you saw, but you're wrong. I was nowhere near that station."

"Liar," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I know you were there; I watched you go in. I've kept quiet for years, thinking I could one day use it to my advantage. But I think now it's time you're exposed for the murderer you really are."

I smiled. "If you're so sure I'm a killer, then what makes you so sure I'm not willing to add one more body to the count?"

She gulped. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm on my last thread," I told her. "It would be a shame if I snapped."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'll retract my statement from the police. Just don't hurt me."

"Don't give me a reason to," I told her. "And you're not going to retract your statement from the police. That would be far too obvious. Here's what you're going to do: if they question you, you'll say you saw me walking through the alley, but nothing else. You're going to keep your little mouth shut, or I'm going to tell everyone about Daddy's little gambling problems. And once I'm done publicly humiliating you, we'll just wait and see if what they say about dead girls and secrets really is true. Capiche?"

She nodded, but said nothing. I let her go, and she toppled to the ground, trembling. I stepped over her and started on my way, confident that my job was done and this was one secret I wasn't going to get caught on.

If only.

~ * ~

"Walter, I'm not in the mood," I grumbled that afternoon as I entered his office.

He looked up at me, unimpressed. "Camila. Have a seat."

"I'm in here so often now it seems like I'm deserving of my own reserved seat," I told him, falling into the uncomfortable chair. "Maybe a gold throne."

He leaned forward and stared at me through bushy eyebrows and an expensive power tie. "Did you, or did you not, hit Natalie Clavera earlier today outside of the science block?"

That little snitch, I thought to myself, but smiled pleasantly. "And who invented that little piece of fiction, huh? Natalie?"

"Actually, no," he replied. "I got a tip from another student in the school. I didn't believe it myself until I pulled Natalie in here, and she was quite shaken up. Even trembled when I mentioned your name. And she had quite a considerable bruise on her face. But she wouldn't say a word about you; not even so much as a nod. What would you have to say about that?"