“But how do you know he won’t launch an investigation or turn us in or something?” Piper protests.
Viv smiles, sharklike. “Because he needs me. I’m the reason whyEmpressis so successful. I’m making him millions of dollars. And despite what Elena thought, Trey isn’t ever leaving me. He plays around, yes, but he always comes back to me. Don’t worry abouthim saying anything. You don’t have to trust him. Trustme.”
Piper’s face falls as the fight goes out of her. “Fine.”
“Good,” Viv says, satisfied.
Viv doesn’t wait for Piper; she swishes out of the frame, leaving her bloody knife on the kitchen counter. Piper stands there for a moment, swaying on her feet as if she’s about to faint.
Slowly, her head turning like it’s on a string, Piper looks down to where Elena lies on the floor. Mindlessly, she bends, disappearing from the camera screen for a minute. When she stands back up, she’s holding Elena’s golden cuff bracelet. My gut churns thinking about how that very same bracelet is in my room right now, blood washed away by the sea.
On the video, Piper clutches the golden bracelet, probably still warm from Elena’s arm, smears of red on its surface.
Piper walks over to the high-top table, and her hand, surprisingly clean, reaches out, and the camera goes blurry, black, shakes, and, with no ceremony or final words, the recording stops.
I drop the phone on to my knees, hands shaking, heart in my throat. I feel like I’m going to throw up, and I try to take steadying breaths as black spots float in front of my eyes.
It’s so much worse than I thought.
I need to figure out what to do. I need to hide this phone somewhere safe so I can take the video to the police as soon as I get off this yacht. I need to—
“I should have guessed she recorded it.”
The storm masked her footsteps, hiding her approach. I hadn’t even noticed her creep up behind me. She’s standing near the foot of the bed, watching the video from off to the side and over my shoulder.
I don’t have the energy to jump in surprise. I am physically ill from what I watched. Instead, I shift around on my knees so that I can face her, Piper’s phone slipping from my lap and landing next to the bed.
“I couldn’t sleep. What with everything that happened today. I had this feeling. Like I had to go to Piper’s room. I’m glad I did,” she says, staring at me.
I swallow the thorns in my throat. “Hi, Vivienne.”
Chapter 31
“I knew that whole agreeable Midwest girl thing was an act,” Viv says, appraising me. “But I didn’t realize you were also a snoop.”
“I’m not snooping.” I feel the need to defend myself even though I watched this woman orchestrate a murder on camera. “Piper told me where to find her phone. She wanted me to see this.”
Viv nods, thoughtful. “She’s the one that taught me that trick, you know. Secretly recording stuff. That’s Piper’s thing: finding leverage to use against other people. She told you where to find it?” Viv asks, leaning against Piper’s footboard, looking for all the world like she had stumbled upon me doing a puzzle and is politely feigning interest.
“Yes. Earlier. Before she jumped.”
“Jumped,” Viv repeats. “So you lied?”
I nod. “She didn’t fall. I think she couldn’t stand being aroundyou anymore. And after seeing that video, I think she was eaten alive by the guilt. She was swimming to the island, but I don’t know if she intended to make it there.”
“Despite her muscles, she’s the weakest one,” Viv says sadly. “I was afraid she’d break eventually, but I was trying to be supportive. And I think she was trying too. Until now, I guess.” Viv puts a hand on her hip, nodding at me. “That’s how Piper got this job, you know. She met Trey at a club. He took her to a VIP room, felt her up. She recorded it. Said she was going to release the video and say he took advantage of a drunk girl if he didn’t give her a job. The crazy thing was she had planned it; she wasn’t even drunk.”
“She told me you found her after she quit surfing,” I reply, shocked. “Helped her become a real fashion influencer.”
“Yes,” Viv scoffs. “Because she blackmailed Trey. Honestly, though, I was impressed. I didn’t hold it against her; I thought it was ballsy. I welcomed her with open arms. She was clearly desperate for a job, and I can work with desperate. Even if she and Trey started off on the wrong foot.”
Well, this explains why Trey didn’t try very hard to save Piper when she went overboard.
I do a double take, finally noticing Viv’s outfit, which is nothing like her usual fits. She’s wearing shiny, water-resistant joggers and a sweat-wicking running sweater, plus black rain boots. Her hair is normally blow-dried and loose, but now it’s tied back in a severe ponytail that makes her face appear strangely bare.
“Wait, why are you dressed like that?” I ask, eyeing her attire. “Oh. You’re going to look for her. Aren’t you?”
There’s a slight shake to Viv’s voice when she replies, “What if she needs help? I can’t leave her alone out there.”
