“Fine,” she huffs. “If it means that we can hurry this day along, then let’s go.”
She stands from her seat and we walk the same way that Debbie and Camilla just went. She still taps away on her phone the entire time and I’m thankful because she doesn’t realise she is locked in a room with my real mother, my grandmother and myself a few minutes later.
“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise?” Debbie drawls with the exact same tone of resentment that I usually have.
“What is the meaning of this?” Laura asks, a wobble of fear in her voice. “I’m leaving.”
“No, you’re not. In fact, no one is,” I reply, causing all three women to look at me. Laura goes to step towards me and I pull out the small gun that Frost helped strap to my leg. I demanded that I not be crowded by security today. There are a bazillion of them around, so I know that if I scream, a dozen of them would be on me in half a second. Which is why we came to a compromise.
Camilla looks impressed. “I have a few questions I need to ask you all. You see, I had a meeting with some men about a particular issue I am having, and one of them made a comment. At the time I didn’t think anything of it, but something Chelsea just said made me think...”
“And what is that, Nipotina?” Camilla asks.
“That someone is working with Harold.”
“Isn’t that what everyone was expecting?” Debbie adds.
“Yes, but I was told that he was working with a woman – surprising, I know, given his stance on the gender as a whole. It also doesn’t really narrow it down. Except, why would Harold work with a woman, when he clearly despises them?”
“He had no choice or he needed something from them,” Camilla supplies.
“Exactly. And when I was told that this mystery woman that heneedsfor whatever reason, kind of had an accent likeme…well, that somewhat narrows it down, don't you think?”
“It does. I think you have narrowed it down well. I would have done the same.” Camilla agrees, completely unfazed about a gun being pointed in their direction.
“What about that woman your father is with or your brand new sister?”
“Good question, Laura. But I can rule out Chelsea since she would never do anything with ill intentions, and Bex is far too new to this world. But you three on the other hand, you couldallhave motive.”
“It’s probably that grandmother of yours, she’s wanted in for years, it wouldn’t surprise me if she cut a deal.”
“That thought crossed my mind as well, but then I thought, even if she was working with him, she now knows my status. So he would have shown up dead by now, considering the involvement he had in her brother's death. Camilla wouldn’t need a deal with Harold when her own granddaughter is in charge. Who better to give her what she wants? An in, and Harold’s head on a platter. And then I thought, what about Debbie? If she’s resurfaced after all these years and is working with Harold it would ensure her safety…but the one problem with that is she had to give up her children.”
“So? I had to give up mine!” Laura snaps.
“No, you chose to walk away, and it got me thinking, I see the way Monty looks at Maggie even now, after they’re divorced. He has never looked at you that way. I don’t think he ever will. His sons will never respect you, and them falling for me? That really must have hurt to see the child you hated coming into your life again and not bowing to your every whim like I used to when I was younger, weaker.”
“You ungrateful bitch! I was the one who raised you when she didn’t want you,” she spits pointing at Debbie. “I’m the one who came here to…”
“To what? Target Monty? Because Dad told you about his friend, right? Stories about his time here, and you’re shrewd, you knew he was involved in something and decided to come and see for yourself. Was it Monty you came for or Harold?”
“You’re wrong! This is allyourfault, you ruined my life! I was happy with your father and brother, but when your father made us take you in, I could see he didn’t love me anymore. I spent years trying, but I failed to win him back, so I came here looking for her.” She points again at Debbie. “So she would take you back, or maybe a family member of hers would take you in. I just needed you gone so that I could return my family to normal. Harold found me first and threatened me. I had no choice.”
“Everyone has a choice, Laura,” Debbie seethes, pulling her own gun, which in turn makes Camilla pull hers. How in the fuck did they get past security with those? Bloody Baxter. I know he doesn’t really trust Camilla, but he also doesn’t trust The Order to keep me safe either. “I gave up my children to keep them safe from Harold.”
“And what a lot of good that did? Harold knew about her for so long, but she was useless until she was almost eighteen. You should thank me; he wanted to kill Marco, but I wouldn’t allow it. So he came up with a plan to get her here. It’s a shame about that teacher, but there had to be a sacrifice.”
“You mean I didn’t kill him?” I ask. I knowIdidn’t, but Smalls feels responsible.
“Of course not, who dies from an overdose of weed cookies? For a supposedly smart girl, you really are stupid.”
“Where is Harold?” I demand. She just laughs.
“If you think he told me his location, you’re an idiot. I just had to feed him information.”
“In exchange for what?”
“Does it matter? I’m as good as dead.” She sighs as if we’re boring her.
