Page 65 of Her Wicked Plan

“I woke up.” Her hand meets her chest, where I’m assuming her sister stabbed her.

“If it isn’t guilt, it could be the letter.” Veronica’s eyes dart to mine. She doesn’t even have to say it. “You haven’t started it yet.”

She groans, slumping back into her chair. “I don’t even know where to begin!”

“Maybe the going back and forth on what to say is getting to your head. Why don’t you try sitting down and begin writing without thinking? Sometimes, when you think too hard about something, it’s more difficult to get it done.”

“I guess.”

“Remember, Veronica, no one will read this letter unless you decide to send it to her.”

“I know,” she says dismissively. “Can we move on? Talk about something else?”

“Sure.” I nod in agreement. “We can talk about Eliza.”

“Ugh. Can we not? I’m already eating lunch with her today.”

“Why’s that?” I’m not backing down because if I do, then the only other topic is about her past and whether she had murdered anyone else. That I know she won’t want to talk about. “And don’t lie about your motives.”

She eyes me up and down, head tilting to the side. “Fine. Call me fascinated with her background. I mean, she had voices in her head telling her to kill someone! Of course, I have questions.”

“Does she know this?”

“Yes. I made my interest known.”

“Good. Maybe this can be the start of a friendship.” It’s a hint of a suggestion since Veronica will most likely get bored with the poor girl.

“Mmm, probably not.” She sits up straight in her chair. “Next.”

Shit. “If we don’t talk about Eliza, we can discuss something I read the other day.”

“No offense, Leo, but I don’t care to hear about the book you are reading.”

“Good thing it wasn’t a book,” I state dryly. “It was a news article. About you.”

That catches her attention.

“It was about your past. School years and how you were kicked out of the private school your parents sent you and your sister to.”

“That’s public knowledge.” She eyes me curiously. “Everyone knows that.”

“Right.” I nod, tapping the tip of my pen against the paper. “What everyone doesn’t seem to know is how some men were killed. What happened with them, and why you were the last person they were seen with.”

Her jaw tightens, eyes moving from mine to the device recording our conversation.

“Strange coincidence.” Her shoulders shrug, arms crossing over her chest again. It’s a defense mechanism. She’s closing off on this conversation, hoping that if she continues to give me short answers, I will dismiss the discussion and move on.

“There are rumors that your parents paid off the other families to keep it a secret that you were the killer.” She wants me to back down, but it’s not happening.

What if I could get her to confess to these past crimes? If I did, then what? I could tell Dr. Bennett about it, but would he tell someone else? Would Veronica have to go back on trial for the actions she might have committed?

So many fucking questions I’m not sure if I want the answer to. Veronica could handle herself in prison if it came to that. I don’t doubt she would be feared there as much as she is here, but I’m not sure I’d want to see her in that atmosphere.

“Rumors aren’t always to be trusted.” The tone of her voice holds some of that defensiveness that’s showing with her body language. She is attempting to hide it, which makes me believe she had something to do with those murders.

“Rumors about you killing those men or your parents paying off the families?”

“Both.” Her eyes are heavy on mine, waiting for my next question.