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“But the hummingbird tattoo,” Camille said weakly.
“I don’t have a hummingbird tattoo,” Fern said. “It’s a fairy. I told you I’ve never been to your office.”
“But what about Nan?” Camille asked.
“Just another unfortunate client of yours,” Cat said.
“I’d like to leave now,” Camille said, getting to her feet and inching toward the exit. “I want no more part of this.”
But Cat wasn’t done yet. “You didn’t just betray me though, did you, Doctor?” Cat leaned forward, elbows on her desk. “These people came to you for help, and you made them feel like you could help them. Like you were the only one who could. But when you grew bored, or when they ran out of money, you left them high and dry.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Camille said. How could Cat possibly know about the cash, about the tax evasion?
Cat read the question in Camille’s expression. “Your receptionist has been very helpful.” Cat leaned back in her chair and smirked. “You really should pay her more.”
Geraldine? Camille thought. Reliable, discreet Geraldine? Camille couldn’t believe it. Geraldine would know about the Alftan painting, would know about the clients who paid under the table, the tax evasion, would have known about Travis Wingo.
“Don’t try to deny it, Camille,” Cat said, opening a drawer, pulling out a file folder and dropping it on the desk in front of her. At the top of the folder was a tab that read “Wingo, Travis.”
Camille’s heart thumped. Somehow Cat knew about Wingo, but how much? Did she know how he had formed an unhealthy attachment to her? Did she know that he had broken into her house, and that her lies about him had gotten him killed? Did she know that he paid her off the books so Camille could pocket the cash?
Camille lowered herself back into her chair, her legs unable to hold her any longer. Geraldine. Her receptionist. Cat must have paid her handsomely to dig up dirt on Camille, and there was plenty of it.
It was over. Her career. She would never practice again. Cat had gotten the final word. Just like she always did.
FORTY
THE BEST FRIEND
Maire couldn’t stand by silently any longer. “Cat? That’s what you call yourself now?” It was Lina. Catalina, her best friend and Samuel’s girlfriend.
Cat turned her eyes to Maire, then to Samuel. “Traditore. Uccisore. Betrayer. Killer.”
She knew. Somehow, she knew what had happened on the road that night. “It wasn’t like that,” Maire said. “It was an accident.”
Cat gave a hard little laugh. “An accident you caused.”
“We would have helped him if we could,” Maire said, the tears she had been holding back finally falling. “He was dead. There was nothing we could do.”
Cat pursed her lips together. “I’m afraid that man’s family wouldn’t quite view it the same way. You let him lay there in the snow like garbage.”
“It wasn’t like that...” Maire began but faltered. What could she possibly say?
“Damon told you,” Samuel said. “He was the only other person who knew what happened.”
Cat nodded. “Though I’m a little pissed that it took him nearly twenty years to tell me. He was in town for a work thing, and we got together, had a few drinks. Turns out Damon hasn’t changed much since college. Still can’t keep his mouth shut when he’s drunk.”
Maire shouldn’t have been surprised that Damon didn’t keep his promise. Yes, she and Samuel saved Damon from drowning, but it was a big secret to keep.
“I thought Damon couldn’t tell me anything worse than that, but he had more,” Cat said wistfully. For the first time during this odd reunion, Maire thought Cat looked sad.
“I needed you, Maire,” Cat said. “After the night at the lake Samuel dumped me with no explanation, and you were just...gone. I was devastated. It took me years to get over you, both of you. Maire, you were my best friend and, Samuel, you were my first love. After Damon told me that he saw the two of you together, it made more sense. You killed a man and then sealed it with a sweet kiss.”
“No,” Maire protested. “It wasn’t like that. Please, Lina. I have daughters. They need me.”
“She doesn’t care,” Samuel said, still holding on to Maire’s arm. “She’s not going to listen.” He set his dark eyes on Cat. “So what are you going to do?”
“Well, I had planned to release the truth as each one of you were voted off the show.” Cat shook her head sadly at Maire. “But the game is obviously over, so we can’t go out with the big bang I had originally planned. But this might be even better. I can still hit Send on the emails.” Cat lifted the lid on her laptop. “A few clicks and the world will know exactly the truly awful people that you are. Finally, you are all going to get what you deserve.”
