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Maire looked at Samuel. Do something! she wanted to scream. Don’t let this happen. She had Dani and Keely to think about. She didn’t care about the money anymore. She just wanted to get home to her girls.
Samuel seemed to read her thoughts and lunged for the laptop, but Cat was faster. She slammed the lid shut, held it to her chest, and got to her feet. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I think we’re done here,” Cat said.
“You can’t just blow our lives up like this and walk away,” Maire cried, trying to block the exit. “Please, Lina, we can talk this through.”
“The time for talking is long over,” Cat said. “Now step aside, Maire.”
Maire turned to Fern. “You can’t be okay with this. It’s emotional blackmail.”
“I think Fern is just fine with things,” Ned snapped. “She’s complicit in every single sick moment of this so-called game.”
“Sick?” Fern whispered. “After what you did to me, you’re calling me sick?”
“Yeah,” Ned said. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” He held out his hand to Cat. “Now give me the fucking laptop.”
“You’ll have to catch me first,” Cat said, ducking around Ned and running from the room.
FORTY-ONE
FiggyPudding13 stared at her phone, willing the cameras to come back on. She received the update that no one was hurt in the mishap on set and that the tech team was working on getting the show back on air ASAP, but she could barely stand the suspense. She wanted more Spin, Speak, Shoot. It was brutal in all the best ways. And it didn’t hurt that she knew the Boyfriend and the Best Friend. They had gone to college together and Figgy wasn’t a big fan of either of them. They were in the same friend group—she and Maire were even close at one point—but everything had fallen apart after Damon nearly drowned at the lake. She hadn’t talked to Samuel or Maire since that night.
Figgy couldn’t wait to find out who was going to be voted off next. Her bet was on Maire but she figured she would end up quitting before she got voted out. Maire was good at quitting. Besides, she couldn’t stand it if Maire went home with all that money.
Already, social media was buzzing with rumors about the Executive. Dozens of women were coming forward claiming that Ned Bennett had sexually assaulted them in the exact same way Fern had described. He had gotten them alone in his office, forced them against a wall, pulled out a letter opener... It was awful, but Figgy wanted more. Did that make her a bad person? Probably.
Finally, the livestream started. Figgy practically squealed in excitement. At first, nothing was happening. The camera kept switching from empty room to empty room. The library, a corridor, the great hall, the kitchen, a sliver of the veranda where there was still a mess of broken glass and spilled wine.
Where is everyone? Figgy typed into the comments.
I think the Executive shot them all
Not funny
Oh, wait, I think something’s happening
Figgy peered at her phone. They were right. Something was happening. The camera was pointed down the length of a corridor and a door had opened. Out stepped a woman. Her head was down, and she was rushing down the hallway, something tucked beneath her arm.
Who is that?
What’s she carrying?
A book, maybe?
Why would she be carrying a book?
Following close behind the woman were the others. The Executive, Fern, the Boyfriend, the Best Friend, the Confidante. Figgy tried to get a better look at the new woman. She was slightly built and had blond hair cut into a sharp-edged bob. She was wearing all white, but it appeared to be smudged with dirt.
Who is that???
Then it dawned on Figgy. It was Cat James, or rather it was Lina, her old friend. Lina from Tanglefoot, whom she had lost contact with after college. Lina who used to date Samuel and was Maire’s best friend. Lina who went on to become the famous Catalina James. But why would Lina be on the set of One Lucky Winner?
OMG! That’s Catalina James, someone typed. I watch her makeup tutorials!
For some reason they were all scurrying after Lina. The camera flipped to another hallway and followed the group as they rushed to the great hall. Lina hesitated, as if trying to decide which direction to go.
It is her! It is. OMG, this show is the best!
Are they chasing her? Why?
