SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

ROSE'S POINT OF VIEW

The shoe sat on Detective Ramirez's desk between us. A woman's size seven pump, once black, now gray-

green from three months underwater. The heel had broken off, but the designer's red sole remained visible. Louboutin. Unmistakably Camille's.

"Is this your sister's shoe, Ms. Lewis?" Detective Ramirez asked, his tired eyes watching my reaction carefully.

I reached for it with trembling fingers, a calculated tremord practiced that morning. "Yes," I whispered, breaking on cue. "She wore these the last time I saw her. A gift from our parents for her birthday." The lie slid out smoothly. In truth, I'd given Camille those shoes when she

landed her first job, playing the generous big sister while privately mocking her pathetic excitement over my hand-

me-downs.

"Does seeing this personal item bring up any new thoughts about your sister's state of mind before her disappearance?"

An Interesting question. Not "accident" or "drowning," but "disappearance." The detective's word choice revealed his lingering doubts.

"Your parents mentioned Camille kept journals," he continued. "Have you had a chance to read them?"

So Mom had spoken to the police about the journals. This was worse than I thought. voice

I couldn't bear to read them," I said, looking away as if overcome. "Too painful. Mom mentioned she found some, but she's been very private about

in our shared grief," I said carefully. "We were friends before he and Camille dated. After a respectful

I called Martin Greene, the family's trusted fixer. "I need everything you can get on Detective Ramirez. And I need to know exactly what my mother told the police about Camille's journal Then I headed

antidepressants.

yielded nothing but an empty space. Mom's private sitting room, then. The small sunlit space where she

"Looking for something?"

the doorway

months.

sober and alert than I'd

voice.

the box, unlocked it, and withdrew a journal. September 14th, ten years ago: 'Rose told Jason I stuffed ny bra before the dance. Now he won't talk to me. She says she was just joking, but she

helping her get

drama,” I said dismissively. "Camille

eight years ago Got my Stanford acceptance today. Rose says it's

me."

protect her from disappointment," I protested. "Stanford is highly

slammed the journal shut. "You know what happened next? She called the admissions office to 'confirm' they wanted her. They thought she was having a mental health crisis. When we decided she wasn't Time for the

you this, but..: Camille had problems none of us understood. The last time we spoke, she

"What things?"

The lies flowed smoothly, tailored to match symptoms I knew Mom feared. Her

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255