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

"Too painful. Mom mentioned she found some, but she's

found comfort in our shared grief," I said carefully. "We were friends before he and Camille dated.

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 to my parents' house.

antidepressants.

Camille's room methodically, checking obvious hiding places. Nothing. The floorboard Mom had mentioned yielded nothing but an empty space. Mom's private sitting room, then. The small sunlit space where she spent hours

"Looking for something?"

doorway froze me in place.

months.

more sober and alert than I'd seen

forcing warmth into my voice. "I didn't

moved to the box, unlocked it, and withdrew a journal. September 14th, ten years ago: 'Rose told Jason I stuffed ny bra before the dance. Now

her get his attention, only to whisper

I said dismissively. "Camille was always

says it's probably a mistake. Now I can't stop

me."

protect her from disappointment," I protested.

her. They thought she was having a mental health crisis. When we decided

problems none of us understood. The last time we spoke, she said

"What things?"

About feeling watched" The lies flowed smoothly, tailored to match symptoms I knew Mom feared. Her own mother had suffered

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