CHAPTER FIFTEEN
"We need to play ball with them and stop showing so
much resistance," argued Marla.
"We are playing ball, but if we offer too much, too easily,
they might think we are too helpful and start getting
suspicious," replied Rose.
"Why wouldn’t we be helpful though?" Marla sat down in
the royal blue easy chair and sipped her latte. "Our clients
are being killed off one by one."
"You don’t understand how their minds work. If you are
too helpful it’s not good, if you’re not helpful enough it’s
not good…"
"So we have to show just the right amount of resistance?"
queried Marla.
"Exactly," Rose clicked her tongue and nodded her head.
"Do you think they suspect something? They’ve visited
twice now and that second Detective was quite a pit bull. I
don’t know how much more I can handle."
"Now, Marla, you need to relax and stick to the game plan.
You remember what we discussed, don’t you?"
Marla’s eyes rolled back and she replied, "Yes… I
remember."
"Good," said Rose, before leaning across her desk and
patting her hand reassuringly. "We need to stick together
here, Marla."
"I understand, but…"
"But what?"
"I’m sure that if you just explain to them what happened,
that it was an accident…"
"Oh, and you think that is going to soften their blow do
you?"
"Surely they will understand that it wasn’t your fault. There
was nothing you could have done"
do you hear me?"
"But the police… what if they keep digging around? They
might figure things out."
"That’s why we need to play it cool and not be too eager or
too resistant. Like I said, we need to stick to the plan. You
got that?"
"Yes, I understand, but I’m not comfortable with this. I still
think we ought to have gone to the police in the
beginning."
Rose stared at her, her anger beginning to bubble
beneath her cool exterior. She would never go to the
police. It would mean losing everything she had worked
for her entire life. Hell would freeze over before she would
allow that to happen. Even if it meant taking matters into
her own hands and blackmailing Marla, she would. She
pulled her hands back from Marla’s and glared at her.
"I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of your little secret,
do I?"
The shock spread across Marla’s face. "You wouldn’t?"
"Of course I wouldn’t want to, but if I had to…"
"How could you even think of doing that to me?"
Rose slid her chair back and stood up. Walking around
the desk, she stood behind Marla and placed her hands
on her shoulders. Marla stiffened and sat bolt upright in
the easy chair. Her hands kneaded her gently at first and
slowly progressed to a stronger, more penetrating
massage.
"You’re hurting me, stop it," she begged.
Rose continued her vigorous gouging and said, "How do
you think your Daddy would feel if he knew his little
princess’s secret?"
Marla writhed beneath her hands, the pain becoming
more intense. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Marla’s father had always adored her, they shared an
extremely close bond and in his eyes, his little princess
could do no wrong. Her father had left her mother when
she was just fifteen. His contact with Marla continued
however, the two of them remaining close despite the
separation and divorce. Many times he had offered her a
placement at in his company, so he could be closer to
her, but much to his disappointment, she chose to
remain working at the clinic.
Rose carried on, her tone sharp and threatening. "What if
he were to discover…"
Marla broke free from her hands and ran to the opposite
side of the room, fear pulsing through her.
"Just stop it, please."
"Do we have an understanding, then?" Rose asked, her
expression smug.
"Yes, yes, now please just stop it. How could you be so
cruel to me? "
"So you’ll keep your mouth shut?" she ignored her
question.
Her eyes welled with tears as she stared down at the grey
carpet under her feet, her shoe scuffing back and forth
along its cushiony pile.
"Yes."
"Is that a promise?"
"It’s a promise," cried Marla, tears streaming down her
cheeks.
"There now. That wasn’t so terrible was it?" a smile spread
across Rose’s face and her demeanour returned to the
one displayed to her clients and peers.
"What about my father? You aren’t going to tell him are
"Why would I, dear? We both have our little secrets don’t
we?" She walked over to Marla, embraced her tightly and
then said, "Yours is safe as long as mine is. I can’t be fairer
than that can I?"
Marla backed away from Rose and dabbed her eyes with a
tissue, at that moment she felt such contempt for her,
that she wanted to run screaming to the police and blow
the lid clean off her dirty little secret. All that was stopping
her at that moment was the web of lies and deceit she
had gotten herself tangled up in.
"Now don’t go pouting like that my sweet. It reminds me
of a six year old child begging for a puppy that she knows
she just can’t have."
Marla straightened her back and sucked air in through her
teeth, attempting to rustle up a smile before Rose’s
assault grew worse.
"There, that’s much better. Now how about we go get
some dinner?" she said, returning to her desk and pulling
her purse from the top draw before looking back at Marla,
her smile somewhat faded.
"Sure, why not." Agreed Marla, her appetite was poor but
she knew declining her invitation would prove fruitless.
Rose pulled her over for yet another hug and said, "I’m so
glad we had this little chat and have this whole mess
straightened out now. I feel much better, don’t you
darling?"
"Much," Marla whispered, the knot in her stomach
tightening.