Page 53 of Mistress A-0002

“That’s right. She must have gone out the back while everyone was still sleeping. She didn’t swim well. My parents were trying to teach her. My dad had even brought someone in, but she’d only just started learning.”

I rotated my shoulders, feeling the moisture run a river between my cleavage.

“I’m sorry for your loss. I wasn’t aware you had a sister. I thought you were the youngest.”

A pause. “Thank you, but no. It was very sad what happened to Belinda.”

My stare rose to take in his slightly defensive expression. I immediately lowered it, trying to put my focus back on the questionnaire as if I wasn’t facing my own demons. Coincidence?

“As your doctor, I have to ask. Like I said before, no judgement, but honesty is key. Did you have anything to do with your sister’s death?”

Another pause. Anger. “I guess I knew that question was coming. How could it not with how I am? My father suspected as much. Even my mother, although they never asked. No. I didn’t kill Belinda.”

“You’re positive?”

“I think that’s something I would remember.”

“Like I said before, there’s no judgment here. Only honesty.”

“I am being honest. Dr. LaRoe, I was fond of my sister. I didn’t kill Belinda. It was an accident.”

Accident. Right. Maybe.

I forced the swallow, nodding as I pushed the memories away. Last patient, then I could close up.

Tick.

Tick.

I glanced up to the clock, forcing my gaze back to the papers. Scanning. Scanning. Flipping the page. Flipping another. Words. Sweat.Delusional.Disorders.Not right. Wrong. My brow drew in as the events led me deeper into the mindset of my client.

Tick.

Tick.

The autopsy report. Date. Time. Close. Too close? Pictures. One family picture. My breath caught as I got trapped in the hysterical screams of my parents. Seconds. A minute. Longer?

Paper bent under the pressure of my fingers and my eyes shot up to the clock, only to lower to his intensive stare.The depths stirred heat inside my chest. Fire that was already brewing at the words, waiting…

“Your sister seems to be the basis of your depressive episodes during youth. There’s a family picture where she’s wearing a pink bow in her hair. Seems your fond of pink bows now with your victims. My sister wore a pink bow too,” I ground out. “The ages.The accident.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Is this a joke? Did someone put you up to this? Did Elec?”

Logan’s lips parted. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“Enough. No more lies. Who set you up to this?”

“Dr. LaRoe, I don’t know what you mean.”

“This!” I threw the family portrait his way, shooting to my feet to pull open my drawer and toss him the frame of my own. They were nearly a mirror with the placements of our two families. Him and his brothers and sister in the front. Me and my sister in the front. Parents in the back. Both little girls…pink bows, even down to the exact shade. Papers slid to the side and more crumbled under my hectic shuffling as I went through to point to the findings in the autopsy. “You had no sister. Darius would have told me. He would have—You had no sister.I did. Your information and story is as fake as you are. You’re not Logan Cavalier. Who sent you here?”

“I…don’t know what to say. I’m Logan Cavalier. You can call my dad right now. Everything I’ve said is the truth.”

“Explain the picture. Explain the death. My sister died in a pool too,at three.”

“Purely coincidental. I swear it.”

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