Page 144 of Always Red (Chasing Red 2)

Keep her talking. Keep her distracted.

When she started pacing back and forth, muttering under her breath, I carefully reached for my phone behind me, pressing the emergency button. When I heard the quiet voice of the operator, I sagged in relief and placed the phone on the floor, hiding it behind me. Now they would hear; now they would come.

“Put the gun down, Beatrice-Rose. Please.”

Her eyes seemed cloudy, crazed. “Daddy killed Atlas with a hammer. Did you know that? Because Atlas ruined his shirt. He hurt Daddy’s feelings. You hurt Caleb. You hurt him!”

“I understand,” I said quickly. “I see what you’re trying to say.”

She nodded, smiling at me like a proud teacher whose student answered a difficult question.

“But shh.” She placed her index finger on her lips. “You can’t tell. You can’t tell, okay?”

I nodded.

“I tried really hard to be a good girl. But Caleb can’t see that anymore because you’re in my way! You ruined everything, Red. You ruined Caleb.”

“I’m sorry, Beatrice-Rose.”

Slowly, I pulled the pocketknife from my back pocket, unfolded it.

“I was going to give you a few more days with Caleb before I got rid of you, but that moron Justin got himself arrested. I heard Caleb on the phone. He’s on his way to the station to see that lowlife now. There’s no more time to waste. I have to get rid of you. It was all Justin’s fault, all his plan.”

Relief flooded through me that Caleb was all right.

She stepped closer, swinging the gun beside her like a toy. My palms were damp with sweat as I gripped the pocketknife.

“Was it his idea to plant drugs in my purse? The drugs in Caleb’s car?”

She paused. “I would never do anything to hurt Caleb! That was all Justin’s doing! I nearly killed that moron for doing that to my Caleb. And if he hadn’t run away, I would have. The drugs in your purse?” She laughed. “That was all me. Not very original, I’ll admit, but I wanted Miranda to see! To think that they were your drugs in Caleb’s car. Then she’d hate you.”

So I was right.

“That cheap key chain you bought for him? I burned it.” She snickered. “It’s gone. You know how I got into Caleb’s apartment, right? He gave me his code. He loves me so much that he gave me the code to his apartment. He trusts me. You, however, couldn’t be trusted. You’re a fake, a liar.”

Her eyes narrowed in anger. “But how the fuck do you get away with everything? Miranda’s even on your side now! How dare she accuse me of lying to her about you? You’re really good at hiding your true self. You fooled her. You fooled Caleb.”

“You’re right. Let me go. Just let me go. I’ll talk to Caleb.”

“Liar,” she spat out. “You think I’d believe you? You think I’m stupid?”

“Of course not. You were the one behind the fire at the shop, right? You paid them. You paid those boys.”

“Of course. Idiots. What a waste of space. Couldn’t even kill you. Couldn’t even stop you from coming to his party.”

“You nearly killed Kar and her family!”

“I should have told them to burn that slut’s house too. I’m going to kill your friend Kara after I kill you.”

“No!”

With rage in my veins, I leaped up, leaning heavily on my uninjured leg, and slashed at her hand. I lost my balance and fell on the floor with a thud.

She screamed. The gun clattered on the floor and slid under the couch.

“You fucking bitch!” she shrieked, blood dripping from the deep cut.

The gun! I have to get the gun!

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