Page 52 of Such a Good Girl

“Hi, West,” she said. I watched carefully, gauging West’s reaction to her sunny beauty.

“Hey there, Violet, enjoying the show?” he asked, giving her a friendly smile. I watched his eyes, waiting for them to rake over her curvy frame, but they didn’t travel past her eyes.

“The prints are gorgeous,” she said. “Interesting theme.”

“They’re West’s photos!” I blurted. “He’s the artist. He didn’t tell me.”

“Oh!” She nodded, squinting a little. “That makes sense now. I assume you took these at the Hush Hush club?”

“Yeah,” he replied. “Just a hobby.”

“So, you’re into BDSM, West?”

I almost spit out my wine. “Violet!” I admonished her.

They both laughed at me. “It’s fine,” West said, with a dismissive wave. “I dabble, Violet. I don’t think that’s so unusual.”

“No, of course not. Looks like you’re into multiples, too?”

“Multiples?” I squeaked.

She pointed to a photograph I’d not gotten to yet. It was a point of view shot, looking down at two women kneeling at a man’s feet. They were both blindfolded, wearing collars and leashes, and had their tongues out and covered in what appeared to be cum.

My mouth dropped open.

Beneath them lay the same rug I’d recognized from earlier.

“Oh, that. It was just a photo shoot. Like a movie scene, it wasn’t real,” West assured Violet. “Like I said, it’s just a hobby. Got your attention, didn’t it?”

“They’re very good.”

“Thank you, Violet,” he said, nodding politely, his hand still firmly planted on my back. He leaned over to me, whispering in my ear. “I’d love to introduce you to a few friends. Are you up for that?”

Flattered, I nodded, and let him guide me away. We strolled past the photo Violet pointed out and I paused to read the placard beside it.

Sarah and Emily

July 24, 2023

My heart skipped a beat.

“What’s the date for?” I asked.

“That’s the date of the shoot,” he shrugged. “I like to give them simple names. Usually just the first name of the models. That shoot was actually an all-night effort, if you can believe it. I just couldn’t get the lighting right. The girls were troopers. We stayed at the club till dawn, it was ridiculous. All for one photo.”

My heart soared. That was the night of one of the murders. That meant West was cleared, and it was going to be easy to validate his alibi.

He grabbed my hand and guided me through the crowd, and I couldn’t contain the smile on my face.

“There you are!” A high voice sounded behind us. West froze, groaned and turned around.

“Hey, Everleigh,” he said.

The girl standing beside him looked very familiar. Blonde, petite, and bubbly, she was almost a clone of Reese Witherspoon.

“Sorry I’m late.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss West’s cheek before looking over at me, expectantly.

“Rosie, this is my little sister, Everleigh. You probably recognized her.”

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