Page 8 of Such a Good Girl

Lieutenant Veronica Addison was a twenty-year career cop, who’d worked her way up the ranks through literal blood, sweat and tears. She’d taken a shot to the head one night in a bad drug deal and ended up with a promotion and permanent desk duty. While a lot of others may have turned in their badge after such a traumatic experience and long recovery, she’d returned to the force stronger than ever.

“Did you see what they put in my locker?”

“They’re fucking assholes, Kaylee. You know that. You can’t let them get to you.”

“I also can’t let them get away with such sexist bullshit.”

“I’m sorry you have to deal with that.” Her words were the right ones. However, her tone brooked absolutely no compassion.

I gritted my teeth. “I’ve worked fucking hard to get here. I don’t deserve that shit.”

“No, you don’t. That’s true. Nobody does. But look, I dealt with it. I made it through, and so will you. The trick is to not respond at all. They want to rile you up, otherwise they wouldn’t do it. If you don’t react, eventually they’ll give up and find another target.”

“Well, isn’t that the point of standing up? So they stop this shit and don’t do it to anyone else?”

“We both know it doesn’t work that way.”

I sighed, shaking my head. She was jaded, obviously. Was that in my future, too? I never wanted to just let this kind of behavior slide. Why should I?

“Listen, you gotta let that shit go. At least for today,” she said, sliding a file across her desk towards me. “Because today, I need you to focus.”

“What’s this?” I asked, opening the file. My eyes widened at the photos inside.

I saw a female form sprawled out on the ground near some piled cardboard. She was wearing a too-tight black dress. Her legs were splayed out awkwardly. Silky black ropes crisscrossed her body, neatly trussing her like a Christmas goose ready to be put in the oven. Her pink platform heel dangled from her foot. Her long pink nails were broken, torn away during a struggle. It was obvious that she put up quite a fight.

But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her face.

She was turned toward the camera, her face painted white like a mime. Her heavily made-up eyes were wide, her red mouth an openohof surprise. She resembled a caricature of a slasher’s victim in a horror movie, seconds before she was murdered.

Someone went to a lot of trouble to pose her this way.

“Jesus,” I said. “This is fucked up.”

Lieutenant Addison nodded. “Wait till you hear the details. And you’re going to need to hear them, because you’re being detailed to the special cases task force. You are going to be placed on an undercover investigation.”

Her words piqued my interest. I glanced up at her.

“Obviously I’m interested. But… why me?”

“The lieutenant over on the special cases task force asked if I had a female detective that was the same age as the victims. And I put your name forward.”

“Oh.” My shoulders sagged. “I guess I am the only woman in my age range working here. I just thought…”

I allowed the words to trail off. Addison lifted her mouth in a grim smile.

“Sorry to be the first to tell you this, but you are not special. You just fit the parameters.”

I heaved a silent sigh. “Okay. Well… tell me more about the case.”

She took the folder from my hands and splayed the photos out, then looked at me with a serious, intent expression. I peered at the photos, each one more devastating and horrifying than the last.

“The vics were three beautiful up and coming actresses. Each of them were found tied up. Each of them strangled to death. Each murder was committed in a back alley of a different dive bar in West Hollywood. It’s obvious they’re connected.”

I didn’t say anything, so Lieutenant Addison reached over to tap all three photos, right by the victim’s faces.

“Besides the silver masks, the heavy white face paint, and heavy makeup they were all wearing, the only other connection between the three of them is the Hush Hush Club. Have your heard of it?”

I shook my head. “Nope. I’m not really much of a socialite.”

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