Dead Girls Don't Keep Secrets

by Ames B Winterbourne

  I conjure up all my strength and push him away. This time, he goes willingly and I storm off. “Lake, wait!” he calls after me.

  I don’t turn back. Instead, I run toward the front entryway, my body aching as I go, grab my shoes, and quickly throw them on without tying the laces. I leave without a backward glance. At first, I think maybe he’ll come after me, but when I don’t hear footsteps behind me, I carry on. The wet leaves stick to the bottoms of my shoes, and it’s slippery. I keep walking, though slower to stay balanced.

  I walk as quickly and carefully as I can down the dark street. By the time I’m at least a block away from Ryder’s house, I bend down and tie my laces. As I do, I realize I forgot my cellphone back at Ryder’s. I mutter a curse, but I refuse to turn back. There are only two fluorescent streetlights that help me see where I’m going. I stand back up and continue. I’m not sure what street I’m on, but I walk as fast as I can out of the small neighborhood and toward the town square. I’m winded and know I should stop and catch my breath. I curse myself for not trying harder in gym class when we do the mile.

  Lights from a car drive past me, but then I hear brakes screeching to a stop. I stop and watch the fancy Bentley reverse until it’s in my range. I know I should probably keep walking—I don’t know what kind of creep it is—but I don’t. I stop, recognizing the license plate. A chill runs up my spine, but I still can’t move.

  The window rolls down, and a face I recognize, one I’d just been talking about, smiles at me.

  “Lake?” It’s the Mayor. His smile fades almost instantly, and concern plagues his brow. “Are you okay? Where you headed, kiddo?”

  I’ve never felt so petrified of someone in my life. It’s late. Too late to be going for an evening drive. “I … I’m just getting some fresh air.”

  “Spending the night with your boyfriend.” He chuckles. He sounds so friendly and normal, it’s hard to believe what Ryder said, but still, I can’t help the screaming in my mind that says, Danger! Danger!

  “Does your dad know you were with your boyfriend?”

  I don’t say anything. I don’t know what to say.

  “He’ll probably be worried sick. How about I give you a ride home?”

  “No, I’m really fine. Ryder’s not far behind me.”

  “Really now?” he says, looking in his rearview mirror, which is in the total opposite direction of Ryder’s house. I wonder if he’s checking to see if there are any other cars around. Anyone to find us. I swallow in fear.

  He puts the car in park and gets out. I know I should run, but I don’t. My feet are paralyzed in place.

  “Why don’t I wait here with you. You never know what kind of crazy is out there.” He takes a step toward me, and I’m finally able to take a step back. He freezes and purses his lips. “Is everything all right?”

  “Yeah, I’m just tired,” I say, trying not to let my voice shake. I instantly regret leaving Ryder’s house without my cellphone or a way home. Just then, small drizzling drops of rain begin to fall from the sky. I look up to find not a single sparkling star. My mind wanders to Ryder’s twinkling eyes as he said he loved me.

  “Are you sure you want to walk?” Mayor Craig takes a step back toward his car and leans against it, his arms crossed. I’ve never really thought about how big he is—not fat or anything—but he has wide, broad shoulders and thick arms. Little droplets of rain litter his hair and I try to look at him, really look at him and find some resemblance between him and Ryder. His nose— that’s definitely it—and his cheeks. Then there’s his chin, narrow but not pointed. “The news said it’s going to pour.”

  “The news is barely ever right about anything.” I cough out a nervous laugh. “Ryder will be here soon. You really can go.”

  “Hmm.” He glances in the direction I was coming from and his eyes widen, as though they’ve caught onto something. I turn to see if maybe Ryder has come after me. But there’s nothing behind me. Only darkness. Hands grab ahold of my arms and I jump in shock. I struggle to move and start to scream, but a hand comes over my mouth, the other grabbing me around my waist.

  “Don’t bother screaming.” His hot breath blows in my ear and I try to move away. “No one’s coming for you.” There’s a hint of amusement in his tone. Tears spring from my eyes at the reality of his words.

  Suddenly, the door to the back seat opens and he thrusts me inside. I fall into the car. Before I can right myself, the door slams shut and locks. Just as I start pounding on the window, a throat clears from beside me. It’s dark, and I’m too consumed with fear to notice someone is sitting in the back seat with me. I notice the glowing whiteness of their wicked smile and know I shouldn’t be musing that they use too much teeth-whitening gel.

  They skim their teeth with their tongue, and then an all-too-familiar voice says, “Hello, Lake.”

  Chapter 18

  “Hello, Lake,” Jessica says.

  She’s sitting at the far end of the back seat, her legs crossed. I can barely see her, but just her voice stills me.

  “It’s so good of you to join us.” Jessica’s shrill voice sounds like nails scraping along a chalkboard.

  “Jessica?” I try to keep my voice calm. Before I can so much as move, she flicks on the lights, letting a soft, warm glow illuminate the back. I’m right. Her plump hot pink lips are pulled into a demonic sneer.

  “We’re going for a ride,” Mayor Craig says as he gets comfortable in the front. I’m in so much shock, I can’t move. Through the rearview mirror, he has the same eerie grin as Jessica. The car takes off.

  Jessica’s giggles make me twitch and turn back to her. “And what a ride it will be.” She bares her teeth, as though trying to intimidate me. Her lipstick-stained teeth freak me out even more. I’m definitely in a snuff film, and I’m going to be victim number three.

  Jessica and Mayor Craig always seemed to hate each other. Mayor Craig appeared disgusted, outraged that Jessica showed her face at the funeral, and he terrified her. He blamed her for Felicia’s death. I almost felt sorry for Jessica at the time.

  I don’t waste another second on them. I reach back for the door handle, yanking at it again and again. Jessica just laughs.

  The next thing I know, Jessica grabs ahold of my hair and yanks me back. I cry out. She pulls me to face her. Then, she lets go and slams her hand against my cheek, her pointed manicure ripping into my flesh. I groan in pain. She takes advantage of my surprise and digs her claws into my arm, pulling me farther into the car. I’m thrown onto the spacious floor, and she slams her foot into my stomach. I heave as my belly aches from the blow.

  “I wouldn’t try to escape if I were you. We’re going at a high speed. It wouldn’t be good if you jumped out. You might die too soon. It wouldn’t be fun for any of us.” Though I’m immobile on the ground, she stomps her foot on my abdomen again. I scream in agony.

  “Don’t be too rough with her,” the mayor admonishes.

  “Oh, you’re no fun.” She pouts.

  “Fun?” I crack out as tears blur my vision. “You call assaulting someone fun?”

  She giggles. “Oh, Lake, Lake, Lake, this is only the beginning.”

  “Quiet, Jessica,” the mayor snaps. “How many times have I told you taunting is a waste of time. Sedate her already.”

  “Aw, but I loved when Felicia got mouthy. It was fun punishing her.”

  “Punish? You thought killing Felicia was punishing her?” I wheeze. “What the hell is wrong with you? Felicia was your friend and his daughter. He killed his own daughter.” I’m shocked I can even speak as much as I do. Breathing is becoming harder and harder, and Jessica’s foot hovers over me.

  “Felicia was my pride and joy.” The mayor says. “She always watched what she ate, only this time, she bit off more than she could chew. I loved my daughter. I was a good father, but sometimes there’s more to life than your family, e
specially when they’re trying to sabotage the perfect life you’ve built.”

  Bile rises in my throat. “Felicia threatened to tell everyone you were Ryder’s father. That you raped his mom. That you killed my mom.”

  “She was going to expose me. She said she was going to tell the boy about his real heritage. And all that money I paid that nutty mother of his would go to waste because, even though he’s my flesh and blood, he has the personality and need for justice, like the sheriff.”

  He paid off Ryder’s mom to keep quiet. It would explain why the sheriff couldn’t do anything.

  “However, the boy does have a flair for mischief, like his sister,” the mayor says, laughing. There’s nothing funny about it. This man killed his daughter, and now he has me trapped. “After all, they both had an itch only you could scratch.”

  My gut aches and I groan out, “Me?”

  “You really don’t think that Felicia just up and dumped you as a friend for no good reason, did you?” Jessica giggles.

  “What are you—”

  She shoves her foot into my body again.

  “Felicia was beginning to rebel, and when I found out her own little secret, I gave her an ultimatum: She could leave you, or I’d expose her feelings and ruin her life because everyone would abandon her.” The mayor says with amusement. “I didn’t like how close she was to you from the start, especially since you were likely to turn out like your mother. So, a little threat and telling her you’d dump her if you ever found out did just the trick.”

  “You told Felicia I’d abandon her if I knew her feelings? And that was it?” I cough out.

  “Well, and that if she ever spoke to you again, I’d be so disappointed in her I’d disown her. You recall her need for parental love and affection. All she ever wanted was my love, after all, but everything has a condition.”

  Felicia abandoned me because she was scared she’d be alone. That she’d have no one. She turned completely against me, all for her father’s love. I don’t expect to feel as devastated as I do, but my heart aches at the thought of it all. The girl who had been my best friend didn’t have a lick of faith in me. Instead, she just obeyed her father’s wishes to prevent it all.

  “There are no conditions for you, though. Only your inevitable death,” Jessica says. At some other time, I would have commented that I’m shocked she knows what inevitable means. But instead, I want to throw up.

  “Was screwing Ryder not enough for you, Jessica?” I know it’ll warrant another attack, but I can’t stand the bitch. I want to piss her off.

  Jessica shoves her foot into my ribs and I feel something crack. “Why have a boy when I could have a man?” She curls her lip at me.

  “That’s enough story time, Jessica,” the mayor says. “Tie her up.”

  Jessica’s thick lips pull into a crooked smile. She looks like the clown from the movie It. “With pleasure.”

  Though I’m aching on the ground, I know I have to fight. As she attempts to grab my hands, I dig my nails into her bicep and drag them down her arm. She howls in pain, and I attempt to crawl to the door. I don’t know why I thought she wouldn’t use her foot again. She slams it into the back of my head, and I fall facedown onto the floor. My vision is all fuzzy, and I can barely struggle, but I still reach for the door.

  “Get the needle!” the mayor shouts.

  I turn onto my back and watch Jessica turn away from me and grab her purse. That’s my chance. I kick my foot to the side of her face, and she falls back into the door with a thump.

  “Bitch!” she says.

  I groan, thinking I have a moment to touch the back of my head. When I pull my hand back, it’s wet and sticky. The car swerves, and my body slides harshly to the other side of the car. I scream. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jessica’s hand move at me. I don’t have a chance. Before I can do anything about it, something pricks my arm. Almost immediately, my body begins to tingle. It’s that kind of tingle you get when you try to walk on a numb foot. I feel nauseated and cry out in pain as I force myself to get off my back and face the floor before I purge. Jessica shouts a curse when the contents of the water I drank at Ryder’s house splatter onto her shoes. Then, my whole body washes over with numbness.

  “What are you …” My voice slurs and everything starts to spin.

  “Tie her up. Now,” the mayor says.

  “Yes, Mr. Mayor.” My vision is hazy, and though I can’t move, I feel the harsh prickliness of a rope pulled against my arms. They chafe as she tightens them, but I don’t feel pain. Then, she goes for my legs. She ties them up, too, and I can’t bring myself to struggle.

  The car comes to a sudden stop, forcing my body to jolt and smack into the back of the driver’s seat. All hope for survival vanishes. The next thing I know, the back door opens and the mayor stands there, lapping up my body with his eyes like a famished beast. I wish I’d stayed and listened to Ryder. But if my memory serves me right, he didn’t come after me when I fled his house. Any other day, I would hate to admit I’m a damsel in distress, but as the mayor pulls my legs out of the car, I need saving.

  He pulls me out completely and cradles me in his arms. They’re stronger than I could ever imagine. I never thought he’d be ripped, but at the same time, I never thought he’d kill his daughter.

  The bright lights of the Craig family’s garage make me cringe and my eyes shut tight. I attempt to move my head, but it only sways to the side. I watch as Jessica hurries ahead to open the door that leads to the kitchen. As the mayor passes her, I slur out to her, “I thought he hated you.”

  Jessica rolls her eyes like she’s bored. As she skips beside the mayor, she says, “We had to throw everyone off somehow. Not to mention, Mr. Mayor gets off on that kind of stuff.”

  “Hush, Jessica,” he says softly to her.

  She holds her tongue as we pass by the living room. Rochelle’s on the couch. On the table lies a spilled bottle of pills and a large glass of what looks like wine. I think maybe she’s dead, but a loud snore makes me realize she’s just passed out. The mayor takes me upstairs to Felicia’s bedroom. He walks in and deposits me on the pink bed. My body bounces and teddy bears go flying off the bed. It feels like pins are pricking every inch of my skin. I bite my lip, not wanting to cry out anymore. I’m tired of them seeing me so weak.

  Jessica and the mayor hover over me. The mayor isn’t the only person who has an appetite. It looks like Jessica desires me just as much. That’s almost as disturbing as the mayor killing Felicia.

  “You remind me so much of your mother. That body and that face … you know, she had a mouth, too, but a few bucks would shut her up, at least for a little while.”

  I want to kill this man and make him pay. “Fuck you,” I slur. “My mother …” My voice becomes small and barely audible. I can’t even finish a sentence.

  “Though she did shut her mouth, she wasn’t that smart, especially when she found out about Ryder. She wasn’t too pleased to learn her friend bore my child, or that I paid her family off before they could press charges. The NDA kept that damn sheriff from saying boo about me. Though, if I had raised Ryder, I suppose he would have turned out better than my dear daughter.”

  “R-Ryder,” I whimper. Just the idea of this man tainting Ryder makes me sick. Ryder may not be an angel, but he’s a good person. I know that now. If it’s because the sheriff raised him, then I have to thank the jerk. At the moment, I wish even he was here to protect me.

  The mayor’s eyes sparkle. “You really do have a thing for the boy?” he leers at me. Everything in my body tenses, and I try not to gasp in shock at the ache from the decreasing numbness. Whatever they doped me with is beginning to wear off.

  “H-he knows. H-he’ll expose y-you.” Though I’m beginning to have feeling in my body again, I’m exhausted, and my words stumble out of me.

  That stops the mayor. “He knows? Y
ou know what this means, don’t you?” He peers menacingly at me.

  Just those words terrify me. Whatever he does to me may be nothing compared to what he’s thinking of doing to Ryder.

  “You know, it was terribly easy to make sure his mother couldn’t say anything about May’s murder. Just the fear of what I’d do to his precious wife made that damn sheriff keep his mouth shut.

  “I knew Lori would hide when I showed up. I knew she would be paralyzed watching me do the exact same thing that was done to her, only worse. May was at first a willing participant for the money. But near the end, I couldn’t control myself. Knowing Lori was watching and wouldn’t be able to do anything, I made your mother suffer. May could barely breathe when I was done with her. I just couldn’t help myself when she said she’d expose me. I had to shut her up for good.”

  “He’s such a sick bastard,” Jessica says through her cackling. I figure Jessica is definitely not suffering from any kind of manipulation. I always thought she was just dumb and high school evil. Now I know she isn’t evil or stupid. She’s legit cray, and it isn’t the fun lovable kind. There’s no Stockholm syndrome going on. I don’t think she can be helped; she probably doesn’t want to be.

  He doesn’t laugh or acknowledge anything she says. Instead, his eyes are trained intently on me. “Tie her to the bed,” he commands.

  Jessica doesn’t argue. She grabs me by the arms and undoes my bindings. I feel a mix of relief and pain as my arms are freed. I could try to escape, but with the two of them hovering over me, they might try to drug me again.

  While I lie on Felicia’s pink fluffy bed, unable to fight back, Jessica grabs my wrist, digging her nails into the imprint where the ropes were. My scream could make anyone’s blood curdle. She just laughs. The mayor’s lip twitches with amusement, as well.

  Suddenly, the doorbell rings, and the mayor’s sinister expression washes from his face. Something dawns on him. “I have a feeling my son has come to save the day.”