WIFE FOR A PRICE

by Kathryn Thomas

  “What the fuck!” Shayna’s voice pierced through the air, but Camille was frozen on the spot.

  “What is going on? Who did this?” Devin thundered, but all Camille could do was stare at her destroyed art.

  “I apologize, ladies and gentlemen. There seems to have been some sort of confusion. Please give me a few moments,” Evangeline’s voice rang through the microphone again, and finally, Camille looked up at her.

  Evangeline looked as confused as her; she looked like she was on the verge of tears too. She dropped the microphone and came running towards them, pushed Devin out of her way, and pulled Camille into her arms. Camille felt the cold skin on Evangeline’s shoulder as she forced Camille to rest her head there.

  “I’m so sorry, Camille. I have no idea what happened. They were all fine when we arranged them and turned off the lights. I checked them all myself. I can’t believe this,” she said, and Camille heard the tears in Evangeline’s voice.

  Camille straightened herself; hot tears were prickling the back of her eyelids. They were threatening to come gushing down her cheeks, but she was forcing herself to not cry.

  “Camille…” she heard Devin’s voice beside her, but nothing was making sense, none of it mattered. Her work, her soul… was all destroyed.

  “Camille!” she heard Shayna’s voice and turned to her best friend. They both hugged tightly, aware that everyone’s eyes were on her.

  “This bitch did this!” Shayna screamed, turning on Evangeline, but Camille held her back.

  “She has nothing to do with this. Shayna, just calm down.” Camille tried to talk to Shayna in a calm controlled voice but it wasn’t working, Shayna was in tears too, just like Evangeline.

  “Camille…” it was Devin who was calling her name again, and this time when she turned to look at him, she saw a look on his face that she had never seen before. He looked destroyed; he looked as though he was mourning the loss of his own paintings. Like he had spent his whole life working on them himself.

  “Camille…” he said, and she turned straight into his arms. His hands were on her head, stroking her hair. She snuggled into his arms and closed her eyes, still forcing the tears back.

  “I don’t know what to say, Camille. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have forced you into this,” he whispered, cradling her in his arms. Camille shook her head and looked up at him. She knew that he could see it on her face, that she was doing everything in her power to stop herself from crying. Her nose was bright red, her cheeks were flushed, and the back of her neck was burning up, but she was holding herself together. She wasn’t going to cry. She was an artist. She was Cammy.

  “It’s alright, Devin. I can deal with it,” she said, and she heard Evangeline’s wail again.

  “No, Camille, you shouldn’t have to deal with it. This is all my fault. I should have been more careful; I should have taken the insurance out against vandalism. I should have known that you could have enemies - competitors against your art,” Evangeline told her through her tears.

  None of those things were making sense to her. Enemies? Competitors? Nobody even knew that Camille drew; she had always published the comic books under a pen name. Who could have held a secret grudge against her work?

  “Why would Camille have any enemies?” It was Shayna who came thundering forward and wedged a gap between Evangeline and Camille.

  “Shayna, please just… don’t make a scene,” Camille whispered. She had lost her voice somehow, and Devin’s hand had disappeared from her shoulders too, so she was feeling more and more now like she was losing all her strength.

  “Yes, Shayna. That’s the last thing we want - to drive all my guests away,” Evangeline snapped at Shayna, turning on her with her wide piercing eyes.

  “Shut up. You messed this up. Screw your guests!” Shayna screamed, and this time it was Devin who came over and put a calming hand on her shoulder.

  “Shayna, let’s all just take the time to figure this out,” he said while Camille bit down on her lip, trying to hold the tears back.

  “Figure what out? It’s all ruined. Destroyed. Because of your jealous ex-girlfriend.” Shayna was still speaking loud enough for everyone to hear.

  “Oh my God!” Evangeline wailed, and Camille stepped in again.

  “Shayna, please, leave her out of this. Can we all just please calm down?” She tried to make her voice heard, but neither Shayna nor Evangeline listened. They had started quarreling among themselves, and Devin simply shook his head and came over to her.

  “Camille, I feel so bad. How can I fix this?” he asked, and Camille shook her head. She was too lost in thought; it was all too confusing. Why would anybody do this to her work? What could anybody possibly have against her?

  “You can fix it by shutting them up, please Devin, before they go out of control here,” Camille said, with her lips quivering, and with one nod of the head, Devin stepped in between the two quarreling women and separated them with his hands. He was holding Shayna and Evangeline at bay, who were only seconds away from scratching each other’s faces off.

  “Camille, you have to believe me. Devin… I had nothing to do with this,” Evangeline said, clutching Camille’s hands again. She tried to wriggle out of her grip.

  “I believe you, Evangeline, please just let me go now. I need to think,” Camille told her, finally being able to free herself.

  “I suppose I should just call it off. I should go and make the announcement right now,” Evangeline said, wiping some tears away from her face.

  “No, wait!” Camille called out to her. “I’ll announce it. It’s my art.” Camille walked past Evangeline, not giving her the opportunity to protest or interfere. She walked straight to the discarded microphone while everyone else’s eyes followed the disgraced artist across the gallery floor.

  She picked up the microphone, switched it on, and faced her audience. Camille tried hard to not look at Devin or Shayna’s defeated faces. She didn’t feel defeated yet. Not when she had Devin by her side.

  “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I am Camille Griffin, and as you all can see, I also used to be an artist,” she said nervously and smiled. A few people in the crowd smiled at her too. However, most people were too much in shock to find that statement funny. Certainly, nobody was laughing.

  “It appears as though my art offended a few people.” She stretched her hands, indicating to the destroyed frames hanging on the walls. Everyone looked at her with rapt attention and Camille tucked in a few curls behind her ears and continued. “It was that good.”

  There was laughter this time and more people smiled. When she looked at Shayna, she looked like she was still in shock. Devin looked like he was in disbelief. He hadn’t been expecting this reaction from Camille. Evangeline, on the other hand, looked angry!

  “I do urge you all to, however, not leave this gallery empty-handed. You all came here today to be stunned and shocked by my art, and truly, have I not achieved that?” Camille added, and then was a sudden murmur in the room. People were talking amongst themselves, consulting each other. And suddenly the mood had started to change.

  “Isn’t this art in itself? Look around you, and you will find that each piece of vandalized art here will speak to you, straight to your soul.” Camille wasn’t fumbling with her words any longer. She was confident, and Devin had been right, an artist needs to sell themselves just as much as their artwork.

  “Buy one of these pieces today, and I’ll sign it for you, and this night’s presentation will be etched in your memory for life. You’ll have a piece of vandalism hanging from your living room walls as a steady reminder that this kind of hateful action cannot kill an artist’s soul. Thank you all very much for coming,” she finished and switched off the microphone. She couldn’t even hear her own footsteps as the whole gallery erupted in the loudest applause of the night. She could see Shayna wiping a few tears from her cheeks. Devin was clapping the loudest. He looked proud and happy, and like he couldn’t wait to have her
in his arms again.

  Camille smiled as she walked towards him. Her life’s work had been destroyed, but she was in a room full of people who were going to buy her destroyed artwork, who would remember her name forever, and that was worth something. Whoever had destroyed her art had done her a huge favor.

  “Devin,” she said as she fell into his open arms.

  “You are a shining star, Camille,” she heard him say in her ear as he held her tight and kissed her cheeks.

  People were still clapping, Shayna included, but Evangeline had disappeared. But Camille wasn’t concerned about the truth. She was just happy knowing that she and her art were being appreciated. Even if it was in the most absurd way possible.

  Chapter Twenty-One Devin

  Devin watched from a distance as Camille and Shayna sat on two chairs at the center of the gallery signing the paintings being bought. He couldn’t have been more proud of Camille. He hadn’t seen it coming or expected it from her, but this had just proven to him that she was the woman for him. She had guts, she was smart, and she was strong. She wasn’t the innocent and naive girl he had assumed she was. Camille Griffin was a force to be reckoned with.

  From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Evangeline’s dress, and Devin was immediately on the move. He weaved through the crowds until he was directly behind her and with one swift movement he had caught her by the arm.

  “You, come with me,” he said, and tugged at her arm, pulling her roughly through the crowds until he found the back door of the gallery. He knew where it led. It led to a quiet alleyway behind the gallery, where Evangeline used to drag him for a quick fuck when they were dating. He was taking her there for a completely different reason now.

  “What are you doing? Let me go!” Evangeline squealed, but Devin pushed open the doors and pulled her outside with him, slamming the doors behind him.

  “What am I doing? What did you do?!” Devin thundered, and Evangeline was wailing again.

  “How dare you blame me for this?” She was crying but screaming as well, and Devin clenched his fists and took a few steps away from her.

  “This is exactly the reason why it’s been over between us, Evangeline. Because of shit like this that you pull.” Devin spoke through gritted teeth, and she looked up at him with her scrunched up face. Her tears were spreading down her cheeks, but her makeup remained perfect and un-smudged.

  “How dare you say that? I’ve done nothing against you. Anything I’ve done in the past is for your love,” she wailed, and her whole body shuddered. Devin stayed away from her; he wasn’t going to fall her tricks again.

  “Tell me what you did. How you arranged for all this?” he demanded, but Evangeline kept wailing.

  “Why would you think I did any of this? Why would I jeopardize that poor girl’s career?”

  Devin gritted his teeth again. “To get back at me for dumping you. Shayna was right, you’re a jealous ex-girlfriend, and I should never have allowed Camille to be associated with you. This is all my mistake.” He was growling, pacing the street, and slapping the brick alley walls with his hands.

  Devin could feel his rage rising up his spine. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this angry. Perhaps it was with Evangeline.

  “I don’t have anything to be jealous about,” Evangeline said, suddenly straightening her back from her crouched position. I have everything I need. I have a man who can actually take care of me, and who has more money than you’ll ever have. And who treats me like a queen.” She wiped the tears off her face.

  Devin rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Why did you turn up at my house then, begging me to take you back?” he asked, taking a few steps towards her.

  “Because I wanted to tease you,” Evangeline replied, rolling her eyes too. The tears had vanished, and her expression had changed. She wasn’t in a wailing mood anymore. Instead, she ran her fingers through her long, shiny dark hair and started feeling her lips to make sure that her makeup was still intact.

  Devin scoffed and shook his head. “I wish you’d just give up the act, Evangeline.” Devin looked at her as she slipped a compact mirror out of her purse. She flipped it open and looked at her own reflection, pouted her lips, and got busy with making sure that when she went back in, nobody would find her face amiss.

  “You’re right, Devin, it is all an act. And I’m incredibly good at it,” Evangeline said after a few seconds of silence. She snapped the mirror shut, slipped it back into her bag, and smiled at him, a broad, satisfied grin.

  Devin’s face twisted into more hatred. He knew Evangeline was manipulative, but he hadn’t thought that she could stoop this low. She had never admitted to all this before, but he wasn’t surprised by this.

  “Just stay the fuck away from me, and don’t even think of going anywhere near Camille,” Devin said and just as he took a step towards the door, he felt a sharp thud on the back of his head.

  The impact made him plunge forward, and his knees buckled, propelling him forward to the ground.

  Devin felt a little dizzy, but he still hadn’t lost complete consciousness. But now he could sense a male shadow above him, and the world looked skewed. He fought to keep his eyes open, while he sensed someone tugging at his limp arms. He tried to keep his eyes open, but Devin could feel them growing heavy. There was an ache in the back of his head where he had been hit.

  He kept wondering how he could have been this stupid. How he could have been this unaware of his surroundings. But there was no physical strength left in him anymore; his injured brain had overtaken his body, and none of his limbs would move. Somebody was dragging him towards the back of a car. Where was Evangeline?

  Then he saw her, topsy-turvy, but he could see her clearly now. She had a smile on her face.

  “I’ll be seeing your precious girlfriend real soon, darling,” he heard her say, and before he had the chance to even part his lips, somebody had pulled him into the back of a van, and there was pitch black darkness all around him.

  Chapter Twenty-Two Camille

  “Shayna, I think we should go to the police.” Camille turned to her best friend, who was busy signing her name on another one of their vandalized pieces of art. The show had turned out to be a major success. After Camille’s speech, urging guests to look at their art as vandalized creations, and not ones ready for the dumpster, people were inspired. They all came together in support of the artists and their work. She and Shayna were surrounded by prospective buyers who wanted to learn more about their work and were willing to buy them too.

  In the commotion, Camille had lost sight of Devin, and Evangeline was nowhere to be seen either. She had waited patiently, smiling and entertaining prospective buyers, signing the art and trying to keep a casual and confident air around her. The truth was that she was slowly beginning to lose her confidence. She had gained inspiration from Devin, from his words of encouragement and she felt like his presence had empowered her to make that speech. And now he was nowhere in sight.

  Shayna hadn’t heard Camille, so she tugged at her sleeve this time and leaned into her ear.

  “We should go to the police,” Camille said again, and this time Shayna whipped around to look at her, slightly surprised.

  “What are you talking about?” Shayna asked. She was facing Camille with a look of surprise while her fingers still did the signing. Shayna was over the top with excitement; this had been a big night for them.

  “We need to go report the vandalism,” Camille said, and Shayna’s confusion grew.

  “To the police? I’m sure the gallery will do it for us, won’t they? Shouldn’t Evangeline file the report?” Shayna waved her hand at someone else who had approached them for an autograph.

  “Do you see Evangeline anywhere? She might have gone home already? Or maybe she doesn’t care,” Camille said, sitting back in the chair that she had been sitting on for the past hour and signing the art. It could have been more than an hour, Camille wasn’t certain anymore. All she knew was that
it had been an incredibly long time since she last saw Devin.

  “You were the one who said to leave Evangeline out of this. I warned you she was trouble. I told you that she was behind all this,” Shayna accused her, and Camille shook her head.

  “I know you did, but I didn’t want you to make a scene. Of course I don’t trust her.”

  “And where’s Devin? Shouldn’t he be here to support you?” Shayna asked, still in a sour mood.

  “I don’t know where he is,” Camille said, her voice was shaky, she was losing her confidence, and a sudden fright had filled her bones. She didn’t want to think too seriously about it, but she was aware that Devin was involved in something not quite right. There were men on bikes following him. She didn’t want to think about the worst.

  “So Evangeline and Devin are both missing, together, at the same time. When they both should be here with you.” Shayna stood up from her chair, and Camille felt her lips quivering. She didn’t want to have to think about the fact that they were both missing at the same time. She tried to remind herself that there had to be a perfect explanation for all this. But it had been over an hour, and neither of them had been seen anywhere.