Strange looks and cautious questions followed Camilla all day. It became exhausting to feign innocence, but she had more difficulty pretending to care about River’s whereabouts.

Camilla had committed many heinous acts in her life. Somehow, she had never once been caught, so she was not accustomed to the effects of that. Even after rehearsing with Zach over what she would say to her peers, Camilla could not tell how genuine she appeared.

Luckily, others were not as bold as the musical cast when questioning her. Somehow, even their curiosity came across intensely to her. By the end of the day, Camilla was beyond drained.

Still, she had an entire cheer practice to get through. She wondered what her team knew about River’s disappearance, if anything.

She entered the locker room with Michelle and Meagan at her sides. Although it had become a challenge for Camilla to distinguish the looks she received, those from her fellow cheerleaders seemed normal.

Her shoulders relaxed as she walked to her locker, but they quickly tensed up again as Meagan spoke.

“How do you think practice is going to go?” she asked in a low voice.

Michelle leaned back against a bench. “The girls I spoke to earlier heard about the disappearance,” she noted, not as quiet as Meagan, “but they didn't even know River. No one seemed to have heard any of the false accusations.”

Camilla cringed, saying, “We should try to keep it that way, so maybe we don't talk about it.” Meagan’s brows scrunched. “I've had to talk about it all day. I really just want to take this practice as a chance to get away from the rumors.”

“We're just trying to help,” Meagan reasoned.

“You're my friends,” Camilla replied. “Of course you're going to help me. I wouldn't expect anything else.”

The girls exchanged glances before Camilla continued, saying, “And, obviously, I appreciate the updates. For right now, though, I just want a break.”

With a small smile, Michelle wrapped Camilla into a hug. As her arms tightened, Camilla forced herself to return the gesture, although her body remained rigid.

“You deserve a break,” Michelle agreed. “We'll give you that. Right, Meagan?”

If that's what you need,” Meagan responded, “then sure.”

Michelle pulled back and met Camilla's blue eyes. “We're always going to be here for you.”

Camilla plastered on a grin. “That means a lot.”

Still, their support wasn't enough to put an end to Amy's defamation. Camilla could hardly feel grateful at all.

The cheer practice began with no mention of River. She felt just as relaxed as she had during the last practice—before River had taken her role and Camilla killed them.

She could sense her tension melting away. Finally, she felt as though these moments would pass, and her reputation would revert back to normal.

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦

Those carefree moments did not last when Camilla returned home.

As she drove closer to her house, she noticed an unfamiliar car in the driveway. It wasn't until she began to pull in that she read “police” on the side of it.

It was too late to turn back.

Unable to see into the car's windows, Camilla feared officers would rush out of the vehicle and surround her, guns drawn. Yet, she exited her own car with no confrontation. Upon closer inspection, she could see nobody inside the car. For a moment, she imagined Zach in the backseat, as if he'd confessed to their crimes. But, of course, he was not there either.

Camilla stepped slowly towards the front door. Just tell them what you've been telling everyone else, she thought. Say you spoke briefly with River, but you left. You left right after, and you went home. You know nothing else about their disappearance.

It should have been ingrained in her head after preaching it all day, but her stomach churned as she grasped the handle.

It’s fine. They’re probably just questioning everyone they can from Edwardsville.

Camilla held her breath as she opened the door.

She could not see any officers, but she heard an unfamiliar male voice coming from the kitchen. His sentence cut off as the door shut, and footsteps sounded.

Two men emerged from the kitchen, peering at Camilla. One was an officer in full uniform, weapons strapped to his waist. The other was dressed in business casual with a notepad in hand. Their expressions were relaxed, but they did nothing to put her at ease. One of them was more than likely a detective.

From behind them, Camilla’s mother greeted her. Camilla swallowed. What could her mother have said to the police about her recent behavior?

“Camilla, right?” the detective asked, a small smile on his face.

Camilla only nodded at first, but she quickly added, “Yes, I am.”

Polite, she thought. I need to be polite. That’s who I am. I’m polite, respectful, and well-behaved. Someone like that would never kill another person.

The detective advanced towards Camilla, hand outstretched. She shook it with the most welcoming expression she could muster as he introduced himself. She could hardly take in any information with her mind racing.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said. “I’ve heard plenty of good things from Susan.”

Camilla’s shoulders relaxed. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

My mother told them good things. That’s a good sign.

“We were just talking about a case from someone at your school,” he continued. “Do you know anything about that?”

Camilla froze. What would an innocent person say?

“I heard a senior went missing,” she said. “I didn't know them too well—before they disappeared, I mean—but I've seen some posts about it.”

“That's good. We've been trying to get information from other students. They're likely the last people to have seen the missing person. We've already spoken with some students. Is it alright if we speak with you today?”

Camilla takes a slow breath. “I'll do anything I can to help.”

“Great.” The detective stuffed his notepad in his bag. “We'll head to the police station, then.”

“The police station?” Camilla asked.

“Yes, it's just a formality. You're not in any kind of trouble.” The detective chuckled and turned to Camilla's mother. “You have the option to be present, Mrs. Green,” he informed her. “Again, your daughter isn’t in any trouble. It’s up to you.”

She looked at Camilla with a concerned gaze. “I’ll be fine,” Camilla reassured her with a sigh. “I’m practically an adult anyway.”

Her mother squeezed her knuckles firmly and said, “Okay, honey.”

As she departed from the house with the officer and detective, she hoped her compliance would paint her with an innocent light.

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦

Camilla maintained the same hope when declining a lawyer in the interrogation room. Moreover, she felt beyond capable of telling her story without one present.

The start of the questioning was a breeze. It consisted of her introducing herself, much of which she was already accustomed to with her class president duties. There was certainly no world in which Camilla Green did not adore talking about herself.

However, her comfort was short-lived. As soon as the detective mentioned River’s name, her body tensed.

“Now, River isn’t in your grade,” the detective noted, “but I’m curious if you know anything about them other than what you’ve seen online today.”

Camilla took in a breath, saying, “I’ve known River for a while through the drama department. They're usually in the crew, while I only do cast. I wouldn’t call us friends but maybe acquaintances.”

“Had River been casted in any shows at Edwardsville High School?”

Not wanting to specify, Camilla said, “Just once as far as I know.”

“When was that?”

Camilla sucked her teeth. Surely, the detective already knew the answer.

“They were just casted in the spring musical last Thursday. I heard it was their first ever audition, so it was a pretty big accomplishment.”

“Did you audition on Thursday?”

Camilla could no longer determine the purpose of this line of questioning. Because the disappearance was so recent, perhaps investigators truly did not know the recent events in River's life. Alternatively, they could be trying to pry Camilla. She couldn't pin down if she was a suspect.

“Yes, I auditioned, too,” she confirmed. “I'm actually River's understudy.”

There was no use dancing around the truth. Camilla could tell the detective already knew that. It would be more suspicious if she avoided admitting it.

The detective nodded. “How did you feel about the casting choices?”

“I was excited to be an understudy for a lead.” Camilla fidgeted with her nail before meeting the detective’s eyes. “It was exciting for River, too. I remember congratulating them before the first rehearsal.”

“And that was yesterday, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

The detective leaned back. “Can you describe your interaction with River that day?”

“Before the rehearsal started, I saw them in the hallway outside of the drama room. They were talking with some friends.”

“Do you know the names of those friends?”

“Amy Gardener and Tiffany Stewart.” The detective scribbled on his notepad. “I always see the three of them together lately.”

“What happened next?”

“Well, I wanted to congratulate River because I hadn't gotten the chance until then. So, I did, and I told them I'm excited to be a part of it with them. They also seemed nervous for the rehearsal, so I wished them luck and told them I'd be here for them if they ever needed me.”

“River was nervous. Did you notice any other strange behavior from them?”

“Again, I'm not that close with River. I don't really know what their regular behavior is. They just seemed nervous because it was their first ever rehearsal in the cast.” Camilla paused. “But, oddly enough, River didn't seem nervous for their audition. They were pretty confident and relaxed. At least, from what I could tell. Maybe I misread it, but they were much more anxious yesterday, which is a little bit strange. Most people are more nervous before their audition.”

If Camilla could do anything with confidence, it was lying. River was nervous both days. They only appeared less nervous after Camilla gave them “advice.”

Still, Camilla was willing to risk her credibility if she could push the detective to believe River may have run away. As long as investigators couldn't find any evidence against her, she hoped they would reach that conclusion.

“What happened after you spoke with River?”

“Then, I said goodbye to some people and left.”

The detective positioned himself closer to Camilla, hands clasped together. “Did you speak with anyone else before or while leaving?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Did you speak with anyone on the phone around the time you left?”

“No, sir.”

He was silent for a moment. “So, if we were to look through your phone records, we wouldn't find any calls around this time?”

“You would not.”

Camilla wasn't so sure they wouldn't find her calls with Zach, but she had given him the task of texting and calling River, pretending to be Camilla. There should be no record of any contact with them.

Still, she feared what the detective may find on her phone. Camilla shifted in her chair, asking, “What significance do my phone calls have in this case?”

The detective's stare darted between Camilla's eyes. “River was in contact with someone just before going missing. It's possible that this ‘someone’ may have been involved in the disappearance.”

Camilla frowned. “I hope you find that person, and I hope you find River.”

With a long breath, the detective straightened and stood. “I hope so, too.” He gestured for the door. “You’re free to leave.”

Camilla’s thoughts ran rampant on the short journey back home. The detective’s questions were not exactly accusatory, she thought, but he certainly views me as a suspect. Either Amy told the police everything she saw—which I don’t doubt—or they have some form of evidence against me. Maybe they have security camera footage that captures just enough to implicate me. Maybe the evidence they have lines up with every one of Amy’s claims.

Maybe they have more than I planned against.

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦

The ride home was uneventful, but it provided Camilla with a much-needed break from questioning. The interview had drained her. She soon realized such a break would not last at her house.

As the police car pulled beside her driveway, yet another vehicle—very recognizable to Camilla—was parked there.

Once the car stopped, the officer driving said, “If you need to speak with us again, feel free to come by the police station.”

Camilla, staring at her house, nodded slowly and departed from the car. The officer drove off in an instant. Camilla almost wished he’d stayed for a moment to hold off her inevitable entrance.

Just as expected, a bellowing voice penetrated the walls of the house the closer she came. Her footsteps dropped to near silence, as though she were prey passing by the route of a predator. Yet, there was nowhere for her to hide. With a cautious push, Camilla entered the den of the monster.

The shouting suddenly ceased. The quiet that followed rang in her ears. The eyes that shot towards her pierced hers as she slowly met them.

Camilla only ever faced such furious stares when her father, Dylan Green, returned home. Growing up with the same intensity didn’t make it any easier to endure.

This time, however, seemed much worse.

“Camilla Nicole Green,” he snarled, “shut the door.”

Her fingers clenched the wood as she swung the door closed. With a slam much louder than intended, her father stormed towards her.

“I didn’t tell you to throw the door!” he snapped, halting directly in front of Camilla. He casted a shadow over her.

Camilla met his dark eyes with a blank stare, but her fists remained tightened at her sides. “I apologize,” she said.

“You should be apologizing for sending the police here. What was that?”

“It was the missing person at her school,” Susan interjected from the living room, looking on with a fearful expression. “The police were trying to get information—”

“And what could they possibly want from you specifically?” he barked, head thrashing. “Why did they question you? What did you do, Camilla?”

She maintained her composure, responding, “I didn’t do anything. They questioned me because I was one of the last people to speak with the missing person.”

As Camilla glided past her father, he grunted. Walking her way, her mother asked, “Do they think you had anything to do with it?”

“They shouldn’t,” Camilla asserted. “I obviously had no involvement.”

“You had better pray they don’t find otherwise,” Dylan growled. “If they do, I’ll give the police a real reason to show up.”

“Dylan!” her mother shouted.

Behind his back, Camilla rolled her eyes. Like father, like daughter.

In an instant, Dylan charged towards his new—and usual—target, his wife. “I have a status to maintain, Susan! If my daughter is under suspicion for this case, I have a lot more to worry about than someone like you.”

Susan shook her head. “I’m worried about the child that disappeared yesterday. And I’m worried about our daughter.”

Sensing her father’s attention had diverted, Camilla snuck up the stairs, sure to close her bedroom door softer than the last. Now far from the source, muffled yelling resounded in her room. Even in her closet—which concealed most sounds in the large house—the distant roar of fighting met her ears.

Camilla had much more to worry about than her father’s rage if she continued to be accused of murder. As she withdrew her phone, she assured herself that she could prevent such a thing from occurring.

She dialed the same familiar—yet unsaved—number she had called various times in the past week and waited for Zach’s voice to answer.

With him, Camilla remained confident she could evade arrest. His strength, numerous weapons, and housing situation left him no difficulty carrying out crimes for her. Beyond that, however, Camilla had a man at her feet, who would not utter a complaint if she tossed a bloody knife in his lap. Zach would rid of her evidence in a heartbeat.

He even promised take the blame for their shared murders.

It was shortly after they began dating—shortly after their first kill. Back then, Camilla actively spent time with Zach, distrusting his secrecy. After all, his former crimes seemed rather impulsive. She wasn’t ready to trust him fully, but she had to pretend. It was the only way she felt safe.

“What would you tell police,” Camilla had asked, sat in his lap, “if they arrested you for killing Chloe?”

Zach’s hand crawled along her exposed thigh as he repeated, “What would I tell them?” She nodded. “Well, I imagine we’d rather go down together.”

Camilla pushed herself away from him to meet his eyes. “You would tell them I took part in it?”

“Camilla, if we both went to prison, even though we’d be apart, we would be in it together. Neither of us would have to wait for the other. We would wait to be reunited.”

Camilla shook her head. “That makes no sense. We wouldn’t be able to see each other, and we’d hardly be able to communicate.”

“I guess so, but at least we’d be waiting for each other.”

“Zach, if you confessed my involvement to the police, I would not wait to be reunited with you. You would lose me if you betrayed me like that.”

Zach frowned. “I thought you’d want that.”

“Why would I want to go to prison? If the police have nothing against me, I want you to keep your mouth shut so that only one of us has to do time. It makes no sense for us to both go to prison if only one of us has to.”

“If that’s what you want, then okay.”

“Promise me that you will never speak of my involvement.”

Zach held her hand in a tight squeeze. “I promise I’ll never speak of it.”

In all this time, Camilla knew she had Zach by her side to not only assist her murders but to defend her name. This time around, she would only need him for another kill.

“Hello?” Zach answered the phone.

Camilla grinned. “I found our next target.”