Page 74 of The Bridesmaid

‘Whatisshe doing?’ mutters Georgia. ‘Is that … an air mattress?’

‘She’s fully clothed,’ I murmur. ‘That dress and scarf ensemble is actually a good combination, if she hadn’t gotten it soaking wet.’

I take in Holly’s rounded limbs, and the soft curve of her belly under her soaked clothing. It looks cute, I guess, from a certainperspective. But … why did she jump in fully clothed? Behind us, I hear a patter of footsteps and turn to see Petra running full speed toward us.

I turn back to the sea. Holly is close enough to make out her expression now. The sea-green eyes wide with shock, beneath their skinny brows.

‘Oh Jesus!’ Bile rises in my throat. Someone gasps in horror. I think it’s Georgia.

Holly is dragging in Silky’s battered body.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

HOLLY

The beach is a chaos of shocked female faces. Adrianna is making a series of calls on her cell. Petra is standing a little apart. Georgia and Ophelia stand a little to the side, heads resting against each other.

I’ll say one thing for Kensington Manor School girls, they sure can deal with shock. Not a single one has reacted in the hysterical way many people do when dead bodies are involved.

Fitzwilliam and I kneel quietly by Silky’s body, a little apart from the others. I gently set down the stack of sopping wet pages we found floating near her.

‘Looks like heroin overdose,’ I tell him quietly. ‘Pink-tinged pulmonary secretions around the mouth associated with lung failure. The other injuries could be grazes from her body being washed out to sea and snagged on rocks. We’d need a full forensic to be sure though.’ I’m thinking of Simone’s body and can see by Fitzwilliam’s face he’s doing the same.

He looks thoughtful and I realize he must be wrestling with his instinct to be a cop. If this is a murder, he is first at the scene. He should be taking notes, and interviewing witnesses. If it’s an overdose, then Simone’s murder is still the priority, and we shouldn’t blow our cover.

‘Dad.Dad, listen.’ Adrianna’s voice dials up, loud enough for us all to hear. ‘Forget about the sponsorship. Something happened. Silky’s dead.’

We don’t hear the second part of the call, but we do see Adrianna’s face grow gradually less tense, and more grief-stricken as the conversation progresses.

She ends the call and looks to Georgia.

‘Dad is contacting the Colombian police,’ she says. ‘They’ll be here in under two hours.’

‘Why would we call the police?’ asks Georgia. ‘We all know how she died. It’s only a miracle she didn’t overdose sooner.’

Ophelia’s amber eyes widen in shock.

‘Well, it’strue,’ says Georgia, not quite meeting anyone’s eyes. ‘We all knew Adrianna was carrying Silky. For years. And she got nothing but drama. Silky’s drug addiction was just one more dirty secret the school forced us to carry. I’m sick of it.’

‘Quiet! All of you,’ snaps Petra, her long fingers pushed up to her angular temples, raking fists of platinum blonde hair.

‘You don’t get to tell us off anymore,’ says Ophelia, her voice shaky, tears rolling down her freckled cheeks. ‘We all know you drove her to it. Silky would still be alive if it wasn’t for what you did to her.’

‘There’s no need for that,’ snaps Georgia.

I see Petra glance at her, grateful.

‘There’s no point turning on each other,’ says Georgia, running her hands behind the back of her neck. ‘We need to stay calm. Fine metal, remember?’

They all exchange a long, loaded glance.

‘Fine metal,’ agrees Petra, her face troubled. ‘Great heat.’

Chapter Fifty-Nine

ADRIANNA

The plan for breakfast and lunch photoshoots was replaced with a waiting game. Silky’s body was removed, and finally, in the early afternoon, initial reports were filed.