“Didn’t kill who she thought she did. Oh-and side note, big sister, Saffron lied to you too. She was Shannon’s daughter-a spy all along.”
“You’re lying!” Still, Eva flashed a quick look to Mae and then shook off what she knew to be true.
“Brogue also claims you weren’t the only one drugged that night. All the guys were.”
“Sons of bitches!” Eva spat the words as more of her rich laughter poured into the room. “I should've killed them all on the island when I had the chance.”
“Brogue says it was a set up by girls you’d wronged on the island.” Persephone was terrified yet almost delirious with glee as she shared the news. “They came together to take you down a few pegs-to put you on your back, so to speak.”
“It was a weak plan,” Evangela’s deceptive laugh fluttered yet again, “and it certainly didn’t feel like punishment. There’s nothing like a guy who knows what to do with a big dick and they all came very well equipped. But there I go again,” she sent a flourishing wave to Persephone and Marci.
“You guys know what I’m talking about. My only regret is I didn’t get the chance to sample my baby brother.” She peppered the lurid statement with more laughter.
“You were laughing…”
Persephone’s acid expression cleared somewhat when she looked to Mae who had spoken. She’d been working her way toward Tammy partly because of Eva and partly because Mae’s weird quiet had set her very much on edge. Tammy was seated just a little too close to Maeva for her liking and Persephone wasn’t altogether certain what to make of Mae’s demeanor then. She sent a quick glance across the room and could tell Eva wasn’t altogether certain either.
“Mae-”
“You were laughing that night Mr. Cleon died.” Mae interjected as Eva moved close. “You were with him on the couch, you were,” she looked up at Eva suddenly, “you were on top of him.”
“I-” Eva didn’t continue.
Persephone watched in awed amazement as Evangela swallowed, blinked rapidly and appeared uncharacteristically flustered.
“I had just...managed to get him off me when you-when you saw us. He was forcing me, Mae. I told you-”
“You were moving on him and laughing.” Mae’s eyes were still fixed on her twin, but she looked as though she were peering straight through the woman.
“He was laying there and you were taking off your-your bra…”
Eva looked away. Biting down on her lip, she appeared to be considering.
“You know it’s my job to protect you,” she took a few retreating steps, using the gun as some kind of shield then. “It’s because of me that you’ve lasted this long. That piece of shit would’ve worked you to death if it wasn’t for me. As long as I gave him what he wanted, he promised to treat you well-”
“He treated me like an animal! Worse than a dog!”
Everyone in the room, Eva included, flinched beneath the sound of Maeva’s roar.
“That’s why you were laughing. You were laughing at me. ‘See if she’ll drink her water out of the toilet, Cle’...that’s what you said.” Maeva’s voice had gone childlike soft again. She blinked, shaking her head as she peered off across the room.
“It wasn’t the first time. In his truck,” Mae closed her eyes briefly as if she were on the verge of passing out.
“In his truck-I saw you-saw him there one day when I came back from visiting Miss Odie in her grave… I heard you laughing, but I never saw you. Mr. Cleon was laughing and then making...other sounds. I hid so he wouldn't see me. You…” She looked to Eva again. “You were in the truck with him. You were leaning over him, your head was down…”
Persephone bristled as did the others in the room. It was all too obvious what Maeva had seen.
“You never protected me from him. It was Miss Odie who-”
“Odessa?” Eva hissed out a breath and stalked off a few feet. “Odessa Raymond, the self-righteous wench, another weak bitch who didn’t know how to stand up for herself. Couldn’t see what was right the fuck in front of her pig nose! Her hubby had all kinds of foul tastes and she never noticed! Or...maybe she did,” Evangela fixed Mae with a probing look.
“Maybe all those choir rehearsals and bible studies were about leaving you to see to the needs of horny ol’ Cleon!”
“Stop Evan,” Mae stood while voicing the quiet order.
“Or what?! Can’t stand a little truth about your idol? She was no better than this one,” Eva waved the gun barrel at Tammy who had scooted to the edge of the chair she occupied.
“Odie left you for Cleon, just like this one left me with her cocksucker of a husband.”
“You’re lying Evan!”
“And you’re brainwashed.” Conviction hummed in Eva’s whisper. “I knew it’d happen one day, I overlooked the signs-at least I got rid of that prude cunt Odessa.”
Persephone covered the last few steps to Tammy while Maeva advanced on Eva.
“What do you mean, Evan?”
“Screw that! You’re not that much of an idiot. I killed her. It wasn’t hard- followed her one day while she was out doing her missionary work or whatever. Got her right outside that strip club where she was always trying to get those bitches to give up their evil ways.
She saw me waiting when she left-thought she was going to whisk me back home out of the big, bad world. She didn’t know what hit her when I caught her with that brick. It was easier than I thought, pulling her around back to finish the job.”
Tears had Mae’s face wet and shining. Eva looked on as if delighted by the anguish she’d caused.
“Do you know the idiot acted like she didn’t even know why she deserved it?”
Eva’s jibe had Mae advancing suddenly.
Eva aimed the gun. “I don’t want this, Mae. Forgive me for hiding our bond. I knew it’d only hurt you to know what she’d done- choosing to keep me and dump you. I want us together like always-like it should be. We’re Ramseys, we’re sisters, we’re twins. All these liars trying to take you away from me-it’s not natural. Let’s stop this-let’s finish it and get back to our lives as partners. As sisters.”
