Leanne’s mind raced as she stared at the empty spot in which Brittany had stood only minutes ago. She struggled to decide whether or not to keep her word to Brittany.
She looked at the clock. It was now just after 9 PM. She had two hours to figure it out. The only thing that was clear to her was that Brittany suspected Cassandra of something. Why else would she beg her to keep her visit a secret?
She tried to remember the names of the two guys Brittany had mentioned but was unable to remember anything other than the name Brent. “Oh, what were their names?” she asked aloud.
An hour later, she was still undecided. If Cass found out she was keeping something from her that involved her friend, she may not trust her in the future, not to mention the fact that she would probably feel hurt and angry. If it were her, she’d feel the same way.
But what if something serious was going on? Something that could put her in harm’s way?
Think! she commanded herself.
If she didn’t say anything and if Brittany kept her promise of returning tomorrow night to explain whatever it was she had started to confide in her about, she might learn something about the lovely nurse she resided with that she might not otherwise learn.
But silence somehow seemed deceptive of her. Therefore, even though she knew she’d be making waves with Brittany, she decided she would mention the visit after all, once Cassandra got home.
Again, she researched online what little information she had to go with, but her search results didn’t turn up anything that she hadn’t already learned.
When the nurse returned home just after 11 PM, Leanne felt both happy and nervous. She was glad to see Cassandra. It had been a long, lonely, boring and confusing night. But she was nervous at the thought of informing her of her friend’s visit, even though it made no sense that she should feel nervous about it. She hadn’t done anything wrong. So what if her friend visited and told her not to tell? That was between Cass and Brittany, wasn’t it?
“How was your night?” asked Cassandra with a smile.
“Ok.”
“No pain?”
“Nope. I can just about put my full weight on my leg now and my limp is just about gone.”
Now tell her about Brittany, she ordered herself. However, as simple as it would’ve been to say that Brittany had stopped by and told her not to tell her, the words simply wouldn’t come. It was one of those gut instinct things, Leanne figured, just like when something deep within her told her it’d be best not to mention Cassandra’s use of the word they instead of she.
“How was work?” she found herself asking instead.
“Oh, the usual,” said the nurse as she poured herself a glass of iced tea. “Car accidents, sudden illnesses, a girl that fell off her horse, and then the usual junkies.”
“Junkies?”
“Drug overdoses and wife and girlfriend-beaters that you wish you could feed a lethal dose of our own drugs to at times. They really piss me off. It’s one thing to get an illness or an injury that’s no one’s fault and that truly couldn’t be avoided. But when people deliberately make your life harder and bring harm to innocent people, it just makes you wish you could deal with them in your own way.”
Leanne weighed Cassandra’s words in her mind. “I can see where it would.”
“This young woman – couldn’t have been a day over eighteen or so – was beaten by her boyfriend. She was obviously too scared to finger him even though he was standing right there; he was guilty as hell, and everyone knew it, too. I felt so bad for her. It would be so easy to make it so he could never lay a hand on her again, and well…”
“Ever think of becoming a different kind of nurse? How about working with a doctor in a private practice or something? Or maybe home nursing care for the elderly?”
“It’s a nice thought,” said Cassandra as she headed into the bedroom, “but the job pays well and I have my reasons for sticking it out. As you said, someone’s got to do it, right?”
Leanne simply nodded as she watched Cassandra strip down to her snow-white panties. She felt a stirring between her legs but had a feeling Cassandra would be too tired to do anything about it.
The next day, Leanne felt like her leg had healed enough to go on a nature walk through parts of the woods behind the house. Cassandra just wanted to relax before work, so she set out after lunch on her own.
She wove her way around the various trees of the forest, admiring the peaceful beauty around her. Different breeds of birds and butterflies chirped and fluttered around her. After a while, she realized she was thirsty and decided to head back to the house.
She heard the arguing before Cassandra and Brittany actually came into view as she approached the back of the house. Once the two women were visible, she crouched down low to watch and listen.
“Brit, I’ve told you over and over again I had nothing to do with it,” the nurse sternly told the younger redhead. “It was an accident.”
“Bullshit it was!” Brittany shouted. “You killed her and I’m going to prove it.”
“How? How can you prove what was a tragic accident? Even the police ruled it an accident.”
“It wasn’t. I just know you had something to do with it, Cassie. Why won’t you just come out and admit it? Sooner or later, the truth will come out anyway.”
“It already has come out, hun. You just don’t want to hear it. Instead, you want someone to blame. I understand how sad you are over her loss, but—“
“You don’t understand shit!”
“Brittany, telling yourself it was anything other than what it was will only drive you crazy.”
“You pushed her! You had to have. I just don’t know yet how to prove it. Angel was strong, in good shape, and steady on her feet. I don’t buy for one minute that she simply tripped and fell.”
“Well, you better learn to accept that that’s exactly what happened. The sooner you do, the easier it will be for you to move on.”
Brittany glared at the nurse with disgust. “Wrong, bitch. The sooner I prove you killed her, the sooner Angel can rest in peace knowing you’re locked up forever. I don’t know why I didn’t see this before. I guess I just didn’t want to admit to myself that my best friend is a murderer, but for Angel to die at the same time your ex happens to disappear is way too convenient, don’t you think?”
Cassandra’s ex had disappeared?
“Nobody’s disappeared!” Cass shouted, clearly getting fed up with the accusations that were being thrown at her. “It’s been over a year, for God’s sake, Brit. If anyone had done anything to either Angel or Len, the cops would know it.”
“Who says they don’t have their suspicions?” Brittany asked.
“What are you saying?”
“Just what I meant. Angel told me she screwed Len and that she was going to tell you about it.”
“Well, she never did, Brittany. Len was screwing others that I knew about for sure. They’re still alive.”
“Where’s Len?”
“We’re divorced. How should I know and why should I care?”
“He and I were friends. I ran into his mother and not only does she tell me he’s been nowhere to be found, but that she suspects you have something to do with it. I know the cops have questioned you about it.”
“They have,” Cassandra admitted, “but they also know I’m not his mother. I don’t keep tabs on his whereabouts, I had nothing to do with it, and Leonardo’s a big boy who can take care of himself and make his own decisions. He can go missing all he wants, and with all the people he’s pissed off in town, I’m not surprised he’s relocated.”
“He hasn’t relocated!” Brittany screamed. “Len was my friend too, and I know that he’d have at least let me know where he was going if he suddenly decided to up and leave.”
“You sure he was just a friend, Brit?”
Brittany looked at Cassandra incredulously. “Oh, my God. You’re crazier than I ever even realized. I’m going to the police. I don’t know how, but I know you killed them both. Who else have you killed besides one of my best friends and your cheating but otherwise good husband?”
“Good husbands don’t cheat.”
“Yeah, well, enjoy your freedom while it lasts, because sooner or later you’re going down.”
“Not as soon as you are,” Cassandra muttered through gritted teeth. Brittany froze in fear, but that split second of hesitation was all Cassandra needed to grab a nearby shovel and slam it over her friend’s head, killing her instantly.
Brittany dropped to the ground like a marionette with cut strings. Cassandra suddenly glanced all around her and wrung her hands through her hair like she couldn’t believe what she’d just done.
Leanne couldn’t believe it either as she shakily slunk back into the woods, hoping to hell Cassandra couldn’t hear or see her. She wanted desperately to retrace her steps and head back away from the house but knew that if she did, she would be heard rustling the leaves of the brush around her and snapping twigs beneath her feet. Instead, she sat there frozen as she watched the nurse through a tiny opening in the trees as she dragged her dead friend into the garage.
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