Expecting to Die

Yeah, Bianca thought, the television version of a female detective. So why
didn’t it ring true? Why did it bug her so much?
Michelle looked fantastic, no question, but it wasn’t right. Bianca took another
swallow of water and caught Michelle raining a smile back at the producer, the
kind of smile she usually reserved for Dad. It was weird. Unsettling. Bianca had
always known Michelle was a flirt, the kind of woman who lit up around men,
but this was different. Bianca sensed a deeper emotion running here.
“And your mom’s sooo prego,” Lara went on. “Like huge. She’d fill up the
whole picture on a wide screen.”
“She’s going to have a baby,” Bianca ground out.
“I’m just saying, she’s not right,” Lara sniffed.
Maddie returned, a sweating Diet Coke can in hand. “So has your mom
figured out who killed her?” she asked Bianca as she cracked the top of the can
open.
“What?” Bianca was pissed at Lara and everything else.
“Destiny. Does she know who did it? You said she doesn’t think it was a Big
Foot.” She took a sip as a worker stretched an electrical cord around the
perimeter of the next scene. “I mean, I don’t either, but who would have done it?
Who does she think?”
“I don’t know,” Bianca said, more annoyed than ever. She didn’t want to
discuss her mom’s work or the case. “She’s working on it.”
“Does she think that the baby’s father did it? Killed her?” Maddie asked. “I
hear it wasn’t Donny’s.”

---

“I don’t know,” Bianca snapped again. Her ankle throbbed, she was sure the
makeup used to disguise the split on her lip wasn’t working, the mosquitoes
were driving her nuts, and the whole night was a big pain.
Maddie said, “Well, who do you think it was?”
“How would I know? For God sakes. That’s what the homicide detectives are
for.”
“I was talking about the baby’s father.” Maddie took another drink from her
can. “Who do you think he is?”
“Don’t have a clue.” Bianca was abrupt. “I didn’t know her that well.”
“Probably could be anybody,” Lara said. “All the boys liked her. And they’re
all horny as hell.” She nodded, her blond hair catching in the low light. “I know.”
“Not all of them,” Maddie said pointedly.
Lara laughed. “What? You think Teej wouldn’t go for it, if she came on to
him?”
“He wouldn’t!”
A sly smile curved over Lara’s full lips. “Why don’t you go ask him?”
“Lara!” Maddie sputtered as Simone joined the group.
Lara turned to Simone. “What do you think? Would Teej have banged Destiny
if he had the chance?”
“He’s a guy, isn’t he?” she replied with a shrug. “Hey, where did you get
that?” she asked, pointing to Maddie’s soda.
“You guys are sick!” Maddie spat. “Who knows who Destiny slept with, and
who cares?”
“You were the one that brought it up,” Lara reminded her. The mean
undertone in her voice couldn’t be missed.
“Teej wasn’t interested in Destiny,” Maddie said darkly.
“Think we hit a nerve?” Lara asked, and both she and Simone tittered. When
Maddie looked like she was about to cry, Lara added, “Oh, come on. It has
nothing to do with love or romance or any of that shit. It’s about wanting to fuck.
Guys—all guys—want it all the time. Why wouldn’t he? Because Alex had
already fucked her? So what? That would probably only make him want to do it
more. Kind of a brother competition or sibling rivalry thing. You can’t take it
personally.”
“Teej isn’t like that,” Maddie said angrily.
“Uh-huh.” Lara smirked.
“You are such a bitch, Lara. Such a bitch.”
Lara laughed as Mel yelled over to the group. “Okay, places, everyone!
Bianca? You and your mom. Over by the Jeep.” Michelle straightened and took a
couple of steps, getting in position for the correct camera angle that would

---

include the sheriff’s department vehicles and Bianca. Before she could answer,
Mel looked over at Bianca and, from the pull of her eyebrows and tightening of
her lips, it was obvious she was running out of patience. “Bianca? Today?”
Bianca hobbled to the Jeep and heard Simone snigger, “Break a leg,” followed
by giggling.
Idiots, she thought and had a fleeting thought that maybe, this time, her
mother had been right. Maybe agreeing to be part of the production and
recreating the discovery of the dead girl’s body was a big, big mistake.

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