Costa Crew 3: Make or Break

Chapter 10 - A Deadly Game of Chess (Amelia's Move)

Lisa Beck knew something wasn't right before she even entered the prison. Amelia hadn't reached out to her once in the past four years, and now all of a sudden there had been a formal request for Lisa to come and visit? That, and the fact that it was shortly after the death of Rebecca Hidgens' brother. Amelia was up to something. But Lisa had agreed to come anyway, because no matter how much she tried to distance herself from Amelia, she missed the old days where she ruled the school with Amelia and Lisa. People would stare at them in awe as they walked past, and there were always nerds like Rebecca Hidgens and Paul Houston to help her with her homework whenever she needed it. Before they had become caught up in a web of lies, betrayal and murder.

"Four years without a visitor, now three in two days," Amelia drawled as she sat down once again in the visiting area. "About time, old friend."

Lisa frowned as she sat down on the other side of the glass. "Amelia, if this is about the trial, I did everything I could. But it was out of my hands."

"You could have come to see me."

Lisa shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm a city prosecutor. Can you imagine if I was dropping in to see the Godfather every two weeks? Just because Lisa Kleinman was ready to throw her life away for you doesn't mean I am."

Amelia sighed. "I never had a chance after Hidgens convinced Lisa to testify against me. And you're right, after Hidgens had you removed from the case there was nothing you could do. It's a shame though, you could have been the prosecutor to send the Godfather down. You would have had a fantastic career after that."

"I didn't want to ruin my career, I'm not saying that I wanted you to go to prison. I honestly thought Lisa would be able to win the case for you."

"That case was so very public though," Amelia continued, an almost hypnotic quality to her voice. "But because of Hidgens, you're known as the lawyer that was taken off the trial of the year. She didn't exactly help your career."

Lisa hesitated. "I suppose that's true."

Amelia smirked. Lisa had swallowed the bait and was firmly hooked. "It won't be the same as it was, with Lisa Kleinman probably hiding at the far corners of the world, and Anthony locked away in another cell block. The good old days are gone for good. But you and I can make Hidgens pay."

Lisa sighed and stood up. Rebecca Hidgens was by no means her friend. All through high school she was a weirdo who cared a bit too much about superheroes and not enough about makeup or boys. In fact, nowhere near enough about boys, wearing her bisexuality like a badge of honour. But despite the way Lisa and her friends had treated her, she had always been courteous to them after the split. And she hadn't ever killed anyone. "I'm your friend, not Rebecca Hidgens' enemy. Just because I agreed to see you doesn't mean I want to renew my membership for the I Hate Rebecca Hidgens club."

She went to leave, but found prison officers Bradshaw and Turnbull blocking her path. "Take a seat," Amelia snarled.

Lisa jumped back and backed up against the glass separating her from Amelia as the guards advanced menacingly, batons drawn. Amelia smirked. "You know, I'd really hoped that we could have worked together on this, Lisa. For old times' sake. But alas, here we are."

"You killed Curt Hidgens," whispered Lisa. Amelia laughed and slowly clapped her hands.

"Well done Lisa, I'm so impressed! But what you need to realise is that I don't give a crap about Curt Hidgens."

Lisa shook her head slowly, unable to believe what she was seeing. How had her closest friend come this far? "Rebecca."

"Of course," replied Amelia, her eyes now focused on the clock on the wall. "You should have seen her, it was hilarious. She was all 'I know what you did' and 'I'll be back'. But it's not as funny as what's to come."