Billie Bossa Nova

40.

These girls' loyalty to Kayden was far beyond just Stockholm syndrome. Layla, for example, had kissed Kayden's cheek as she left the table. When Billie asked about it, she began a rant about her undying love for the man and even had the nerve to add, “Isn't he just soo handsome?!” They were not just mentally sick, Billie was certain. These girls were as good as hypnotized.

“Okay, so here we are,” Layla said, twisting the lock and opening the door for Billie. The lock was only on the outside and once the door was shut, it would lock automatically. “I have to make sure you get in and close the door.”

“Of course,” Billie nodded. Layla watched her closely as she entered. Then, Billie took the knob of the door and pushed it until it was only crack open. “And hey, Layla?” The moment Layla met her gaze, Billie slipped the plastic knife out of her underwear, putting it at the space where the lock would flick in place and trap her in. She held it there as she spoke. “Thank you. For everything.”

Layla grinned, nodding her head. Billie nodded her own, then closed the door. Soon after, she listened carefully as Layla's steps descended, her eyes peeking at the thin line of space between the door at the plastic knife just barely able to keep the lock from snapping it and securing the lock. Her heartbeat drummed against her ears. Layla's footsteps were still coherent. The plastic knife was now beginning to bend slightly from the pressure. Billie's blood pressure rose.

“Hurry the hell up, Layla.”

The girl was walking as if she had all the damn time in the world. Billie most definitely didn't. She peeks out under the door because the door had no keyhole, finding Layla's feet only now at the top of the stairs. Time for Billie was running like crazy, everything moving too slow whereas she was rushing for her life. She stood back up and glanced the the plastic knife again. It couldn't hold it. Not for any longer. Layla's humming was still audible, which mean she was still close.

Having no other choice, Billie gently pulled the door open. The urge to roughly grab it before it locked was strong, but she had to be quiet and careful. The knife snapped at that very moment, falling to the ground at the door's threshold. She made a tiny opening and peeked out at Layla, who was still walking down the stairs. The girl didn't look back at her direction, making Billie sigh in great relief.

Then, she picked up the snapped knife, throwing it into her room and she was off.

Billie didn't quite know where Kayden's office was, but it shouldn't take long to find. Luckily, this house was not as grand as the Rivera mansion. She passed all the doors leading to each of the girls' rooms, twisting each lock and peeking in. She knew that a master bedroom should look somewhat different from the others. After checking all the rooms, she finally found Kayden's, situated at the end of the hall. There was another door next to it, which left Billie to assume that it might be his office. She started with the bedroom.

She twisted it open and went in. Unlike hers, his room didn't have floor to ceiling windows instead of walls, but did have a sliding door that led to a little balcony. Immediately upon entering, Billie began her search for something she didn't even know. She looked through his drawers, his dresser, his closet. Between his mattress and under his bed. There was not many places to look, the bedroom was very standard.

It was when she lifted the blanket to check under the bed that she saw a hidden storage on the bottom side of the bed. She slid it open, pulling out the box that was inside.

“And checkmate,” she muttered, opening the box and looking into it's contents.

The very first thing she came across was a post card of a getaway location called Paradise Island. It looked like a luxury Island resort with pools and hotels. She put it aside. The next was a template of the same island, which Billie put aside as well. Then, there were pictures of Kayden with other people: Adan, some random middle aged man, an actress she knew to be Beatrice Komby. They were in front of a dinner table, dining and laughing. Again, Billie placed it down in disinterest.