The Unborn

Chapter 15

"We need to play ball with them and stop showing so much resistance," argued Marla.

"We are playing ball, but if we offer too much, too easily, they might think we are too helpful and start getting suspicious," replied Rose.

"Why wouldn’t we be helpful though?" Marla sat down in the royal blue easy chair and sipped her latte. "Our clients are being killed off one by one."

"You don’t understand how their minds work. If you are too helpful it’s not good, if you’re not helpful enough it’s not good…"

"So we have to show just the right amount of resistance?" queried Marla.

"Exactly," Rose clicked her tongue and nodded her head.

"Do you think they suspect something? They’ve visited twice now and that second Detective was quite a pit bull. I don’t know how much more I can handle."

"Now, Marla, you need to relax and stick to the game plan. You remember what we discussed, don’t you?"

Marla’s eyes rolled back and she replied, "Yes… I remember."

"Good," said Rose, before leaning across her desk and patting her hand reassuringly. "We need to stick together here, Marla."

"I understand, but…"

"But what?"

"I’m sure that if you just explain to them what happened, that it was an accident…"

"Oh, and you think that is going to soften their blow do you?"

"Surely they will understand that it wasn’t your fault. There was nothing you could have done"

"Absolutely not! There is no way I am going to jail Marla, do you hear me?"

"But the police… what if they keep digging around? They might figure things out."

"That’s why we need to play it cool and not be too eager or too resistant. Like I said, we need to stick to the plan. You got that?"

"Yes, I understand, but I’m not comfortable with this. I still think we ought to have gone to the police in the beginning."

Rose stared at her, her anger beginning to bubble beneath her cool exterior. She would never go to the police. It would mean losing everything she had worked for her entire life. Hell would freeze over before she would allow that to happen. Even if it meant taking matters into her own hands and blackmailing Marla, she would. She pulled her hands back from Marla’s and glared at her.

"I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of your little secret, do I?"

The shock spread across Marla’s face. "You wouldn’t?"

"Of course I wouldn’t want to, but if I had to…"

"How could you even think of doing that to me?"

Rose slid her chair back and stood up. Walking around the desk, she stood behind Marla and placed her hands on her shoulders. Marla stiffened and sat bolt upright in the easy chair. Her hands kneaded her gently at first and slowly progressed to a stronger, more penetrating massage.

"You’re hurting me, stop it," she begged.

Rose continued her vigorous gouging and said, "How do you think your Daddy would feel if he knew his little princess’s secret?"

Marla writhed beneath her hands, the pain becoming more intense. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Marla’s father had always adored her, they shared an extremely close bond and in his eyes, his little princess could do no wrong. Her father had left her mother when she was just fifteen. His contact with Marla continued however, the two of them remaining close despite the separation and divorce. Many times he had offered her a placement at in his company, so he could be closer to her, but much to his disappointment, she chose to remain working at the clinic.

Rose carried on, her tone sharp and threatening. "What if he were to discover…"

Marla broke free from her hands and ran to the opposite side of the room, fear pulsing through her.

"Just stop it, please."

"Do we have an understanding, then?" Rose asked, her expression smug.

"Yes, yes, now please just stop it. How could you be so cruel to me? "

"So you’ll keep your mouth shut?" she ignored her question.

Her eyes welled with tears as she stared down at the grey carpet under her feet, her shoe scuffing back and forth along its cushiony pile.

"Yes."

"Is that a promise?"

"It’s a promise," cried Marla, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

"There now. That wasn’t so terrible was it?" a smile spread across Rose’s face and her demeanour returned to the one displayed to her clients and peers.

"What about my father? You aren’t going to tell him are you?" sniffled Marla.

"Why would I, dear? We both have our little secrets don’t we?" She walked over to Marla, embraced her tightly and then said, "Yours is safe as long as mine is. I can’t be fairer than that can I?"

Marla backed away from Rose and dabbed her eyes with a tissue, at that moment she felt such contempt for her, that she wanted to run screaming to the police and blow the lid clean off her dirty little secret. All that was stopping her at that moment was the web of lies and deceit she had gotten herself tangled up in.

"Now don’t go pouting like that my sweet. It reminds me of a six year old child begging for a puppy that she knows she just can’t have."

Marla straightened her back and sucked air in through her teeth, attempting to rustle up a smile before Rose’s assault grew worse.

"There, that’s much better. Now how about we go get some dinner?" she said, returning to her desk and pulling her purse from the top draw before looking back at Marla, her smile somewhat faded.

"Sure, why not." Agreed Marla, her appetite was poor but she knew declining her invitation would prove fruitless.

Rose pulled her over for yet another hug and said, "I’m so glad we had this little chat and have this whole mess straightened out now. I feel much better, don’t you darling?"

"Much," Marla whispered, the knot in her stomach tightening.