Paradise 69

67

DAY SIX

VITTORIA AND I ARE back inside Paradise Resort. We are entering Adrianna and Giuliana's room.

"Giuliana was a bit messy."

"I think Adrianna was messier. I'll let you go through her things."

I wipe away more tears and go to Giuliana's messy suitcase, where the very first thing at the top of the pile was the pull-on stretch knit high waist bell bottoms.

This is what she wore on our first night out in Tahiti.

I pick it up and turn to Vittoria.

"Do you remember?"

She turns towards me.

"God yes. I remember telling her that those high rises were amazingly flattering on her."

I drop it back down, while fighting away the tears.

"I'm still trying to cope with what you said last night... that time heals all wounds. But I think you're wrong, Vittoria! Time won't heal this horrible feeling."

"Then, at least let this feeling give you the opportunity to learn from it. Let this be an experience for both of us. Let us never do what we did in this island again."

"I don't know how my body is going to react the next time someone tries to come at me sexually. It's going to bring me back memories of this place. Memories of everything I did here. How my actions led us to a tragedy."

"You didn't do this on your own. We were all part of it."

"When was the last time you saw Giuliana and Adrianna?"

"The last thing I remember was that they were with Farouk and Shamil inside of that famous first day private room party. Then, Kyle said we were all going to meet at the night club. But I never saw them again."

"They pointed a gun at your head?"

"Yes! Because I wanted to leave, and they were forcing me to stay."

I hear a knock on the door. My hair is mussed. I run my fingers to comb my hair backwards as I walk to answer it. My mascara is smudged beneath my eyes, a clear sign that I have been crying.

When I pull the doorknob, I see Peeters standing in the hallway.

"Hi."

"Things will get better, Scarlett. Let me tell you something. There is no such thing as a perfect crime. What exists is a poorly investigated crime. Let us do the work from here. I'm passing by to pick up something that belongs to Adrianna and Giuliana. Our police dogs for search and rescue work are downstairs with my team. We are ready to begin."

My smile is wry, fragile, quivering at the corner of my mouth. Grief bows me down.

"Here you go officer."

Vittoria approaches the door and stretches out her arms. She is holding Giuliana's pull-on stretch knit high waist bell bottoms, and Adrianna's tropical print Tassel Sarong.

"I will keep you informed when a lead comes up. When are you leaving the island?"

"We are leaving this afternoon."

"This is all I need for now. Thank you."

He turns towards the stairs.

Vittoria is still standing behind me.

"What are we going to do with to the rest of their stuff?"

"We are about to start an Exfil procedure. But this is a heartbreak Exfil."

"We are going to burn everything?"

I turn towards her.

"I want to start a new life. I'm burning everything I brought with me, might as well burn their stuff with it. I want to begin again. I'm going to get this done right now whether you want to come with me or not."

"All right. Where are we going?"