Burning Willow

XII

"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" I huff.

Chase and Daniel were sitting on my bed. Daniel was on his phone, and Chase was staring at me while I put on my lipstick.

We hadn't talked since his little outburst.

He had simply showed up to my house the following evening, and rang the doorbell.

Fortunately, I was the one home, not my mom or my dad. That would have been awkward.

"It's called being a bait." Daniel didn't even look up as he typed something on his laptop. He tapped the screen. "My laptop's out of battery but I have a charger in my car. Just come when you're ready."

Daniel got off my bed and left, and then it was just Chase and me.

Now, I really began thinking of what Daniel had said. It was hard to believe Chase thought of me as a friend - much less even a person he remotely liked.

I licked my dry lips, accidently smudging my lipstick. 

I put on another coat. God, I hated the stuff. It was so...bright.

Like something my mom would wear.

I had already changed into a top and a skirt - formal, but not businesslike, and skanky enough to make me look older.

I was seriously doubting all my life choices at this point.

When I turned around, I discovered that Chase had got off my bed, and was standing by the corner.

Sighing, he came towards me and rested his hands on the hem of my top.

And then he yanked it down.

"You look like a prude with a neckline that high." He explained. Which was strange, because the neckline wasn't that high at all.

I frowned, but he was already backing away.

He walked out of the room. Quickly putting on my wedges and grabbing my purse, I followed him.

Daniel's car was parked out front, with the headlights off.

I got in the back seat.

"What's the plan?" I asked.

Chase was sitting on the driver's seat, and he started up the car. It was late - already nine and our street was empty.

"Get Roland alone." Daniel replied. "He's going to be at the gambling table, and I'm guessing he's pretty easy to recognize. Chase will help you. And I'll be right here, in the car in case anything goes wrong."

"How high are the chances of something going wrong?"

Daniel clicks his tongue. "You won't know unless you go in there."

"And after I get him alone? What then?"

He hands me a little device with a piece of sticky tape and instructs me to place it on the inside of my shirt. "Press that button, and it'll start to record everything. Don't accuse him of anything - don't let your emotions ruin the situation. We're just looking for clues."

"Clues? But he's the murderer!"

"Yes, but we don't know his motive. He could be working for someone else."

How hard could it be to gather evidence from a murderer?

Once we arrived, Daniel parked at the back. "Hey, why are you so worried? You have Chase to help you."

Chase turned to look at me. His face was emotionless.

My shoulders sank. This wasn't going to be easy.