Free Privilege 5 - Pure Sin by Kate Brian Page B

sick joke?"

    "It's Miss Temple," April said calmly. "And I don't know what you're talking about."

    Lexa got up, scattering the papers and the folder everywhere, and shoved the page into April's face. "I'm talking about this. What is this doing in the folder? Are you just that stupid, or did you leave it there on purpose? Because last I checked, Miss Temple, Lillian Oswald is no longer with us!"

    A wave of total dizziness and nausea crashed over Ariana. No longer with us. Did she really have to say it that way?

    Conrad got up and put his large hand on Lexa's back. "It was just a simple mistake, Becky," he said in a soothing tone. "Give it to me. We'll just burn it."

    "No!" Lexa shouted, whirling on him. "It's not a simple mistake! It's not! Things have to be done a certain way around here. They have to be done. Done. Done the way they're supposed to be done. Not this way. This is not the way this is supposed to happen, do you understand? I try! I try to make everything perfect! I can't keep having these things go wrong! I can't! I can't have this on my hands! I can't have this on my hands!"

    On her hands, Ariana thought with a sinking realization. This was why Lexa kept washing her hands, carrying disinfecting wipes everywhere. She was trying to clean off the blood. The blood she imagined she had on her hands.

    Everyone in the room was starting to mumble and shift uncomfortably as Lexa completely broke down in front of them. Ariana knew what was coming. Any second Lexa was going to go there. She was going to say something about the murder. About the blood. It was right there on the tip of her tongue. Terror seized Ariana's heart like an ice-cold vise grip.

    "Can't have what on your hands, babe?" Conrad said, completely breaking Stone and Grave protocol. "What are you talking about?"

    Lexa's eyes were desperate as she opened her mouth to speak. Desperately searching for a lifeline. For someone to help her.

    "Conrad, I--"

    Without a moment to rethink it, Ariana hurtled herself to her feet.

    "Lexa!"

    Every single person in the room turned to look at Ariana. Lexa's eyes flicked past Conrad's shoulder and widened when they came to rest on Ariana's panicked face. And then she looked down at the floor.

    "I'm sorry. I can't do this," Lexa said. "I have to go."

    Then she dropped Lillian's form on the floor and ran out, letting the doors slam behind her.

    "What was that about?" Rob said.

    Instantly, everyone started talking. Tahira got up and nudged Ariana. "What the hell was that? Why did you yell at her?"

    "I . . . I wanted to make sure she was okay," Ariana said off the cuff. Her fear was already beginning to subside, leaving behind the clarity of what she had just done. The oddity of her actions. "Was I that loud? I didn't realize."

    Tahira simply shrugged, watching the mayhem as the meeting deteriorated around them.

    "Maybe I should go after her," Ariana said.

    "No."

    Palmer's voice filled the room. He was right at her shoulder. A chill went down her spine as his directive brought all conversation to a halt.

    "No one goes anywhere," Palmer said. He squeezed Ariana's hand, then turned to the circle. "I want to see the execs right now. The rest of you hang out until we've had a chance to talk."

    Palmer planted a comforting kiss on Ariana's temple, then walked over to an indentation in the wall, just behind Lexa's headstone. Conrad, April, Soomie, and Rob followed. Ariana watched them closely. She knew they had to be discussing Lexa, and she had to find out what they were saying.

    "Hey," Jasper said, appearing at her left shoulder. "Anyone ever tell you you look hot in that robe?"

    Ariana narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you mean Soomie looks hot?" she said.

    Then, leaving him with his mouth gaping open, she walked away from him and Tahira and joined Maria, who was closest to the confabbing exec board.

    "Okay. What do you think is going on with Lexa?" Ariana whispered.

    "I don't know," Maria replied under