CHAPTER 65

While Grant worked a rare Saturday in the office, I took a photo of my future Wultz Party murder victims.

Sophie's two birthday guests posed with her by the soccer goal, their arms around each other, sunny smiles turned to the camera. Mandolin stuck out her tongue for one shot, and the other two giggled, then followed suit. I hid my frown behind the big Nikon camera. Sophie should be the one leading the group. I had never understood why she wasn't more of a social alpha, but maybe that was the issue with a dominant parent. We stifle the child. I read a book on the topic and was uncomfortable with how many parallels there were between me and the stereotypical "dominant parent." For a week, I made a sincere attempt to modify my behavior, but was driven absolutely crazy by the stupid decisions Grant and Sophie made when they were unsupervised and undirected.

I decided that, for the good of the family, some dominant behavior was warranted, and the consequences? Oh well.

I got at least five good shots of the girls and smiled at the knowledge that one of these photos would be iconic. Taken just a week before the murder and an isolated shot of the three of them, happy and healthy, unaware of what was to come.

I would also take photos that night. Not of the crime, of course—the police would do that. But of the party. "Before" photos that would show a stark contrast to the horror of the night.

"That's enough," Mandolin called out, turning away from me. That bitch would get the worst of it. I'd do her last and take my time. I savored the idea of her looking in my face and realizing I was the one who would take her life. Me, the one she so flippantly dismissed and ignored.

"Mrs. Wultz?" Bridget stopped in front of me, her hands clasped at her chest as if she were about to beg for something.

"Yes?" I asked, flipping through the camera photos to double-check that Sophie was in the middle. She was, and I looked back at Bridget.

"My mom wanted to know if you can drop me off at my piano lesson the morning after the party. It's in the neighborhood, on Panlo Street. If not, my nanny can do it."

"Sure." I nodded. "No problem."

"It's at eleven thirty. Do you think we'll be done with everything by then?" She glanced worriedly over her shoulder, making sure the team hadn't reconvened yet. As bossy as Mandolin was, Bridget was anxious. She'd probably stop me midstabbing and ask if the knife had been sterilized.

"Oh yeah. You won't miss anything." I put the camera strap over my shoulder. Today was my first day premiering my new nose for the neighborhood, and I touched it briefly, just to make sure it was intact. No one had noticed it yet, and I didn't know whether to celebrate that fact or be pissed.

"And I have to take my medication one hour before bed," she informed me earnestly. "I'll have a sheet with directions, but it has to be refrigerated, so I wanted to make sure you have enough room in your fridge for it."

"Of course." I gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll make sure you get your medicine." I'd have to check her medication's compatibility with the Ambien I'd be spiking all their milkshakes with. I didn't need Bridget frothing at the mouth and ruining the whole aesthetic of the scene.

I'd already tested the sleeping medication a few times with Sophie. The first time, I'd used a single pill. She'd grown groggy and fallen asleep within fifteen minutes of consuming it, but when I had clapped my hands and said her name loudly, she'd woken up. The second time, I had used two, and she was dead to the world. I'd carried her up the stairs to her room, and she barely responded.

I needed them to be pliable when I went up there. I would pose them into position, then start with the knife. First Sophie, to get her over with. Then the other two. Bridget quickly, then Mandolin.

It wouldn't take long. Ten, fifteen minutes, tops. I had a plastic poncho that I would wear, one with drawstrings that closed it tight around my face, and I had booties that would slip over my shoes. That would keep the blood spray off me. I'd hide the poncho and booties, then crawl back into bed with Grant and go to sleep.

And then, in the morning, the fun of discovery and deception would begin.