Chapter 14: Lies and Videotape


    Two-thirty in the morning and Karma''s just now slipping into the hotel''s shower. Cain made his exit


    about fifteen minutes ago. She''s been lying in the middle of a rented bed, trying to recover from his


    eight-inch pleasure stick.


    After she''s washed Cain''s essence off her body, she gets dressed and does her makeup again. She


    dabs at her lipstick and smudges her eyeliner a bit. Then she spritzes her face with a little water. For


    her excuse that she''s been stuck in her office all night to fly, she has to look the part. L''oreal has some


    fantastic foundation, but even it wouldn''t look wless after twelve hours.


    She copses on one of the lounge chairs in the suite and flips through a couple of channels on the t


    screen. The urge to go home hasn''t struck her. In fact, she''s thinking about spending the night here.


    After all, she''s already paid for it. That seems like a far better option than creeping into her home at this


    hour.


    Casper must be going out of his mind. She checks her cell, expecting to see a host of messages from


    her husband. But there are no missed calls or frantic voicemails for her to listen to with an aggravated


    smirk painted on her face. Maybe he fell asleep.


    Or maybe he just doesn''t give a shit about where you are, bitch.


    She shakes her head and chuckles. That can''t be it. Casper probably dozed off watching re-runs on the


    sofa. He spent the entire evening waiting up for her. Yep, that''s exactly what happened.


    Content with her analysis of the apparentck of her husband''s concern for her whereabouts, she does


    one more check of the hotel room. Thest time she and Cain spent a few hours in a rented hideaway,


    she left behind a pair of diamond studs that Casper bought for her birthday. She touched her hand to


    her ears and found them bare in time to rush back upstairs to retrieve them.


    Karma grabs her handbag. After she''s checked its depths to ensure that she hasn''t left anything for


    housekeeping to find, she saunters down the hallway to the elevators. She smiles at another woman


    dressed in a power suit walking in the opposite direction.


    The woman gives her a knowing nod as they pass each other. Perhaps they''re both stalking the halls of


    this luxury hotel for the same reason. And it ain''t for the tiny hotel soaps and shampoos.


    She informs the front desk that she''ll be checking out early, and settles the bnce on the room. This


    little habit of hers is getting expensive.


    Cain can''t leave a paper trail for his wife to find. Manali keeps a close eye on her husband''s checking


    and savings ounts. Cain doesn''t inspire the most trustworthy of feelings in her, with his evasive


    answers and long absences.


    So Karma has to foot the bill for their rendezvous. She keeps a separate ount in her maiden name


    away from Casper''s eyes. As far as he knows, she barely buys a stick of gum every month. She does


    all her questionable spending on the hidden books.


    If Casper really knew about all the dirt she does, their five-year marriage would have been over a long


    time ago.


    She rushes to her car, checking over her shoulder the entire time. It''s well after midnight, and she''s a


    woman walking alone. Even if she hadn''t insisted that she and Cain not be seen leaving together, she


    doubts he would have stayed to see that she made it safely to her vehicle.


    Cain''s number one priority is Cain. His second and third priorities also happen to be himself. He makes


    her look like a saint sometimes.


    A light rain must have chosen to drench the city while she and Cain were indisposed. The few street


    lights reflect off the slick asphalt, making the dark streets glow like they''ve been scattered with copper


    pennies.


    She speeds through the near-deserted streets watching corners and crannies for any overzealous state


    troopers looking to reach their monthly quota. Thest thing she wants to do is answer that


    incriminating question, “Do you know why I stopped you, ma''am?”


    It''s near impossible for a person to answer that damn question without admitting that one was indeed


    speeding, or neglected to perform a full stop instead of the standard California roll at that stop sign. It''s


    entrapment if you ask her.


    Karma pulls into her driveway and is relieved to see that there doesn''t appear to be any lights on in the


    house. She gets out of the car, and locks the sedan from the inside, then pushes the heavy metal door


    closed with her hip.


    She nces around the sleepy cul-de-sac. Not a creature is stirring, save for an adulterous spouse.


    Karma pulls off her heels, choosing to carry them in her hand as she makes her way up their front


    porch. She says a silent prayer that Casper forgot to set the security system, then pushes her key into


    the lock. The rm control panel next to the door shes the words “not armed” in neon green.


    Good. The rm won''t be waking up half the neighborhood.


    Karma tiptoes inside and presses the oak door into its frame once more with a feather-light touch. She


    waits with her head against the door, not breathing. As if creeping around like a church mouse will


    make her entrance at this ungodly hour any less disruptive.


    She closes her eyes and makes a slow about-face, putting her back against the door. Karma takes a


    deep breath and prepares herself to dodge the creaky floorboards.


    She opens her eyes. And just as she lifts her toes to make that first step, she sees Casper''s imposing


    build staring right at her. Her breathing stops cold. A prickling sensation overtakes her body, as her


    lungs and other organs scream for air.


    “What the fuck, Casper?!”


    He''s sitting in the dark with a vile expression on his face. His eyes look like they haven''t rested in days.


    His tall frame is still dressed in his Armani cks and Ralph Lauren shirt.


    “What''s his fucking name?”


    She remembers Cain''s words from their earlier phone conversation. Nothing to worry about ... He


    doesn''t suspect a thing. Fuck, Cain.


    He skipped out of that hotel room, knowing full well that Casper has caught their scent and is busy


    sniffing out their lying trail. She finds herposure and sters on her best poker face. See what he


    knows first. Maybe she can talk her way out of his suspicion.


    “Whose name?” she asks, cing her things down on the mirrored buffet in the foyer.


    “The bloke you''ve been fucking.” He scratches at his goatee, then runs his hand over the dark hairs.


    “What is his name?”


    “Casper, honey, I don''t know what you''re talking about.” She approaches him and smooths over his


    wrinkledpel with her hand. “You look exhausted. Let''s just go to bed.”


    He catches her hand in his and caresses the milk chocte skin covering her slender digits.


    “Karma. You look plenty rested.” He kisses the back of her hand. “And my eyes are now wide open ...


    Neither of us needs to sleep.”


    She sighs and ces her free hand on her hip. “I was at work. You know that.”


    “Really?”


    “Yes, really.” A little too much attitude is apparent in her voice.


    He ignores the bass in her voice and keeps his tone even. “Someone should have informed your boss


    then. Frome thinks you''re at home nursing a sick rtive.”


    “Casper ...”


    “Which is funny for two reasons.” He holds up one of her fingers. “One, because you haven''t been


    home for hours.” He raises another of her fingers and kisses it. “And two ... You don''t have any


    rtives here besides my family.” He nces up at her. “Last I checked, none of them are suffering


    from so much as a hangnail.”


    Karma swallows hard. Perspiration is soiling the armpits of her dress. She shifts her weight from foot to


    foot and avoids his gaze.


    “I um ... just needed to take some time to myself. The stress of the Pord case is starting to get to me.


    And—.”


    “Please, Karma.” He lets go of her hand. “We both know you thrive on that shit. The higher profile case,


    the more press, the more you get off on it.”


    She rolls her eyes. Everything he said is true. She loves the thrill her profession offers. It''s a high


    stakes game for her. And she loves charging into the fray.


    “Maybe we should talk about this in the morning. When we''ve both had some time to think.” She


    attempts to pull him from the chair and towards their bedroom.


    Casper resists the slight force of her small frame and draws her back to him.


    “I''ve had nothing but time to think. That''s all I can do when you disappear. I''ve done enough thinking to


    She tries another tactic. Karma takes a seat on hisp and cradles his face in her hands. She stares


    into his eyes.


    “Baby, I know I''ve been really wrapped up in my worktely.” She kisses his neck, then nibbles on his


    ear. “Let me make it up to you.”


    He pushes her away with a surprising amount of force. Karma loses her bnce and hits the floor with


    a thud. She stares up at him, her eyes wide.


    “I''m not in the mood for a pity fuck. All I''m interested in at the moment is the motherfucker''s name who


    I''m sharing your pussy with.” He res down at her, making no move to help her off the cold floor.


    His vulgarnguage is something foreign to her. This isn''t her husband. Casper would never even blow


    on her hard. And he''s never referred to her in such a disrespectful manner. She decides to try some


    truth.


    “His name isn''t important.” She kneels before him. “He isn''t important to me. You are.”


    “Cut the bull, Karma. And tell me his bloody name.”


    “It doesn''t matter.” She shakes her head. “You don''t know him.”


    “Another fucking lie.” He chuckles, running his fingers over his close-cropped hair.


    Her brow wrinkles. “What are you talking about?”


    “You and I both know him very well.”


    “I don''t understand,” she mumbles.


    “My brother, Karma ... My motherfucking brother.” He''s yelling now. His ent is amplified, making it


    difficult for her to discern his words. But thenguage of anger is universal and transcends the barriers


    of any cultural inflection.


    She gets up from the floor and backs away from him. Her breath chooses to hide in the depths of her


    petrified lungs, rather than encounter the strained environment she''s created for herself. How did this


    happen? They were always careful, or so she thought. How the hell did he know?


    “Casper, I love your brother. But I assure you, there is—.”


    He abandons his seat and heads off in the direction of the great room. Karma remains frozen against


    the front door, staring after his tensed form. She holds her breath, afraid to make a noise until he


    returns.


    A minuteter, Casper reappears with a portfolio full of Blu-ray discs and hisptop. He sits the items


    on the side table. Then he asks Karma to have a seat in the chair he just left. She doesn''t move.


    “My darling wife of five years, please have a seat.” His cool tone unnerves her even more.


    “I''m fine right here.” She tries to shrink further into the wooden door.


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    “Sit the fuck down!”


    The rage boiling underneath the surface of his once cid demeanor, bursts through and warps his


    features. Twisting his face into something ugly, and not at all like his usual, handsome self. He takes a


    deep breath, then gestures to the chair again.


    Karma takes slow steps toply with his request. Once she''s seated, he ces theputer in her


    the bottom right corner of the screen. It''s today''s date. Her stomach begins to roil, as a sickening


    thought creeps into her mind.


    “About six months ago, you did something that didn''t sit well with me.” He leans against the side table,


    as he flips through the catalog of discs. “You opened a separate bank ount in your maiden name. At


    first, I thought you might be trying to hide a few extravagant purchases from me.”


    Heughs to himself.


    “I thought it was funny that you felt the need to hide a couple of pairs of Louboutins from me. You work


    hard ... You''re entitled to splurge.”


    “Casper, that ount is from a long time ago. Before we got married. I just never closed it. I hardly use


    it.”


    He continues as if she hasn''t spoken.


    “But then charges for hotels and ... well ... How do I put this?” He taps his finger against his temple.


    “Tools of a whore''s trade started to appear. And I couldn''t help but notice that I''d never been to these


    ces, or seen these new toys.” He shrugs. “But I trusted my wife. Told myself I was just being


    paranoid.”


    “I don''t know where you''re going with this. But I''m done.” Karma takes theptop in her hands and gets


    up.


    Casper steps closer to her, putting his lips as close to her ear as possible without touching her.


    “I have sat for your shit for years. The least you can do is park your uppity ass for twenty minutes, while


    I get this off my chest.”


    He''s practically snarling.


    She does as he says, and parks her uppity ass in the chair again. Whoever this man is, he isn''t going


    to let her y him like a fiddle.


    The realization washes over her, ramping her physiological responses into high gear. She''s trembling,


    sweating and tears are brimming in her deep brown eyes.


    “Cash, listen to me.”


    “Only my friends call me, Cash.” He shakes his head. “We haven''t been friends for a long time. And I


    thought I made myself clear that I''m not equipped to do any listening right now. Not to you, anyway.” He


    leans down to her level. “Unless you want to tell me the bastard''s name?”


    She remains silent and stares straight ahead.


    “Didn''t think so.” He continues his rant. “As I was saying, I trusted you. Then you got bold. Stopped


    Started checking your ount activity every day.”


    He pulls a stack of papers from the back of the portfolio and shuffles through them.


    “I was starting to face the fact that you were sleeping with someone else—some nameless, faceless


    stranger. Of course, I sought out my little brother. To confide in my best friend, my blood.”


    He reaches down and clicks y on theptop''s media yer. The foyer of their homees into


    view. The very same spot where this confrontation is ying out right now. She watches as a recorded


    image of herself rushes through the door, and throws her bag on the side table.


    “But every time I reached out to my brother, he was too busy. Other times, he wouldn''t answer at all.”


    He smirks and emphasizes his words by tapping her arm with each one. “Completely disappeared. Just


    ... like ... you. Care to exin?”


    Karma nces at him, but says nothing. She wishes he''d juste out and say whatever he''s going to


    say. This toying with her is taking a toll on her nerves.


    Casper pauses the footage at a point where a head-to-toe shot of her can be seen.


    The video is in superb focus. So there''s no denying the details of her appearance. He directs her


    attention to the immacte state of her dress.


    “Now, I''m no Sherlock. But there seems to be a certain coffee stain missing from your dress.” He


    scratches his chin. “It was coffee, right?”


    She grits her teeth. The tears that have been building in her doe eyes spill forth, streaking salty


    streams down her cheeks. Again she remains mum.


    “Ah, doesn''t matter.” He tucks his hands into his pockets. “We''ve got more important ground to cover.”


    He switches on a nearbymp. Then he pulls a sheet of paper from the stack and points out a


    highlighted charge on the bank statement. “I can''t seem to figure this one out.” He kneels next to her


    and examines the paper. “A charge for the Hyatt hotel appeared on your ount a few hours ago.”


    “Where did you get this?” she asks, eyeing the printout of her private information.


    “I have my ways.” He shrugs. “So which is it, Karma? ... Were you at work. The hospital. Or screwing


    my baby brother?”


    She sniffles. “How do you expect me to answer that?”


    “I think it''s safe to assume my expectations aren''t going to be met tonight.” He bends to her level. She


    can see the putrid cocktail of anger and hurt swirling in his eyes. “So I couldn''t give two shits how you


    decide to answer that.”


    She takes a ragged inhale, trying to breathe through the tears clouding her senses.


    “Nothing happened between Cain and me. I swear.”


    Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? So help you, God?


    Karma has listened to countless witnesses and offenders take that oath. Here she is, an officer of the


    court, and she can''t live by those words. Even though it''s evident that she''s been caught in a lie. She


    can''t face the fact that her sweet and trusting husband has outsmarted her. That she''s been walking


    around thinking she was pulling the wool over poor Casper''s eyes. And he''s been watching her dig


    herself further and further into a hole the entire time.


    “Karma, it may be wise for you to start telling me the truth.” He picks up the leather portfolio and flips


    through it again. “There are six months of recordings here. Hours of surveince from all over the


    house. I haven''t watched any of it yet.”


    He pulls out a Blu-ray dated three months ago. Karma''s eyes get wide. She remembers that time


    period very well. She and Cain were sneaking back to her house five times a week. Little did she know,


    they were performing for big brother. Pardon the pun.


    “You haven''t watched them?” she asks, ncing up at him.


    “Nope, I have no clue what is on these discs. Could be four thousand three hundred eighty-three hours


    of dust bunnies for all I know.” He eyeballs the Blu-ray in his hand. “But I was hoping one of you would


    grow a conscience and confess. So that I wouldn''t have to find out for myself.”


    “Baby, believe me. It''s not what you think.” She rises from the chair again and attempts to get near him.


    He pushes her back down by her shoulders.


    “Let''s y a little game.” He paces in front of her, wearing a groove into the dark hardwood floor. Then


    he stops short and smirks at her. “You like ying games. Don''t you, sweetheart?”


    She swallows a thick gulp of air and swipes at her eyes.


    “A game?”


    “Yes, a game.” He ps his hands. “More of a wager to be exact.” He stands at the back of the


    wingback chair, rubbing her shoulders. “Let''s call it, Guess Who Karma''s Fucking. Catchy title, huh?”


    She sits dumbfounded as he releases her frozen image from the screen''s pixted purgatory.


    “I bet I can guess bang on, who is about to walk through that door.”


    She looks away from theputer. He takes hold of her chin, making her watch the events unfold.


    “I bet my baby brother, Cain, is on the other side of that door.” He leans closer to whisper in her ear.


    “What do you think my odds are?”


    Karma looks at the scene ying on the screen. A man''s heavy build approaches the door, casting an


    imposing shadow through the decorative ss panels of the handcrafted, oak door. Her heart rate


    elerates to an rming pace. She pauses the yback.


    “Enough. You win, Casper.” She shifts to face him, tears glistening in her eyes. “You win, all right.”


    “I win?” His deepugh echoes throughout the empty house. “What the fuck do I win, Karma?” He


    throws his hands in the air. “Hmm? ... How in the bleeding hell am I the lucky bastard in this situation?”


    “I''ll tell you—I''ll tell you the truth,” she stammers, near hyperventtion.


    He clicks y and res at his brother''s face walking into his home. He watches as Cain kisses and


    gropes Karma. As the two people whom he trusted most in the world betray him.


    “Lot of good that does me when I''m looking right at it.” The tension in his jaw at the moment would be


    enough to crush boulders.


    “Casper —.” She grabs for his hand. And again, he pulls away from her.


    He fishes through her handbag to find her phone, then hands it to her.


    “Call your boyfriend. We need to have a littlee to Jesus meeting.”