The Masked Truth(88)

“Because things went wrong,” he says. “They set this up to kill you—and I did not know that, I absolutely did not know that—and things went wrong, and Brienne was shot accidentally. They mistook her for one of the other girls—”

“They’d already shot both the other girls. And obviously there was no way they mistook her for me.”

Sweat streams down his face now. He does not want to think he sent his sister in there for people who would kill her, because then he has to admit how stupid he was, thinking she’d be safe when his employers murder people for money. He needs it to have been an accident. I understand, but I can’t let him think that or he’s not going to give us what we need.

“They didn’t mistake her for anyone. They murdered every last—”

“Yes,” he blurts. “Yes, all right. Things went wrong, and they killed everyone. They knew who she was, and they shot her anyway to tie up all the loose ends when it went bad.”

“It didn’t go bad. Killing everyone was their plan from the start.”

“What? No. That’s nuts. They planned to cover up your murder with a hostage-taking. They’d get money out of the rich kid’s father. I heard them say they had a big score coming, some business guy with a bottomless bank account. That was the plan. I see it now—I just didn’t put it together at first.”

“They never initiated any negotiations. The only way they were getting money from Aaron’s dad …” I trail off as I realize what I’m thinking.

“Is if they were hired by him,” Max finishes for me.

“No, that really is nuts,” I say. “No one is going to hire a hit man to kill his own son.”

River snorts. “You are such a sheltered rich kid. There are plenty of parents who don’t give a shit. Like mine. And I know, from working with these guys, that there are people who’d put a hit on their grandmother if there was profit in it.”

“But there was no profit. Aaron’s dad found out he was gay, but no father is going to kill his kid for that.”

“Don’t be too sure,” River mutters.

“There was profit in it, Riley,” Max says quietly. “The divorce settlement. I have no idea what kind of money they could be talking for child support and trust funds and whatever else, and I’m still with you on this—I don’t see how a parent could hire someone to murder his son for anything—but add up the factors and …” He shakes his head. “No, sorry. I still can’t fathom it.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not true,” River says.

I remember what Aaron said about why he’d been at the sleepover. His father arranged it. Insisted on it. Threatened him if he didn’t go. I feel like I’m going to throw up.

“So that’s what happened,” River continues. “A hit for money plus one to remove a potential witness. But it went wrong and—”

“The only thing that went wrong is that they had to abandon their plan and turn an organized mass murder into a free-for-all. They pretended it was a hostage-taking. Then they began releasing kids. Do you know how they released them? Took a girl—Sandy—to another room and shot her, letting us think she got out. No one was supposed to get out. Including your sister. Part of this was about cleaning up loose ends. Brienne was a loose end.”

“That’s— No— They wouldn’t …” He swallows, as if realizing how ridiculous that sounds, to say that the hit men he worked for wouldn’t murder his sister. “But … but I’d find out.”

“I don’t think they’re too worried about you,” Max says.

“They’d never have told you they were behind it,” I say. “It would have seemed like Max killed everyone, including your sister. But I’m still alive. Max is still alive. Brienne is still alive. And we all know the truth.”

“No,” he whispers, his eyes widening. “Brienne!” He tries to scramble up. “I need to get to the hospital.”

“Sloane is watching her.”

He stares at me blankly.

“My sister.”

“That girl I met? Seriously? She’s probably taken off with the first cute intern who looked her way.”

“Sloane is watching your sister, and the nurses’ desk is right outside the door. Brienne is safe. No one can get to her.”

“Of course they can. You don’t understand. They can get to her easily. They—” He stops himself and shakes his head.

“And here’s the part where you tell us all about them,” Max says.

“After I see my sister.”

“No,” Max says. “Tell us, and then you see her.”

River’s jaw sets. Then his legs shoot out, in an awkward kick that still makes contact. Caught off guard, I fall back with an oomph. Max jumps in and grabs him by the back of the shirt, but River starts flailing, struggling madly, and I know that twine isn’t going to hold, and I know I’m in no shape to take him down if he gets free, and I can’t ask Max to do it.

“Okay!” I say. “Okay. We’ll take you to Brienne. You’ll see she’s all right, and then you’ll tell us what you know or I’m going straight to the police.”