Code(110)

My palms flipped up. “Why didn’t you say something? Warn us?”

“I was shocked. Embarrassed. I tried to contact Rome the minute we got back, but the cell number he’d given me was disconnected. When I called LIRI, they said he was on vacation. I didn’t know what to do.”

I thought of the times Ben had gone missing lately. Had acted distant. How badly he’d freaked when I’d touched his mind at Castle Pinckney.

I’d chalked it all up to his natural moodiness, or his running feud with Jason. I never suspected something more sinister.

“Everything spiraled out of control.” Ben’s knee started bouncing up and down. “I . . . I thought . . . hoped that maybe I could stop it somehow. Make it all go away.”

“The snare gun. Kit just said LIRI never owned one.”

“I was as shocked as you. Rome and I never discussed guns. When you told me what Marchant said at the coffee shop, I didn’t know what to think. I figured Rome could’ve stolen the weapon from LIRI, since he worked there. But I’m not surprised he was totally lying. Not now.”

“The Gamemaster murdered a man, Ben.” I forced him to meet my eye. “Eric Marchant was executed in cold blood. For no other reason than to mess with our heads.”

“Never.” Ben’s hands began to shake. “No one was supposed to ever, ever . . . It was a freaking game!”

I thought of something. “You saw Marchant. At the firing range.”

He snorted without humor. “Why do you think I puked?”

“That was after Castle Pinckney.” The realization stoked my anger. “After a cache burned Coop’s mouth. After the Gamemaster blew up the wedding gazebo. After the snare gun fired at me!”

Ben looked away.

“You scoffed when I suggested the Gamemaster might work at LIRI.” My fury grew as more pieces fell into place. “And when I worried we’d been specifically targeted for the Game? You knew, and lied to my face! To all of us!”


“I panicked!” Ben shot to his feet and began pacing the small room. “I didn’t know what to do. When we got back I tried one last time to reach Rome, to demand he end the game. I even tried to access his personnel file on that LIRI terminal. That why I sent you guys to check the lobby. It was useless. The records were gone.”

“You should’ve told us!”

“You wouldn’t have let me help!” Ben shot back. “This whole nightmare was my fault. I needed to find that psycho and stop him. If I’d told you guys the truth, you’d have shut me out. Then we found the corpse, and . . . and . . .” He shook his head. “It was too late. Things were crazy. All I could do was try to prevent whatever evil Rome had planned.”

I held up a hand. Couldn’t handle any more of his confession.

Unwittingly or not, Ben had assisted a monster. A killer. He’d known the truth for days, and never told us. He’d lied. Even when The Game had threatened our lives.

“Tell me why, Ben. Why would you want to trick us in the first place?”

Ben stopped pacing. Looked directly at me. “Don’t you know?”

I shook my head, confused.

“To impress you, Victoria Brennan.” His voice cracked. “I wanted you to think I was special.”

The words rocked me.

Oh, Ben.

He’d started this madness . . . for me?

“You were spending all that time with Jason,” Ben said softly, staring at his shoes. “Skipping around town with your new perfect guy. Cotillion this. Fund-raiser that. I hated it. Hated him. When I finally told Rome, he said I needed to amaze you. Said I needed to figure out a way to make you see me.”

“I see you, Ben.” I rose and grabbed his hand. “I always have. You’re in my pack.”

He pulled away. “What if being packmates isn’t enough for me?”

I was speechless.

The room froze in uncomfortable silence.

Then Kit stuck his head through the door. “Tory?”

“Uh-huh.”

“The worst of the hurricane has passed. The police want to interview us now.” Kit’s eyes bounced between Ben and me. I was sure he could sense the tension, perhaps even hear my heart pounding in my chest. “You guys up for that?”

Was I? What would I say?

I made a decision.

“Yes.” Stepping to the door. “But I have nothing to add to what we’ve already told you.”

I heard Ben pivot. Felt his eyes on my back.

I could never turn you in. Not even for this.

“Okay.” Kit sounded skeptical. “But we still have to make statements.”

I was about to agree when Ben gripped my shoulder.

“No, Tory.” His voice was tired, but firm. “It’s time to tell the truth. All of it.”

I spun to face him.

“There’s no need to!” Tentacles of fear squeezed my heart. “It won’t make any difference.”

“It will to me.” Squaring his shoulders, Ben nodded to Kit. “Lead the way, sir?”

My friend strode from the room, one step ahead of my tears.

Good-bye, Ben.





CHAPTER 59





“How long are we stuck in Charlotte?”