Page 110 of Jep

“You’ve got it all wrong. He’s not like that.”

“I’m sorry. I know this is hard for you to hear. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

“Then what about Jade? If what you say is true, then why are you letting her go? All this means is she’s working with him.”

“I’m not saying she’s completely innocent, but Jep set her up.”

“And Jep’s cuffed to a desk in the other room, so why do I need to get out of here so quickly?” As she spoke the words, fear crept into the tiny places in her mind and spread. Something wasn’t right. As hard as Pearce was trying to explain, nothing he said could stand.

“I don’t know who else is involved,” Pearce said. “I don’t know how deep this goes. I didn’t know about Gardener. If someone else is connected and they discover their plans are unraveling, they’ll start killing off the loose ends. Isn’t that right, Jade?”

Jade’s eyes shot to Pearce, then slid across to Emery. She licked her lips. “Yeah.”

“You have to go now. This is your last chance. You’re running out of time.”

“Where’s Lawson?” Em said. “When’s he getting back?”

“We don’t have time to wait for him. Go. Now. Jade? Go.”

Jade turned for the door, but Em said, “Wait.”

“Please,” Jade said, “let’s just go.”

“No. None of this makes sense. It still doesn’t explain?—”

Pearce tsked, then pulled Jep’s weapon and pointed it at her. “I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this. Jade, come here.”

“What are you doing?” Em said, as her sister obeyed with her eyes on the floor.

He handed her the gun.

“You’re going to force me to take her?” Em said. “You’re really that convinced that Jep is the bad guy here?”

“You have to admit,” Pearce said to Jade, “I tried my best.”

“There’s still time.” Jade said. But he shook his head and pointed at Em, and Jade lifted the weapon, aiming it at her sister. “Emmy. Let’s go.”

“No,” Pearce said. “I told you. It’s too late for that. I was hoping, Em, to keep you alive. You would have been a great witness. Everyone would have loved you.”

All the heat went out of Em’s body as the truth settled on her like a heavy dew, chilling her to her bones.

“You don’t have to do this,” Jade said to Pearce.

“Don’t start getting all emotional now. You can’t tell me you suddenly care about your estranged sister.”

Jade scoffed. “I don’t care. I just think keeping her alive is a better option. We’ve talked about this.”

“Itwasthe better option. Now, the better option is to say she was an accomplice. This wasn’t the ending I had picked out, but you have to work with the clay you’re given.”

“Pearce?” Em said. “How could?—”

“You ask too many questions. So, this is how it’s going to go. You and Gardener were scheming together—Gardener is going to kill me for this. But after knocking Jep out with the statue in Gardener’s office, you stole his gun and cuffed them both before coming in here to save your sister. Little did you know, she didn’t want saving from you because she’s been radicalized. She stole the gun and shot you before she escaped. How do you like that story?”

“You want me to kill my sister?” Jade said.

He pointed his own gun at her. “We could amend the story to—before you could escape, I shot you dead. Would you rather do that?” He clicked his tongue. “Come on. Don’t look so sad. It’s all for the greater good, right? Right?”

“Right.” Jade looked at Em before lifting the gun higher. “I’m so sorry, Em. This was never?—”

---