Page 77 of Jep

“If you tell us who you are working for?—”

“—You’re wasting your time.”

“You don’t want to help yourself?”

“Here we go again. The false concern.”

“I’ve always cared about you.”

“No. You’ve always been too busy showing off to whoever is most important in your life. First mom, then Carla, now who is it?” She looked at Pearce. “Him? You two having a little office romance?” She made a rude gesture with her hands.

“I’m not showing off. I’m trying to protect people. You and whoever your colleagues are trying to hurt.”

“Do you still chew your fingernails?”

“Not since I was a teenager.” Em held up her hand to show her sister. “It was connected to my anxiety, so when I learned to handle it better, I stopped.”

“Just like that?”

“No. It took a lot of self-discipline.”

“Well done. I’d clap for you, but…I couldn’t be bothered, what with all this metal dangling off me.”

“Why are you being like this?”

“Like what?”

“We were never close, but you didn’t used to be rude and sarcastic.”

“People change. Sorry to disappoint you.”

“You act like none of this matters. That seeing me has no effect on you, but you didn’t follow through on your plan in the park because I was there. You can’t deny that.”

“I’m not denying anything. I was in shock when I saw you. That’s all. I thought maybe someone knew you were my sister and was playing a joke. Turns out it was a coincidence.”

Em shook her head. “This isn’t you. You’re either lying, or they’ve messed with your head so bad?—”

“Maybe it’s because I’m being held here against my will. It doesn’t garner the best of feelings. If you let me go, I’ll be more friendly.”

“You were prepared to kill people.”

Jade glanced at Pearce. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I never hurt anyone.”

“But your intent was to do harm.”

“How can you sit here in your pretty blouse and high-heeled shoes and act like you know anything of the world? You should never have come in here. I have nothing to give you. Why don’t you go back to your lovely little life and forget all about me. You’re good at that.”

“You’re the one who left.”

“What choice did I have?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“There was nothing there for me,” Jade said. “You had that all tied up for yourself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You had mom wrapped around your finger.”

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