Page 67 of The Engagement Party

Will’s expression bounced around from furious to confused. He kept emotionally circling and landed back on lost and disoriented. “I don’t understand any of this.”

“He’s a prize.” Dylan whistled. “You really dumped me for him?”

The overlap. Dylan’s clear goal of revenge. Alex’s brain refused to take it all in.

“I needed the truth for my book. It’s that simple,” Ruthie said. “Will, you were my way in. I needed to get close to you all to get you to talk.”

“To destroy us.” Cassie looked and sounded like she waswinding up. No longer a step behind. She’d clearly determined Ruthie’s motivations and viewed her as the enemy.

Ruthie shook her head. “You didn’t need my help for that. Your secrets couldn’t stay hidden forever.”

Alex didn’t agree. They’d spent so much energy and to have it implode now, like this, was almost too much to take.

“My goal was to write a book about Emily and Brendan.” Ruthie shrugged. “None of you would answer questions if you knew that. You’d sidestepped law enforcement with your attorneys and blocked any real attempt to review the case for years.”

“That’s how we met,” Dylan explained. “We went back and forth on online forums. Discussed theories and evidence. Most people concluded Mitch killed Emily and Brendan.”

Mitch sighed. “Great.”

“Once I started investigating, I couldn’t stop. The whodunit shit gets in your blood. Gives you back your control.” Dylan set his gun on the counter. “During that time, Ruthie and I started going out... or should I say staying in.”

“You’re disgusting.” Will looked at the door, as if he thought he could make a run for it.

Alex needed Will to hold it together. Admittedly, the last few minutes had been a mess of admissions and threats, but Dylan had a gun and an agenda. No matter what Mitch and Sierra were planning, a bullet moved faster.

“I thought we both wanted the same thing. The truth. But Dylan started talking about the need for a big show. For revenge.” Ruthie looked at Dylan’s gun then over to Sierra. “Talked about inflicting pain without one ounce of guilt.”

“I own that. I’m not ashamed of how much I want this college gang dead,” Dylan said.

“Do you hear yourself?” Ruthie sounded frustrated.

Dylan shrugged. “It’s a good thing I’d already installed the programs I needed on your computer. They allowed me to watch you track them all down, see your plans, read the threatening notes you’d written to spook this fine group. Most importantly, I got a look at that draft book of yours.”

An explanation. One Alex almost believed. This little scene made Ruthie another victim of Dylan’s plans. It all sounded too wrapped up and easy. Alex didn’t buy that part at all.

Will leaned forward, sounding more lost than ever. “We met in an art gallery.”

“A setup.” Ruthie seemed to ignore the danger and her ex to focus on the man she’d tricked with a mountain of lies in a tone that hinted at regret. “Will... I...”

“Fine.” This wasn’t the time for an emotional dump. Alex pushed them in another direction because he needed Will angry and ready to fight. “You led us all here. For what?”

“Answers.” Ruthie’s serious tone suggested that her response was true. “But I swear I didn’t know Dylan was here or that he planned to come.”

“I’m persistent,” Dylan added.

Will stared him down. “Insane.”

“That’s the second time y’all have thrown that word around.” Dylan’s voice turned deadly cold. “I warned you.”

The screaming started the second after the shot rang out.

Chapter Fifty

Sierra

Sierra ducked as the bang echoed through the room. One second she was sitting, getting ready to throw the knife, and the next Mitch tackled her, pinning her against the cushions.

She’d cut their hands free while Dylan preened and threatened but in the pushing and diving after the shot the knife slipped from her fingers. Panic swamped her as she patted and fumbled. Her fingers dug into the crease between the couch cushions. Something hard rubbed against the back of her hand. She twisted and shoved at Mitch to slide over. In a weird way, time both moved in slow motion and sped by. She grabbed the hard plastic and... the broken zip tie. No knife.

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