Page 121 of The Killing Plains

“Of course not.”

“Then why?”

Niall was quiet for a minute. “I told you last night that Adam was my little shadow.”

“You said you felt guilty because you weren’t very nice to him.”

He nodded. “I was in high school when Adam started tagging along on fishing trips. He wanted to help, though mostly he got underfoot—asking a million questions, scaring off the fish, generally being a pest. Normal kid stuff, but I wasn’t very patient. He wanted to learn to tie flies, and he ruined a bunch playing with them, which really annoyed me. Finally, I told him if he touched my gear again without permission, he wouldn’t be allowed to help anymore.

“One day, we were at the stock pond. I waded out to unsnag my line, and when I turned around, Adam was playing with a hare’s mask from the tackle box. He had his fingers through the eyeholes, pretending it was a puppet. Acting silly.”

A shadow crossed Niall’s face. “He didn’t damage it in any way. But it pissed me off. More than pissed me off. I blew up, told him I was through with him. Sent him home.” Niall sighed. “That was the last time I saw him. When he disappeared a few days later, I thought he started that fire and ran away because of me.”

“Did you tell anyone?”

Niall shook his head. “Too ashamed.” He looked away. “About a month after Adam vanished, I went back to the stock pond—to fish a little, get my mind off things. The vultures were circling, and something was floating in the water. A mannequin, I thought.” He swallowed. “I waded out. Adam was face-up, wrapped in a chain. All bloated and purple, like he’d been submerged for weeks. Unrecognizable.”

“Then how’d you know who it was?” Colly asked.

“He was the only kid missing. Besides, I recognized his clothes.” Niall stared at the floor, reliving the moment. “I don’t remember getting back to shore, but I remember puking my guts up in the reeds. I sat on the bank for hours, trying to decide what to do.”

Colly didn’t have to coax him to tell the rest of the story. Right away, he’d understood that it was murder—that much was obvious. But he’d been terrified to report it. He felt responsible, somehow, and assumed others would think so, too. He returned to the pond day after day, hoping each time that the body had been discovered.

“I was sure someone would see the vultures, but no one did. I was afraid the body would sink again when the bloat subsided. It might never be found.” Niall looked up. “So, one day, I took my waders and a bolt cutter out to the pond.” He winced. “It’s not a pleasant memory.”

Colly nodded. “And the hare’s mask you left in his hand?”

Niall smiled sadly. “My guilt offering, I guess you’d say. My apology to Adam.” He sat up straighter. “You may not believe this, but it never occurred to me to wonder what the cops would thinkof it. I definitely didn’t imagine they’d take it as some perverse psychopathic signature.”

Colly studied him, chewing her lip. “Who else knows about this?”

“No one.”

“Not even a friend? Therapist? Priest? Your mother? Think carefully.”

“No.”

“What about Brenda—when you were dating?”

“You’re the first to hear about it. I swear. It was just between Adam and me—a private thing.” He looked at her. “That sounds crazy, I know.”

Not that crazy, Colly thought. Aloud, she said, “Then how do you explain those masks showing up with Denny and Willis?”

“I can’t. But anyone could’ve ordered them—they’re on Amazon.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences. None ever went missing from your shed?”

“Not that I’m aware.” Niall paused. “You said the cops didn’t officially release the detail of the mask. But maybe one of them let it slip.”

“Cops understand how vital it is to keep a secret like that.”

“Yeah, but there had to be quite a few in on it. It only takes one careless comment.”

Colly’s mind strayed uneasily to Russ. He’d lied to give his brother an alibi. Could he have told Lowell about the hares’ masks, too? He had vehemently rejected her suggestion that Denny was murdered by a copycat. Was he trying to steer her away from some inconvenient truth?

“I’ll look into it.” Colly stood and holstered her gun. “I’d like to take these in as evidence, if that’s okay.” She picked up the bin of hares’ masks.

“Does this mean you believe me?” Niall asked, pushing out of the chair.

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