Page 97 of The Matchmaker

“H-how many am I supposed to take?”

“We’ve got a whole bottle to go, and I’m going to be honest, my patienceisstarting to run out.”

I take a sip of water and swallow another. How many of these will it take before I black out? I have to stay conscious. I have to find a way out of this.

My iPhone buzzes. Again. And again. Darcy stalks toward it and glowers. She leans down to read the messages.

“Nina again?” She scrunches her nose. “What’s her deal? Are you friends now or something?”

I’m late. I check the wall clock hanging over the back window. I’m twenty minutes late.

Grabbing my phone from the counter, she types in my passcode. Hits the voice-to-text button. “Can’t chat,” she says. “Something came up.”

“It doesn’t have to end like this.”

“I wish that was true,” she says. “This is just the way it has to be.”

Under her watchful eye, I take another pill. Is my pulse slowing, or am I imagining it? What comes next?

My wrist buzzes again. Will Darcy notice if I look down? What have I got to lose if she does? I sneak a glimpse at the incoming text.

Nina:Something came up? WTF, Nura? I can still make it for the social hour if you get here in the next ten minutes. Please.

Oh.

“What if I confessed?” I blurt out. She eyes me. I rush on. “A deathbed confession? Instead of an overdose, it could be a suicide. My guilt over my actions ate me alive. I’ll say I helped Basit. The other clients. Stole their money. I’ll admit to all of it.”

“Hope springs eternal, huh?” She gives me a small smile. “You think bargaining with me might buy you time to convince me to change my mind?”

“My family relies on me for their livelihood. I-I want them taken care of when I’m gone. How about this? I’ll leave you my business in my confession. In exchange, you look after my family and make sure their financial needs are met.”

She regards me suspiciously. “And you trust I’d actually do it?”

“I trust the Darcy I’ve known for the last six years.” My voice wavers. “You’re right, maybe you won’t honor my wishes, but I have no choice but to try. There’s an old-fashioned tape recorder in a cardboard box in the closet there. There’s no internet connection on that, so I can’t use it to call for help.” I point to the coat closet a few steps away. “I’ll say whatever you want. In exchange, keep my family safe.”

“I’m not sure….”

“I mean it, Darcy. Please. If I’ve ever meant anything to you, even the slightest bit, let me do this for you, and in exchange, you help my family.”

A wave of dizziness washes over me.Focus.She’s tempted. She glances at me and makes her way toward the closet. She opens the door. Looks inside.

This is it.

Hands trembling, I click Nina’s message on my wrist. I hit the voice button.

“Don’t kill me, Darcy. Forcing me to take pills in my own home won’t fix things. Please help me. You’re in danger too. Call the police and this can all be over.”

Heart pounding, I hit send.

“Nura—I’ve been trying really hard to be understanding. I understand your predicament, I’m sorry it has to happen like this, but I’m fucking over it. This—ah—here it is.” She pulls out the bulky recorder. “Totally thought you were bluffing.” She looks at me with what I can only describe as grudging respect. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“If it helps my family, I’ll do anything.”

My heart thrums against my ribs. Did the text go through? I’ve never voice texted from my watch before. I don’t dare check now that she’s setting the recorder on the table and settling down across from me.

“Go on and take another pill,” she says. “This is a deathbed confession. Let’s go ahead and get on with the dying.”

I do as she says, choking the next pill down my throat.

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