Page 12 of The Rat

“No one asks whateach other is infor. They ask about the time, the sentence, but never the crime,but we all find out anyway.”

“Maybe some people are ashamed,or they fear they’ll be targeted for theircrimes.”

The bed shook, and Rory clutchedon. He felt safer when Sebastian was below him, but when he stood naked infront of the bed, his heart started thumping.

“What did youdo?”

“What?”

“There’s that word again.”Sebastian huffed. “Eight years, for what?”

“Drugs.”

“Drugs?”

“Smuggling,selling…”

“Using?”

Rory shook hishead. “No, I didn’tuse it. I knew what was in it.”

Sebastian laughed. “Yeah, I bet. Youknow what I’m in for, right?”

He leaned closer, and Roryshifted his head along the pillow to keeptheir distance.

“How would Iknow?”

Sebastian’s stare was sointense, Rorywas sure he saw his blue eyes shimmer, the same way animals’ eyesshone in low light. Then he took a step back andlaughed.

“I told yousixteen years, remember? Whydon’t you guess…”

“Murder.” Rorywhispered.

“Who’s a clever boy. Murder. Doyou knowhowI did it?”

Rory shook his head. “No.”

Sebastian chuckled, thenlifted his arm. “Thegood thing about hands … they’re always on hand.”

He laughed and wriggled hisfingers in the air. Rory didn’t laugh or smile, his stomach twistedin a knot. He knew how Sebastian Claw had murdered. He strangled with his righthand, didn’t even need two, he had enough strength in one to snuffout Lester Yates.

Sebastian hung his arm at his sideagain. “He deserved it.”

“What did hedo?”

Sebastian turned away and lookedup at thesmall window. “Betrayed me. We were close, or at least I thought wewere, but he rats on me to the police. What would you havedone?”

Rory bit his lip. “I would’veasked him to explain the situation… tried to understand, found a wayout—”

“That’sthe thing. If he’d told me, itwould’ve been different. We could’ve sorted it, I could’ve helped,but he didn’t. I gave him plenty of chances to tell me, but henever did. Even when I was strangling him, he looked at me withthis confused expression, like he didn’t understand why. That mademe even angrier, and I couldn’t stop.”

“Do—Do you—nevermind.”

“No, ask me.”

Rory avoided Sebastian’s gaze when heasked, “Do you ever regret it?”

“No, and I’m not gonna swear I’llnever do it again.”

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