Page 103 of Speak

“Who was the masked one you were with?”

“I…” shit.

“Jonas?”

“I ran into my therapist and my school counselor there and he helped. We arranged Tyler sideways, on the bed, in case he was sick in his sleep so he wouldn’t choke on his vomit.”

“Did you return to Inferno?”

“I did not.”

“Afterward?”

“I went to my girlfriend’s lake house.”

“Where you proceeded to…”

I look up at Stephen then to his right at my father and then lock eyes with John and I have to stop the grin from spreading on my face. “Have sex over and over again through the night and well into the morning.” I answer his pause.

There’s chuckles scattered throughout the room. Which does not amuse John nor Stephen.

“I see. Thank you, Jonas.”

I step back into my place between the cloaks.

Stephen turns and some initiates pull down a screen, a projector turns on and what looks like security camera feed from De Novo plays. “Seven guests checked in at De Novo at the time of my sons death. Two of which were in a penthouse suite on Tyler’s floor. The cameras show the couple getting into the elevator and then nothing. Not one person getting in or out of the elevator, not one person in the hall.”

For thirty whole minutes, we stand, watching. Stephen speeds it up until the last two seconds.

There. For two seconds, a shape, like a shadow in a hoodie that’s up with a small limp, walks the hall, and then the cameras loop again for five minutes, afterwards, showing a regular busy hallway of guests pouring in drunk, from wherever they were. He fast-forwards it again, and the camera loops all over again for seven minutes. The time it took us to escape without being seen.

My hands grow clammy. I didn’t get her in the door in time.

“De Novo believes their cameras were hacked and were so kind as to hand this over to me and not the local authorities.” I hold my entire breath until my lungs burn and let it out slowly. “My nephew, Riordan, who cannot be here due to his current… mental and emotional state, was convinced Tyler did not commit suicide but he was murdered.”

I breathe in for five, exhale for five.

“There is not enough evidence to support his claims on who the culprit is.” Inhale for five… “The hooded figure seems to wear a size ten in men’s shoes,” exhale for five… “stands at about five-foot-nine and has a small limp.”

I have never been prouder of knowing my girl put in double inserts into the men’s shoes she purchased to make her look taller just in case.

I’m going to fucking marry that girl.

_______

When the meeting is adjourned an hour later and we’re released, I head to the bathroom down the hall, put my mask and cloak back in my backpack, relieve myself, wash my hands, grab my helmet and head out to the living area where there’s a buffet. I see Stephen andJohn in the back of the hallway where it looks like they’re having a heated discussion. When I come close they stop talking and Stephen faces me, extending his hand.

“Ah, Jonas.”

“Sir,” I reply, shaking his hand.

“I wanted to thank you, for trying to help my son.”

I shrug. “I hope he would’ve done the same for me.”

He thrusts a drink at me but I shake my head and hold up my helmet. “I don’t drink and ride, sir.”

“Just a good boy all around, aren’t you?” John says. “Out ravaging daughters and riding a motorcycle, living in their house for free.”

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