Page 77 of Wretched Heart
“Our jet’s ready to take off in half an hour,” he says, checking his phone.
I take a breath as I watch Hugo slobber over the woman he presumes is an escort. His movements are uncoordinated. “It’s time to tidy up our loose ends.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asks, following my gaze.
I shake my head, but not for the reason he thinks. “He doesn’t get to see another sunrise.”
“Oh, I agree,” says Ash. “But I don’t mind being the one to end him. It would be my pleasure.”
My original plan had been to return to Brimstage andleave Hugo in Killian’s capable hands, but our friend is nothing if not resourceful.
“This is Killian’s wedding gift, and I’m going to enjoy it,” I say.
We clink glasses and down our whiskeys. It’s a Griffin label naturally, just not one from Ash’s private stash.
As we reenter the room, I give Killian the nod and he strolls over to Maddie’s brother.
“Hugo, you’re having one hell of a night,” he says, clapping him on the back. “How about you and Shelley have your own private party to round the night off?”
“Sounds like fun,” Shelley says. She can’t leap off Hugo’s lap fast enough, but she knows what’s expected of her, so she drags Hugo to his feet too.
His pupils are dilated and his gaze unfocused. He has to use Shelley as a prop to remain standing. “Let’s go, baby,” he slurs. “Show you a good time.”
Killian hands Shelley a room key, and she leads Hugo out to the corridor. Ash and I are close behind.
“It’s been a pleasure, Hugo,” I say, squeezing his shoulder.
Hugo’s startled by my friendliness, but then he smiles. “Pleasure for me too,” he says. “Always wanted a brother.”
“Well, now you’ve got four,” Ash tells him loud enough for a cluster of hotel guests further down the corridor to hear. “We’re heading back to Brimstage now, so we’ll see you there soon. Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.”
To the average onlooker, the exchange would look friendly. No one would think twice about the wide grins on our faces. My brother and I move in the opposite direction to Hugo and take an elevator down to the parking garage. It stops midway, and two men get into the cab dressed in suits identical to ours. Ash and I get out. The lookalikes thatKillian has arranged as our alibi will continue their journey all the way back to Brimstage on our private jet.
Taking the stairs, we arrive at the hotel suite where Shelley had led Hugo just a few minutes earlier. Mace will already be editing and adjusting security footage to knit together our exit with that of our doppelgängers.
“He’s passed out on the bed,” Shelley says. “He was popping too many pills earlier for me to keep track of, but I don’t think he’s taken anything that he couldn’t sleep off.”
I remove my jacket and roll up my sleeves. “And the extras we’ll need?”
“You’ll find everything you asked for on the bedside table.”
Ash hands me a pair of latex gloves. He’s already wearing his. It’s going to be as if we were never there.
“We need to wait it out for at least an hour,” Ash reminds me. Hugo can’t die until there’s proof positive that we’re in the air. He glances at the ornate chess board over by the seating area. “Anyone want a game?”
“I’d rather keep Hugo company,” I say, impatient to get started.
“I’m up for the challenge,” Shelley tells Ash, taking a seat opposite as he sets up the board.
I leave them to it and head for the bedroom. Hugo is lying on his back, his arms and legs spread wide. I slap his face just hard enough to wake him without leaving any telltale marks. As Hugo opens his mouth, I drop an LSD tab on his tongue. Before I feed him the drugs that will eventually stop his heart, he’s going to spend his last hour suffering the most horrifying hallucination I can summon.
“Where am I?” Hugo croaks.
I lean over so he can see my face. “Welcome to hell, Hugo.”
Chapter 25
Maddie
