Page 70 of Ward D
“Sure. The best lies stay close to the truth.”
“Like what?”
“Well,” he says thoughtfully. “I really did used to drive for Uber when I had my first crappy online paper job and my salary couldn’t pay the bills without a side gig. Also, I do live alone, and I’m single. And also, John Irvingismy favorite author.”
“Have you read all his books?” I’ve now looked through the entire stack on his nightstand, which also includesA Widow For One YearandAvenue of Mysteries.
“Of course.” He taps the frame of his glasses. “You think I got these thick lenses because I don’t like to read?”
“I always loved to read too.” I flip through his dog-eared copy ofOwen Meany. “Whenever we were assigned to read a book in school, I would always finish it after two days, even though we were only assigned to read like two chapters.”
“That just makes you a nerd,” he says. “I, on the other hand, was a readingrenegade. In class, while the teacher was teaching a lesson, I would be reading a book under my desk. I actually got detention forreading. My teacher was always saying, ‘Will, put that book away!’”
Despite everything, I have to giggle. “You’re right. I was never a reading renegade.”
“That’s how I always knew I wanted a career that involved writing,” he muses. “Every time I would read something really great, it made me want to write.”
The passion in his eyes is unmistakable. He’s being completely honest. I would bet my life. “Will, tell me the truth. What do you think is going on here?”
His hazel eyes cloud over behind his lenses. “Honestly? I don’t know. But I do know one thing. Sawyer has been a problem ever since he got here. They had him isolated from everyone else even before they locked him in seclusion. And ever since they locked Sawyer in Seclusion One, I’ve heard loud noises coming from that room. But then after the power went off—nothing.”
“So…?”
“I think he must have gotten out.” He shudders. “When the power died, the locks must have turned off as well. And he took advantage.”
I clasp a hand over my mouth. “You think so?”
“I hope I’m wrong. Because from what I’ve heard, that guy is seriously disturbed.”
When I close my eyes, I can picture Mary Cummings screaming his name.Damon Sawyer is going to kill all of you!And then Spider-Dan’s insistence that Sawyer had come to him and said he was going to hurt me.
Why would he want to hurtme?
I shiver.
“Don’t worry.” Will reaches out and places his hand on mine. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting him near you. Like I said, let’s stick together and we’ll be fine. It’ll be morning before you know it.”
I want so badly to believe him. I remember my first impression of Will when I came into his room at the beginning of the evening. Despite his diagnosis, I thought he seemed like a nice, normal sort of guy. A cute guy. The kind of guy I might agree to go out to dinner with, if it ever came up. But appearances can be deceiving.
Can I trust him?
“Don’t worry,” Will says again as he squeezes my hand. “I won’t let anything happen.”
But I have a terrible feeling that Will can’t protect me from Damon Sawyer. Nobody can.
Just like nobody could protect me from myself when I was sixteen years old.
47
EIGHT YEARS EARLIER
Ican’t rip my eyes away from the man duct taped to a chair in the middle of this tiny kitchen. His hands and legs are bound with the dull gray tape, and there’s a piece holding his mouth closed. His face is dripping with sweat, and one of his eyes is swollen closed. And there’s blood on his scalp, intermingled with the sparse strands of hair combed over his bald spot.
“Mr. Riordan,” I breathe.
Mr. Riordan groans at the sound of his name. His one eye that isn’t swollen shut is bloodshot, and he turns it in my direction. There’s desperation in his gaze.
“The door wasn’t even locked!” Jade reports gleefully. “I mean, who doesn’t even lock their door? It was so easy. Of course, all he’s got is a bunch of crap in here that’s not even worth stealing. So maybe he’s hoping somebody will break in and, I don’t know, clean his house or something.” She snickers. “Is that what you were hoping, Mr. Riordan?”
