Page 34 of Twisted Liars

“Years ago, she overheard him bragging to some girls at a party, saying he was a ‘first-degree Rosmerta member’.” Teddy rolled his eyes upward. “Whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean. I think he was just making up shit to impress the girls so they’d hook up with him.”

I nodded, waiting for him to continue. I knew the party story was accurate, because Jensen told me weeks ago that some of his friends—including Julian—hadn’t taken the Rosmerta vow of silence particularly seriously and drunkenly bragged about it on occasion to bag girls.

“Anyway, seeing as Julian wound up in juvie after all that shit he did, Rosie figured she could convince him to be her source,” Teddy said.

“But how?” Jensen asked, brows furrowing. “He was only allowed contact with family members and his lawyer. It was like pulling teeth for me to get just one phone call with him.”

Teddy lifted his palm. “I’m getting to that,” he said. “Remember what I said before? About Rosie’s personality?”

“She’d do anything to get her own way?”

“Yup. She somehow managed to convince someone on the juvie staff that she was Julian’s cousin. Obviously he knew she wasn’t his cousin, but he agreed to talk to her anyway. I guess he was lonely in there and wanted any kind of company he could get.”

“Right.”

“So, Rosie started calling and visiting him as his fake cousin, hoping he’d agree to be a source for her exposé on the society. She didn’t even think there was all that much to it at the time—just a regular old secret society for the town’s elite. Same old bullshit you hear about in the Ivies.” Teddy rolled his eyes again. “Anyway, our mom is a lawyer, so Rosie figured she could dangle some sort of offer in front of Julian to make him open up to her. Something like an appeal that she could get Mom to work on.”

“Would your mom have done that?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Like I said, Rosie was just trying to get her own way. I don’t think she even told Mom about it,” Teddy replied. “But Mom’s amazing at what she does, so she probably could’ve done something to help. I don’t know why Julian’s family didn’t just hire her for his case in the first place. But anyway, Rosie thought that would be enough to make Julian talk—giving him the chance to get out, or at least get a reduced sentence for good behavior. Something like that.”

“And you didn’t like it?” I asked, noting his curled upper lip.

“Honestly, I was disgusted. I don’t know the girl he attacked over in Washington, but I always knew he was guilty.” Teddy looked at Jensen. “No offense, man. I know you and your buddies all defended him.”

Jensen raised his palms. “No offense taken,” he said. “You’re right. Julian did it. I know that now.”

Teddy’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he nodded slowly. “I knew he did it, and so did Rosie, because he was always a total fucking creep when he got girls alone at parties. He actually attacked a friend of ours once. She was too scared to come forward after it happened because he was so rich and popular, so she knew hardly anyone would believe her,” he said, nostrils flaring with anger. “So when I heard he was charged for what he did to that girl in Washington… well, obviously everyone is innocent until proven guilty. But I knew he did it, and I knew he’d be found guilty. I wasn’t surprised at all when it happened, and neither was Rosie. So for her to go to him and basically try to befriend him for a stupid school paper article about an urban legend… it was fucked up.”

“That’s why you fought?”

“That was part of it. Believe me, it gets worse.”

“How so?”

“A few weeks after that first argument, I went away on a school baseball trip, so Rosie and I were only in contact through texts or calls. But not much. I was still pretty mad at her.”

I nodded. “Understandable.”

“She called me one day and updated me on her visits with Julian. He’d agreed to give her some information, but it was nothing great. Just historical facts about the Rosmerta Society. Dates and places. Stuff like that. Probably all made up, if you ask me.” Teddy let out a disdainful snort and rolled his eyes again. “Anyway, he apparently hinted at something deeper, but he wouldn’t talk about it. So Rosie had another idea that she thought would make him talk. I was still pissed that she was doing all this bullshit, but I agreed to hear her out.”

“What was the idea?” I asked, eyes widening.

“She thought he was hinting at the society possibly having some sort of criminal involvement. She figured it was probably something like tax evasion or insider trading, because he told her only rich people were allowed to join,” Teddy said. “She thought it would be a good idea for him to open up about it. Not just to her, but to a lawyer like our mother.”

“Why?”

“Well, that way, Mom might’ve been able to cut him a deal of some sort—his testimony about the criminal Rosmerta members that he knew about in return for his freedom. Or at least a very reduced sentence.”

“Ah, I see.” I nodded slowly. “That would’ve made your fight with Rosie even worse.”

“No shit. It was beyond fucked.” Teddy grimaced. “I was like, come on… you’re really helping this sleazy prick get out of prison for good? Just for a fucking story about how maybe some rich people in town are into some shady business shit?”

I gave Jensen a side-eyed glance. His face was set like stone.

“I told Rosie he was obviously just playing her,” Teddy went on. “All the shit he was telling her about the Rosmerta Society was made up to suck her in and get her to help him. Or maybe he was just bored and wanted to mess with her to entertain himself. I don’t know.”

“I take it she wasn’t happy with you saying that?”

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