Page 95 of Deeper

I don’t blame her one bit.

“Technically, Callen has done all the killing, but I’m just as guilty, probably more so,” I answer truthfully. “I hired Callen before I even moved to Maplefield. I came here with clear intentions. Callen didn’t know I was the person who hired him until today.”

“So, you knew who he was the first time you saw him?”

“I did.”

“And Aria is the girl that went missing. Isn’t she? She’s dead? That’s why it’s so hard for you to talk about why she isn’t in your life anymore.”

“She is.”

I don’t think I ever really dealt with the truth that she’s gone, though. Some days, it’s like the letters I scribble to her are more than just words on a page. Some days, I imagine a normal two-way conversation with my best friend, but more recently, her side of the conversation has seemed a lot quieter. Her voice isn’t as loud as it used to be.

“These men, the ones you hired Callen to kill, they killed her? You’re certain?” she asks me the same thing that Callen did.

I straighten my shoulders, giving her the same answer I gave him, “I’m positive.”

“I’m sorry, Rylan.” Her apology is full of sincerity as she takes my hand in hers.

“Why are you apologizing to me?”

“I’m sorry they took her from you, that they took her from her life.”

“Me, too.” I am so fucking sorry about that.

Callen comes back into the room, and thankfully, his gun is nowhere to be seen. I’m positive he isn’t happy about Tatum knowing our secrets, but I’m confident that he’ll trust my judgment. Tatum isn’t a threat to us. She’ll take my secrets to her grave.

“Are we good?” Callen asks as he takes over the room.

“We’re good,” I respond.

Tatum stirs, once again restless with him back in the room.

Callen’s gaze is fixed on Tatum when he delivers cut-and-dried words. “I’m going to be blunt. I’m not happy about this. I won’t hesitate to fix any problem, by any means necessary, that jeopardizes my freedom and business. Are we clear?”

“We’re clear,” Tatum declares as she stands.

“Good. I think it’s best if you leave. Rylan and I need to figure out how to clean up the mess she’s gotten us into. I’ll check in on you to make sure you’re holding up your promises, though. Be sure of that.”

Tatum nods, and I silently walk her out. What can I really say?

I’m just glad I didn’t have to admit to her how much I love this part of my life. She knows the truth, but she doesn’t need all the details. I want to shield her from the sick things I take pleasure in with Callen. Pledging to stand by my side through the truths that she already knows is enough. The rest would be too much. She’d see that this has become about more than revenge. It’s become something I crave. I need the flood of euphoria that I can only find in the taking of a life, and it isn’t just about justice for Aria.

It’s more for me than it actually is for her.

Our good-bye is a bit awkward, but that’s to be expected though, right? She had a bomb delivered in her lap today, and we’ve asked her to sweep all the trash from the explosion under a rug. I’ve asked a lot of her.

“Are you going to finish the job?” I ask as soon as I’m back in front of Callen.

He turns, and wrinkles of frustration line his face. “I am. I’ve never let a job go unfinished, and I’m not going to start now. It will take some planning and perfect execution, though, and we’ll need a fall guy. Eyes are on you, and it won’t be long before they figure out exactly what’s been going on. You hired me, Rylan. You’re going to have to let me take control of this.”

“I can do that, but I have one request.”

“What’s that?” He runs his hand through his hair and pushes out a long-winded exhale.

“I pick the fall guy,” I state with determination.

“Who did you have in mind?”

“A certain elementary school principal who helped these guys get away with killing Aria.”

She’s perfect. She also has a connection to the past. We could easily set her up for our crimes and make it look believable. Plus, it’s one more check mark on my list of revenge. Margaret Elena Franklin will never attain the high expectations her family has set up for her, not if I have any say in it. She’ll rot in prison for my crimes because her silence helped my targets get away with theirs. There is no low I wouldn’t sink to in order to punish the people who took Aria from me and also keep the new people in my life safe from my sabotaging behavior.

“You have yourself a deal.”

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