AllFreeNovel
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I raise my hand, swiftly reaching for the keyboard, and Boxcar stiffens. We both know what the consequences of this will be, especially for me.
In the end, it’s what I deserve. I’ll make that sacrifice if it means getting rid of Snake Eyes for good.
If it means Dani is safe.
I click Send.
“There,” I say, sitting back. “It’s done.”
Boxcar spins the laptop back toward himself and nods. “It’s done,” he repeats with a nod.
He stands up to put the computer back into his briefcase.
I take a deep breath as a heavy weight sinks onto my shoulders. It’s a strange feeling to know that you just changed the course of history.
Like Pandora’s box, there’s no going back from this.
“Now,” Boxcar smiles, returning to his usual jovial self, “I’m sure I have at least one more spiel in me about the Bill of Rights, so I’ll go do that, and we’ll have you out of here in five.”
“Don’t bother,” I say. “I’ll just be brought back in once the master file gets out. Might as well stay here.”
“Why would they do that?” he asks. “You’re not in the master file.”
I blink, and his smile grows. “You deleted me from the file?” I ask.
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
“Fox,” he says, his expression going soft, “you are the best friend I’ve ever had. I’d even go so far as to say you’re the only friend I’ve ever had. You come back from the dead and you expect me to, what? Go back to Boston? Be the same shell of a man I’ve been since the day you went missing? Fuck that. As far as they’re concerned, you’re just a city boy who took the midnight train to Afghanistan and came back with a serious case of amnesia. People love a good amnesia story. Make it work.”
I shake my head. “Boxcar, that’s—”
“Look, I get it,” he says over me. “You’ve done some things you’re not proud of. You think you deserve to be in here, but there are plenty of us who disagree. We still remember who you are and, dammit, we still really like that guy. So, yeah, Fox, I deleted you from that file because I’m not going to let you waste the second chance you’ve been given. You have no idea how lucky you are to have that.” He pauses. “To have her.”
“I’m not worth throwing her life away for,” I say, looking down.
“Don’t make that decision for her. At the very least, tell her you’re a free man. She deserves that.”
“She deserves more than I can give her.”
Boxcar sighs. “Fox, since the day I met you, there’s been one constant truth in the world: I’m the coward and you’re the cool guy. Don’t mess that up.”
I smile. “I think after today, you’ve earned a shot at being the cool guy, Box.”
His lips curl. “Maybe. Still, you don’t want to be the coward who lost the girl. Believe me.”
The interrogation room door opens again.
Boxcar thrusts his fist into the air. “Bill of Rights!” he shouts.
Detective Lawrence rolls his eyes, looking even more annoyed now than he did when he left. “Mr. Fitzpatrick, you’re free to go,” he says.
“I am?” I ask.
“Fox...”Boxcar tilts his head. “Don’t question the nice detective. He’s just doing his job.”
Lawrence ignores him. “The statements checked out. The family isn’t pressing charges and the mayor has, apparently, already received an interesting phone call from the girl herself, so…” He points his thumb at the door. “Guess he felt a bit star-struck.”
