Ryan shrugged one shoulder carelessly. “They were just a means to an end, anyway. Their deaths were supposed to be your fall from grace. But nobody was willing to believe the great and mighty Tanner Dempsey could possibly be the bad guy.”
There was no point in trying to argue that Tanner hadn’t actually killed anyone and that was why no one believed him capable of it.
“Why are you doing this, Ryan? Because of Nate? Why now? You and I have been hanging out for years.”
“And never once during that time did you mention the fact that if you would’ve broken that rope around your neck sooner—tried a little harder—you could’ve saved Nate’s life.”
It all became clear to Tanner.
“You got into Dr. Michalski’s hacked files.” That had to be it. Besides Noah and Bree, Michalski was the only other person he’d talked about Nate’s death with.
And he’d said those very words. Felt that very guilt. That if he’d just made an effort and snapped the rope sooner, he could’ve stopped Nate from being shot.
“Michalski’s files are what brought Carrico andme together. All the times I talked with you, I always thought you had done everything you could to save Nate. That you weren’t to be blamed. But I was wrong, wasn’t I? You are to be blamed, yet no one ever did. Not even so much as a mark on your file.”
“Ryan—”
“Don’t try to talk your way out of this. Don’t forget I’ve had plenty of time watching you work people on the stands. I used to admire you for it, how smooth you were. But that was before I realized that you were a murderer. Then it was like my blinders were ripped off and I could finally see you for what you really were—an egotistical bastard who thinks he’s better than everyone.”
“Ryan, please believe me. I would’ve saved your brother if I could’ve—”
“Liar!”
Tanner watched in horror as Ryan pulled the chair out from under Bree’s outstretched leg. Without its support, she fell forward and the rope began to strangle her. She began to flail, her body instinctively trying to do whatever it could to ease the pressure on her throat and allow oxygen in.
Tanner rushed toward them but stopped when Ryan brought the knife tip up to the side of Bree’s neck. The way she was jerking caused her to jab herself into it. Blood soon began trickling down her throat.
“Stop, or she dies this second.”
“Get the chair back under her legs, right damn now.” Tanner could feel every muscle in his body tensed to attack. Could he get to Ryan before he dealt Bree a fatal blow with a knife?
He relaxed the slightest bit when Ryan pulled the knife away from her neck and placed the chair back under her legs.
The pressure was off her throat now, but she was still panicking, unable to breathe under the tape.
“Ryan, take that tape off her mouth.”
Bree’s chest was moving at a way too rapid pace for the amount of oxygen she was able to get in. She was going to hyperventilate, and that would be deadly in her current state. Passing out might lower her breathing rate, but it would also mean she couldn’t keep her balance on the chair.
“Freckles,” he said, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. “Look at me. You can do this.”
He didn’t even know if she heard him. Her eyes were still wild and darting all around the room, her chest heaving.
“Goddamn it, Ryan, if she passes out, you won’t have any leverage over me whatsoever.” And Tanner was damn well going to kill him. “Take the tape offnow.”
Ryan let out an annoyed sigh. “Fine.” He reached up and ripped the tape brutally off her face.
Bree flinched, then began sucking in big gulps of air. They weren’t out of danger yet. The oxygen now flooding her system could make her just as dizzy.
“Freckles, I need you to slow down your breathing. If you pass out, there’s nothing to keep you balanced on that chair. Look at me.”
Those green eyes finally settled on his face. She watched him, and he took slow breaths with her, getting her to match his. “That a girl. You’re amazing.”
Ryan just watched the entire exchange, shaking his head. “You know,sheis the reason I really couldn’t tolerate this anymore. It’s bad enough that you fooled everyone who knows you into thinking you’re some sort of hero. Then you actually get to fall in love? Have awonderful future with someone? Nate didn’t get to have that. So it was totally unacceptable to me that you would.”
“So your grand plan was to frame me for murder?”
“It wasn’t enough just to kill you.” Ryan was so angry, spittle flew from his mouth as he spoke. “The world needed to know the truth about you. That you’re the enemy and to be feared, not to be revered.”
