Page 147 of Dead Vengeance

“You’re supposed to tell her how he died and where his body is. Because I know you know that. And that is all I’m asking. I don’t care what other lies you make up to explain it. You’ve already made enough of those.”

His eyes bore into me as if he’d like to see me in the ground next to Jem. He’s furious, calculating, determined not to lose the upper hand. And I’m scrambling. Throwing out everything I can think of without a shred of evidence to help me.

Finally, the standoff breaks with, “Fine. I’ll make your call. Then you’ll come see me, Thursday, and we’ll finish this.”

An open admission of guilt.

I should be satisfied, feel like I’ve achieved something here. I have. But his answer… The way he says it shoots a wave of warning down my spine.

Archer’s right. I’ve threatened this man’s career. His livelihood. And he knows how to dispose of people. He knows how to make it so someone can go missing and not be found ever again.

“I just need you to understand,” I try, “this has broken my family. It’s the not knowing that hurts the most. The hoping he’ll come home one day. She just needs to know that won’t ever happen. She needs to be able to move on. This is all I’m asking from you.”

His voice softens, but his eyes keep the cold calculation of a cat about to pounce. “I understand. I can do that. And then you’ll come see me, correct? And give me whatever you have?”

Dark and clipped. Like a person who’s made up their mind.

“I will,” I promise quietly. “I will. Just as soon as you’ve talked to her.”

“You can head home, then,” he suggests. “Stay there and wait for my call.”

Alarm bells are going off, clanging through my veins, pulsing in my ears. “You want me to go home?”

“That’s right. Wait there, and I’ll call.”

What else can I say? He’s offering to give me exactly what I want.

It’s possible he just wants me out of his office. Maybe he’s only telling me what I want to hear, and this will be the end of it. Maybe that’s why it feels like something’s off.

“You’ll really call?”

“Absolutely.”

I want to threaten him again. Tell him how sorry he’ll be if he doesn’t. But I’ve said all I can think to say at this stage.

Archer’s voice cuts through everything, his cheery-sounding words dropped like an axe. “Okay, then. Looks like we’re done here.”

With the withdrawal of his support, his arm slipping from my back, what little confidence I had left dissipates.

I hadn’t even realised how much he was holding me up, just being here for me, after getting me in here like this. It feels like drowning when he steps away from me, walks directly to the door.

But there’s also a spark of outrage inside. Surely he can see there’s something wrong here?

Archer pulls the door open. “Honey?”

That smile’s back on Marsden’s face. Just lightly. But instead of a touch of panic, it now holds a touch of smugness. Like he just won.

This is all wrong. But what can I actually do?

My mind’s whirring as I step over to Archer, like I’m hoping he’s going to interfere somehow. Fix it. Because that’s what Archer does, isn’t it? Fixes things. Makes things nicer. Makes everything better somehow.

His arm only rises to land on my shoulder, to guide me gently through the doorway. And I walk straight through. I turn back to throw one last glare at Marsden, but it’s Archer’s face that meets mine.

He leans in, presses a surprise kiss to my lips, and at the same time pushes his car keys into my hand.

I barely have time to register them when, eyes bright, he moves his lips conspiratorially close to my ear and says, “Wait in the car for me. I’m going to have a short chat.”

The door closes in my face, and the lock clicks.