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“Waylon is dead, correct?” I ask, deciding to start with what I think will be an easy question for Maxwell to answer. In our world, people die and then come back to life. I basically faked Siren’s death. It wouldn’t be impossible that Waylon did the same.
Except, Langston was the one who killed Waylon, and there would be no reason for him to fake that. Plus, I was the one who discovered Waylon. He was covered in blood and had no pulse. Unless he has an identical twin or he has literal powers to return from the dead, he’s dead.
“Waylon is dead,” Maxwell says.
Both Langston and I study him closely, looking for any tell that he’s lying. When you’ve been lied to by people as often as Langston and I have, you learn to read people better than most.
“So if Waylon didn’t send me that threatening note, who did?” I ask.
Maxwell drinks down his entire glass, like he needs courage for the next part.
“Corbin, his brother.”
I narrow my eyes. “Waylon doesn’t have a brother. He’s an only child.”
“He has a brother.”
“And how do you know that?” Langston asks, gripping his glass hard so he doesn’t punch Maxwell in the face.
“He’s the one who hired me,” Maxwell answers.
My breathing stops, and for a second, I think I made a mistake bringing Maxwell here. I let him get close to the next clue that could lead us to the treasure.
Langston’s leg bounces under the table, and I grab it, trying to get him to calm the fuck down.
He doesn’t so much as glance my way. He just shakes my hand off his thigh and keeps bouncing like I’m nothing more than an annoying fly that just landed on his leg.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you right now,” Langston says in a low, deep voice.
“Without me, you won’t be able to find him.”
Langston laughs. “I’m sure I can figure it out.”
It’s then that I realize Langston has his gun trained on Maxwell underneath the table.
Maxwell senses it too, but he doesn’t seem concerned. He makes no move to get up, to defend himself. Instead, he looks at me with warm eyes.
“Waylon’s brother hired me to keep you safe, Liesel. My job is still to protect you. Whether my loyalty lies with him or you, it doesn’t matter. I’m your only shot at staying safe.”
“Like hell you are! I’m her only shot at staying safe,” Langston says.
Maxwell ignores Langston and keeps looking at me.
“I was sent to blow up the house, killing everyone but Liesel to send a message that he can get to you any place at any time if you don’t cooperate. I chose to wait until you were all out.”
He shouldn’t have said that. Now he’s a dead man, and there is nothing I can do to protect him.
I can feel Langston boiling next to me, itching to drag this man into an alley and kill him.
“He has your son, Liesel. He knows where he is. Waylon wasn’t lying about that.”
I don’t react. I don’t want Maxwell to be able to read me at all. I don’t want him to know that I don’t believe him because Langston is the one who has my son. And he’s currently safe in hiding with Beckett.
Maxwell smirks, though, thinking he has the key to getting us to do whatever he wants.
“That’s not a reason for me to keep you alive. That’s a reason for me to kill you,” Langston says.
“I know. I didn’t realize that a child was involved. If I did, I would have never agreed to work for him. The money was good, and with my criminal record, I couldn’t get a job that paid half as well. After I learned they’re holding a child hostage to get you to do what they want, I vowed I would do whatever I could to protect you both. Believe me or not, but I’m here to help you, Liesel.”
