Chapter Thirty-Seven #2
“The poem?” Stefan’s voice had swung from droning monologue to a rapid, almost chatty tone. “My boss made me memorize it when I was brought on. A condition of employment.”
“Bankers are into some strange stuff,” PK said.
“It’s not strange,” Stefan said. “It’s foundational. Our investment group makes money off modern-day lotus flowers. Social
media. Reality TV. Face serums and sleep aids and hope.”
He nodded at Imogen. “We were the first backers of the platform where you are famous. Videos that last exactly eight seconds?
They are petals of a digital lotus flower melting on viewers’ eyeballs. Like Lord Tennyson said: Surely slumber is more sweet
than toil.”
“I don’t put my fans to sleep,” Imogen said.
“No. What you do is better. You invite them into suspended animation, onto your own little raft on the vast river of consumerism.
You take their attention. You distract them. You make them love you and yearn for what you have. It’s perfect.”
Imogen just stared at him.
“Right,” Guy said. “I definitely vote to tie him up.”
“Nobody’s voting,” Liv said. “Unless someone has information they want to share right now about how Babette died, we’re sticking
to my plan.”
“What if it wasn’t any of us?” Charlie said. “What if it was the guide?”
Big Pete looked insulted. “Can you please stop blaming the guides?”
“Marc made it back to the Wild Adventures office this evening,” Liv said. “He hiked all the way to the rim to seek medical
attention for Babette. If he meant to kill your sister, I don’t know why he’d check back in at the office and try to send
a team down to save her.”
“Maybe because he succeeded,” Charlie mumbled.
“You three each had the opportunity to be alone with her.” Liv crossed her arms. “We have to take appropriate safety measures.”
“This is hardly appropriate,” Guy retorted.
“Dad’s right,” Mandy said. “We can’t tie anyone up. It’s inhumane.”
“What’s inhumane is what happened to Babette,” Liv said.
“And the fact that we left the mule behind,” Imogen muttered. “That was messed up.”
“Well.” Guy clapped a hand on Mandy’s shoulder. “There’s one thing we agree on: We need to get some sleep. Plenty to discuss
when the sun comes up. Mand, you got a patch of sand picked out where we could roll out the old sleeping bags?”
There was a loud click, and everybody froze. Across the circle, Liv could see the metallic gleam of a pistol wavering in the
twilight.
“Do what she says,” Katy said. Her voice was hoarse. Maybe a little desperate. She was holding a gun in both hands, pointing
it at Guy. Her legs were planted, arms stiff, fingers vibrating. Without seeing the guide’s eyes, Liv couldn’t guess at whether
she was more angry or scared.
“Katy,” Big Pete said, “put that down.”
Thor came up beside the girl, but she swung the pistol in his direction, and he froze, opening his hands. “Whoa, girl. There’s
no need for that.”
Now Liv could see her eyes. Katy was furious. She glared at Thor, then spun back and trained the gun on Guy, more confidently
this time.
“The woman who died,” Katy said. “Babette. I wasn’t there. I didn’t see what you saw. But I’ve heard enough to know that someone
here hurt her. Someone killed her. That’s a real and present danger to all of us.” She looked around the circle. Everyone
was quiet. Even Guy had quit posturing.
“Pete’s right,” Katy said. “We’re professionals.” She turned to her boss, her eyes still hot. “And I’m not just your supply
girl. I’m a trained guide just like you. Our duty is to keep these people safe. If you want me to keep watch over a bunch
of might-be murderers? Either I’m using this”—she waved the gun in the air, and everyone flinched—“or we’re getting out the
rope.”
No one said anything. No one moved. Liv could hear her heart pounding in her throat.
Then Charlie broke the silence. “You can tie me up.” His voice was tired, resigned. “Just keep me on the other side of the boat from him.” He shot an angry stare at Guy.
“Me as well,” Stefan said. “Though I would prefer to change into dry clothes first if that is permissible.”
Big Pete moved to take the gun, but Katy brushed him off and shook it one more time in Guy’s direction. “And you?”
Guy gave her a long, lazy smile. “You can tie me up anytime, darling. Just as long as you lock that pistol up and throw away
the key.”
“I’ll get the rope.” Katy dropped the gun into Big Pete’s outstretched hand and stalked away.
“I’ll put this in a more secure location,” Big Pete said.
“You better,” Guy said. “There’s all kinds of crazy wandering this beach.” He winked at Mandy and stretched out his arms.
“Can your poor dad get a hug before they truss me up for the night?”
Mandy shot Liv an angry glare before turning to their father. “You said the scenario was hypothetical.”
“And you said I needed to protect everyone.”
Mandy turned her back on Liv and folded herself into their father. Liv watched them embrace. Guy’s arms would be strong around
her little sister, his chest pumping out heat. Guy’s warmth wasn’t on offer to Liv, and Liv didn’t want it. But she was well
aware that the decisions she’d made to protect herself and Mandy over the years—choices made in canyons, embassies, and dingy
apartments—had kept her out in the cold. Mandy and Guy shared a connection that didn’t fray in the face of lies or broken
trust. Their kind of love was unreasonable. Nonsensical. Irreplaceable. Liv both longed for it and shoved it away with all
her heart.