Deadly Illusions(69)
“He didn’t want to admit it,” Emma said. “He’d already lost all of his friends when they found out. They were teasing him, asking him if he liked it. He just denied it. In some ways it was easier for him. In others … well, he’s paid a terrible price, too.”
“And your mother?”
“He did all those things to her, at least that’s what she told me,” Emma said. “She told me before she left. I didn’t believe her then. I thought she was just making excuses for not seeing what he was doing.”
“Do you believe her now?”
Emma shrugged. “I think I do.”
Andrew shook his head from side to side violently. “That’s not right.”
“What’s not right?”
“You covered for him. I know you did.”
Emma ran her tongue over her dry lips. “I guess, in a way, I did. I should have told someone what was happening to me. It wouldn’t have saved everyone. He was doing it to other boys for years before he started in on me. It would have saved the boys after, though.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“Shame.”
“Do you think that’s a good enough reason?” Andrew pressed.
“No, but it’s the only reason I have.” Emma studied Andrew, her face nonplussed. “Can I ask you something?”
“I guess.”
“Why did you decide to come after me?”
“I wanted revenge,” Andrew said. “You knew and you did nothing. I wanted to take something from you – like he took something from me. I’d been following you for weeks when I finally decided I couldn’t take it any longer. I had to do something.
“I kept seeing you at all those modeling gigs. You were always smiling and happy,” he continued. “I haven’t been happy since before I met your father. I certainly haven’t smiled since I met him. I didn’t think you deserved to be happy.”
“I probably don’t,” Emma said. “I’m partially to blame for all of this. I was never happy at any of those jobs, though. I was paid to smile – so I smiled. I was paid to laugh – so I laughed. Can I ask you something else?”
“You might as well,” Andrew said. “I’m still trying to decide what to do with you. You might as well have your answers.”
“When you set the fire at my apartment, did you even think about the other families in the building?”
Andrew balked. “What?”
“Those other families, they were innocent,” Emma said. “I can see some form of retribution on me. What about the innocent people who were in that apartment with me? One of them almost died, you know. And she’s never done anything but help people.”
“I wanted you to know what it was like to lose everything,” Andrew said.
“I knew what that was like even before my father was arrested,” Emma said. “His arrest only cemented that in my mind. That doesn’t explain going after all of those innocent people. They didn’t do anything to you.”
“It’s not like anyone in that building is ever going to amount to anything,” Andrew scoffed. “Those are losers and miscreants.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do know that,” Andrew said. “I know that everyone in that building – including you – is nothing more than a drain on society. They’re not like me. Do you know I have a genius IQ? No? I didn’t think so. Do you know I’m flunking out of my program? Do you think that’s because I’m not smart enough? Do you think that’s because I don’t work hard? No, it’s because I’m haunted. Your father haunts me. You and your … indifference … haunt me.”
“I’m haunted, too.”
“I think you’re just saying that,” Andrew said. “I don’t believe you.”
From his position behind the air-conditioning unit, Finn had a clear view of Andrew. The man had grown more and more belligerent as the conversation progressed. Now, he was fiddling with something in his pocket. Finn had no idea what it was – but he knew it couldn’t be good.
He had to make his move.
“What is that?” Emma asked when she caught sight of the vial in his hand.
“It’s what’s going to fix me,” Andrew said.
“H-h-ow?”
“It’s going to take you out of this world,” Andrew said. “It’s going to cleanse you and, by extension, it’s going to cleanse me. Once you’re gone, I’ll be better. I’ll be able to focus on something else. I’ll be able to get my mind back. I’ll be able to get my life back.”