The Arrangement Anthology 2(122)

I make a face, “What, like Bryan committed suicide?”

“Sort of, but not. More like Bryan threw himself in the line of fire to avoid other things.”

“Do you believe that?”

Peter shakes his head. “No, not if he was with Sean. The man protects his family, no matter what people say or hear. Sean wouldn’t let Bryan commit suicide and there’s no way Bryan killed Amanda. That’s just ridiculous. He has no motive and people are speculating wildly. One theory is that Amanda was pregnant with Bryan’s baby and couldn’t take the guilt. She was going to tell Sean, so Bryan shot her. It’s ludicrous.”

I’m staring at him with my jaw hanging open. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Peter shrugs. “People believe what they want to believe. Either way, it makes Sean look like a martyr for all these years, never saying a word about it, silently grieving his losses. The same people that were spitting on him previously, are now sending him fan mail.”

“What? Seriously?” I nearly drop my paper cup of tea.

“Yeah, it’s weird. There are more letters every day. You can’t turn on the television without seeing how Sean was horribly wronged all these years and his little cousin got away with murder. No one seems to care that Bryan took out a mobster.”

“That’s horrible. Bryan was a good man,” I choke up when I say his name. “I still can’t believe Sean would drive him into danger.”

“I don’t think he would, but Sean is still medicated, so the facts are blurry. The shooting occurred and then Sean went straight from the police station to find you. He hadn’t slept. It’s amazing he blocked that bullet.” Peter pushes back his dark hair and slumps back into his chair. His dark blue eyes bore into me, pinning me in place. “Tell me how he got it.”

My gaze darts around and I feign confusion. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I think you do. That gun was connected to another homicide—there was a man found in the woods. He’s yet to be identified. Bryan asked you for it, didn’t he? He never told you why or he made up some bullshit story so you wouldn’t tell Sean. Avery, everything has been pinned on Bryan and he’s dead. If you did something, if someone tried to hurt you and you fired, it’s not murder.”

I laugh and smile too much. “Peter, you’ve been watching too much TV. Nothing like that happened.”

“Really?” He raises a dark brow. “Because I happened to be up at Sean’s old place and found out that someone shot out the window a while back. You wouldn’t know anything about that either, right?”

I stare at him, heart pounding. For a second neither of us says a thing. “You have other people to care for and knowing what I know is like placing a bomb in your living room. Don’t ask about things that you don’t want to know.”

Peter’s gaze drops and he’s silent for a while. When he looks back up he says, “I did something once, well, more than once. The guilt eats away at you if you don’t let it out. Tell someone, when someone is coherent.”

I smile. “Someone is trying to get out of here every time his meds wear off. He hates this place.”

“I can believe it.” Peter stands. “Avery, if you need anything just ask. As far as I’m concerned, you’re one of us. Sean loves you, no matter what he says. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

I smile. “Thanks. Where are you off to now?”

“Police station. They’re canvassing the area for Masterson and he still hasn’t shown up. The guy’s hiding or gone. They need to shake him out before they lose him.”

I startle. “They haven’t caught Marty?” Every time I turn the TV on, it makes Sean angry, so I haven’t been watching. I assumed they caught him.

“No.” Peter tucks his hair behind his ear and looks around. “Do you have any idea why he wanted you dead? It seems so random.”

“He said he loved me a while back. He pretended to be gay to be near me. I had no idea, Peter. Assuming Marty did this to begin with, the only thing I can think is that he was aiming for Sean. The whole thing is so weird. It’s not like him.” That topic stings horribly.

“What about your other friend? The mouthy girl with the big hair.”

“Mel? Mel had nothing to do with this!” I’m defensive when I shouldn’t be.

Peter puts up his hands in surrender. “All right, I’m just pointing out the obvious.”

But it’s not clear to me. “Spell it out for me, Peter.”