“E-everything?”
“That you tried to kill him, made a middle school pact to disappear, and have found yourself on the chopping block instead? Oh yeah. Everything.”
Perry scowls at me. “You tattled to mysister?”
“What was I supposed to do?”
“Nottattle to my sister!”
“You’re the one who sent her a ridiculous message this morning that had her busting down the front door and suspectingusof killingyou.”
“She what?”
“Yes. So thank you for once again putting me in a position I don’t want to be in.”
Perry at least looks sorry, but before he can say it, Elle cuts in.
“Sorry to break up this tense moment, but Perry plowed in here like the place was on fire, and I’d kind of like to know what that was about.”
Fuck. That’s a good point.
Perry straightens suddenly. “Nothing important. No fire. But I really think now would be a good time for you and Margy to leave. Thank you so much for visiting, and we’ll meet up later this week for dinner or … umm, a funeral?”
Elle and Margot are both wearing matchingwe’re not going anywhereexpressions.
“You do know that while I’m not practicing law here yet, I do know what I’m talking about,” Elle says, shocking the hell out of me. My initial impression of her was fun-loving trust bunny, so that proves I’m a terrible judge of character.
“I know, I know,” Perry waves her off. “But I don’t think I can legally do anything about this, so I’d really like both of you to leave. Immediately.”
And Margot proves she knows her brother better than any of us because she plants her hands on her hips and glares at him. “Why?”
“Because it’s highly possible this place isn’t safe anymore, and I really, really need nothing to happen to you both so that when this is all over, you can yell at me and tell me I told you so.”
Whatever else Perry was about to say is cut off when Lars shoots to his feet. “We’re not safe?”
“It’s a long story, but IthinkI was followed, so I took a busdowntown, then an Uber to the U District—and boy, didthatwipe out some funds, I swear—and from there, I went to Gas Works Park, then took a bike, thenanotherbus, ended up in some dingy area with a lot of naked people around, ordered a taxi, and?—”
“Perry,” I manage to say without laughing. “You went to a lot of effort, and we’re all appreciative, but do we need to be worriedright now?”
“No.” He glances at his sister. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Lars looks like his head is about to boil.
But a maybe I can work with. “First things first: Margot and Elle, you need to leave.”
“This is my brother’s place,” Elle points out. “You can’t make us leave.”
“I’m not making you, but considering the three of us are in some shit, and I highly doubt you want your girlfriend in the same shit, you should probably get moving before the shit finds you too.”
She eyes Margot. “Right. Okay. But Perry’s coming with us.”
“No, I’m not.” He hurries to stand next to me. “As much as I’d love that, Luther kind of wants me dead, and you two being around only gives them two more heads to aim at.”
“Morbid,” she mutters.
“But true.” I search Perry’s face for any sign that he’s worried about the confirmation he’s on the line along with me or that he’s betrayed by it beingLuther. But there’s nothing there, just his eyes begging his sister to leave. “You really should go.”
Margot shakes her head. “This is all proof that I can’t leave him alone. Ever.”
