Page 122 of Our Last Resort
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I don’t mean it like that. But it is how other people will look at it. The police—”
“Go away.”
His delivery is sharp and irrevocable, the falling blade of a guillotine.
“What?” I try.
“Leave me alone,” he says. When I don’t move, he screams: “Go! Before you say something else you’ll regret.”
His voice shakes. Once again, he looks away from me. He’s the one who ordered me to leave, but he doesn’t want to witness my departure.
Oh, Gabriel.
It’s like you don’t know me at all.
I take a couple of steps forward. Now I’m standing next to him. At our feet, a drop. At least fifteen feet; enough to make me feel dizzy when I look down. Enough to make me feel like I need to hold on to something, or someone.
But no.
There’s something I need to do, and I need to do it on my own.
“I told you to leave,” he says.
“Gabriel.”
If I convince you to believe me, then will you go?
“I know you didn’t kill Sabrina.”
That part’s not true. But I need to tell one lie to get to the truth.
The truth: I have no idea who killed Sabrina. Up until yesterday, I didn’t think Gabriel capable of doing something like that. But now I don’t know.
I don’t think he planned it. That’s one thing I can say. But things happen. Accidents happen. Maybe it’s not murder, but it’sa killing.It’shomicide.All those words that suggest lesser degrees of intention.
The truth:
“And I know you didn’t kill Annie.”
Gabriel lets out a bitter exhale.
“You said that already.”
I shake my head, select my next words carefully in my mind.
“FREEZE!”
Deputy Harris has his service weapon raised in front of him. He’s not alone. He and his colleagues are making their way up the hiking trail in the manner of an invading army.
“PUT YOUR HANDS UP!”
Gabriel has a frightened, dazed look, like he’s been startled awake from a nightmare.
“Put your hands up,” I whisper, and raise my own palms in the air.
Before Gabriel can follow suit, Harris is on him. He twists Gabriel’s arms behind his back. I trip dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.
“Don’t move,” Harris snarls. Gabriel’s body is completely slack, but Harris doubles down anyway. “I said don’t move, motherfucker.”
