Chapters (95)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by David Swinson
- Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
“It was dark. That’s why the guy didn’t see me. I was going to jump out when the man grabbed Uncle, but it was too fast, so I just ducked down, waited for the man to leave.”
“You didn’t see his face?”
“No.”
“What was he wearing?”
“I don’t know!” he yelps. “I was fucking scared.”
“It’s okay, Robby, but I still don’t understand why you broke into my house again, and now with a gun pointed at me.”
Tears build up, slide down the side of his nose.
“I’m not the one you want to kill. We both know where this is coming from, but for the life of me I don’t know why I’m involved. He sent you to burglarize my home, remember? That’s how I got caught up in this.”
“Get on your fucking knees.”
“Did you smoke all your crack up?” I ask.
“Don’t try to screw with me.”
His hands are shaking so hard that he really might accidentally pull the trigger. He’s too high to try to talk out of this. It wouldn’t be hard to take that gun away from him if he were closer. Too dangerous at this distance. Even with his hands shaking like they are, it’d be pretty hard to miss me. If I go to my knees I won’t have a chance.
“Everything is messed up,” he says, like he already forgot he wanted me to go on my knees.
“Put the gun down, and let’s figure it out. It’s messed up for both of us. Neither of us is safe.”
He’s clearly confused at this point, and being as tweaked out as he is doesn’t help.
“Give me the gun, Robby.”
“I can’t trust you. You’re a liar. I can’t trust anyone.”
“You have to. I have to trust you, too.”
Shaking his head.
“Or just put the safety on, and let’s go in the living room, where it’s more comfortable, and think this through.”
He looks at the gun.
“It’s above your thumb. Carefully flip it up.”
“No. I said I can’t trust you.”
“Then let’s try this. You can keep the gun pointed at me, but take your finger off the trigger. Follow me into the living room.”
I don’t give him a chance to think about it. I start to slowly put my hands down.
“I swear—”
I turn around and walk down the hall toward the living room. Big fucking chance, but I have to break the stalemate.
Near the front door he says, “Stay right there.”