I open my eyes and narrow them. Richard walks toward the massive windows overlooking Lake Michigan, the night settling in. He makes a sharp turn and walks along the wall toward the mantle, pulling his cell from the inside pocket of his tux.

I realize what he’s doing too late to do anything about it. Richard reaches around the vases. He taps my phone without detection and shuts down my live feed.

It hits me like a bullet, a very real and heavy blow.

Richard chuckles. He rolls his shoulders back and flips his cell around to show me his screen filled with muted gray. “This is your website.” A smug grin spreads over his lips. His white teeth flash above his crooked bow tie. “Dead air,” he says, drawing it out.

Richard slows his pace, his movements. He strolls to the wet bar on the side of the room and pours a drink from a crystal decanter. “You must have been so hopeful. Naïve. Delusional. But hopeful.”

I glare at him. My chest heaves, and for once my lungs feel strong. My mind sharp.

Richard glances up at me. “I left the attack coordinates off the tweet knowing it would draw you in to respond.”

I keep my face as stoic as possible, ignoring the throbbing in my temples. Of course. It was Richard. He’s been one step ahead, not the mayor. The mayor’s been too busy glorifying himself and his legacy.

“Can I get you a drink?” Richard looks around the room as if reassuring himself that we’re alone. “Soda? Juice? Tea?”

I breathe deeply, like a bull before charging. Richard’s been the mastermind, the one who orchestrated the attacks. Maybe I should be scared of him, of what he’s capable of, but my father, my best friend, and Ryan are dead. Because of him. Richard and his puffy neck. His nasally voice. His crooked bow tie.

He grabs a bottled water from the minifridge and walks it over to me. Holds it out.

I continue to glare, refusing to move.

He sets the water down on the coffee table. “It took you longer to respond than I’d anticipated. I’ll give you that. But once you did”—he chuckles—“it was easy to figure out everything you were trying to accomplish with your fake Twitter account, your new phone.” He bites his lip, shakes his head, puts one hand on his hip beneath his tux. “Did you really think you’d outsmart me?”

I clench my teeth. “You killed them.”