“Jake’s idea, I figured.”

“Hardly.” He mimed scribbling on his palm. “Memo to self: make your intentions clear. Next problem?”

When I could only stare at my hands, he said, “It’s the guy outside the door, isn’t it.”

There I was again. Totally transparent. Plus naïve, foolish, uncool. All those things. Still, I couldn’t help feeling in the right. “I didn’t think you were the sort to kill someone . . .”

“I didn’t!”

“. . . with your bare hands.”

“The weapon makes a difference?” His sincerity took on an edge of pique.

“No, I . . .”

“Well, I am, if the need is there. But this time, I just put the guy down for a while and trussed him up tight. It was Julie wanting to go out and finish him. My bloodthirsty little brother. And he would’ve. Had to improvise to keep you both inside.”

“It scared me. You scared me.”

“I had to, to keep you safe. When you get stubborn, nothing else works.”

And when he was being so reasonable, it was hard to argue with him. I needed to be elsewhere so I could think, think him and everything else out. “Sorry to be such trouble.”

“You’re not . . .”

From behind me came the loud slap-creak-slap of an inexpert oarsman.

“Glim! Glim!” Rubio in the old dinghy, splashing up fast though the scrum of boats. In the stern, Breakers warded off near-collisions with the butt of her rifle. “Where you been all day? We missed you at the caucus.”

My escape hatch.

I looked back at Daniel. “If only you’d talk to me about the arrows . . .”

Then I could trust him again.

The light was dim, but I thought his eyes turned sad. “What arrows?”

My heart, wanting so much to open, closed tighter than before.

“Rube! Rube!” I whirled to wave wildly. “Over here! I need a ride home!”

TWENTY-FIVE

Rubio ran the dinghy against the docking bumpers, so hard the whole barge shuddered. I jumped into the bow and shoved us off like something was chasing me.

“Bring the kayak, will you?” I called over my shoulder as we drifted away. Daniel’s arms were in a ‘what the hell?’ spread.

“We could make room.” Rubio was all elbows and knees with the oars, unsure which way to row.

Breakers gripped the stern sides as the dinghy rocked. “Maybe not.”

Rubio frowned. “We need him at the table!”

“He’ll get there.” I reached to adjust Rube’s spidery hands on the oars. “It’ll go better if you do it this way. Should’ve let Breakers row.”

“Busy.” The Smith patted the rifle laid flat across her knees and waved an arm toward the rooftops. “Besides, I got my good clothes on.”

She was still all in black, so who could tell?