“Since you’ve repeatedly refused to take back your statements and stop ruining my good name, I figured I’d have to end it myself this time. For good. I gave you countless chances, Aiden. We could’ve done this the easy way. You didn’t want to reunite, you didn’t want to play the part of the dutiful son, and you didn’t want hush money. So, this is what it’s come to.”

Harvey reaches into his coat, and my heart stops beating at all. This is it. It’s all over. I brace myself to barge in and I don’t know, tackle him? But Harvey pulls out a little orange bottle, and sets it down on the table, making me pause.

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Andrew continues. “You’re going to swallow this handful of painkillers. Your breathing’s going to slow, dangerously so. You’ll probably have a heart attack, and then the rest of your body will shut down. You’ll forget how to breathe, and then you’ll stop breathing at all. It won’t be pretty.” He swivels so that the gun is aimed at Jason, who is standing slightly behind Aiden but not fully covered by his large body because he keeps peeking out. “And if not, I’ll shoot him. And not to kill either. It’ll be slow, and painful, and you’ll have to stand there and watch.”

Andrew says this all with a cool detachment, very businessman-like, as if it’s a business transaction.

Aiden remains calm, his eyes calculating. “And after I’m dead? My brothers?”

Andrew takes a step closer to Aiden. “Maybe I let them go, or maybe I kill the boys and leave the gun with your prints on it. You had a mental breakdown; you couldn’t take the responsibility anymore. You killed your brothers but then the guilt was too much to handle and you took a handful of painkillers to end it all.” He shrugs, like it doesn’t matter one way or the other. “I guess it depends on how cooperative you are.”

There’s a flash of fury in Aiden’s eyes, and you can tell it’s taking every ounce of self-control to hold back his rage. He doesn’t like not being in control either. “You’re sick. You’d do this to your own sons? Just for an election? You’re not fit to be a father, never mind govern a whole state.”

Andrew tenses and Harvey suddenly stands up from the table.

This is it; I feel it. I need to do something. Now.

I stand up from my crouching spot and whip open the screen door, taking everyone by surprise. Aiden uses the distraction to his advantage and shoves Jason and Jackson away, telling them to run in the opposite direction. He watches as they run down the hallway and out the front door in nothing but their pajamas and socks. I hope they keep running, far away from this house, until they get somewhere safe.

“Say hi for the world, Andrew Kessler!” I gesture to the phone in my hand. “Remember me? I’ve been recording this conversation this whole time.”