“And what if I do?” Hemslock spits out. He looks down at me, gun still against my head. Then he begins to laugh, the loud boisterous laughter of someone with too much confidence in himself, the faint hysteria I can hear in his voice at odds with his bluster. “You really think I’m delusional, dreaming up images of that bitch who ruined my life wherever I go? Or are you in on the joke with the rest of the cast, too?”

Hawaiian Shirt says, “Reuben, what the hell are you talking about?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know, Gerry. This is exactly something you’d cook up for the ratings.” Hemslock trains the gun on him this time. “Where have you been hiding her?”

“Her?”

“Gail. Is she in one of the cabins? Or did you convince her to stay in the cave so you wouldn’t have to sneak her in when I wasn’t looking? Gotta hand it to you, Gerry. When she was with me, she would have turned her nose up at anything that wasn’t five star. Hope you didn’t break the bank paying her for your stunt.”

“Reuben, again—what the shit are you talking about?”

“Do you think I’m a fucking moron? Did you really think I wouldn’t know that this was all a setup?” Hemslock gestures wildly with his weapon before redirecting at Hawaiian Shirt. “You know how long I’ve been pushing you and Steve for the chance to do a documentary here? And how long Steve has been putting me off, telling me that a haunted island is so passé, it’s not going to work with viewers? Then he calls me up out of the blue, telling me I’ve got the green light for a special? After my name had already been dragged through the mud? I read the gossip rags before I landed in this hellhole. The rumors from the tabloids that Gail had been spotted here. Coincidence? I think not. How much did you pay her to create this sham of a production? To make me believe that I’m seeing some ghost of her? Whose twisted entrapment scheme is this to get me to confess?”

“Reuben,” Gries says, pale. “You’re certifiably insane if you think that’s what’s happening.”

“Everyone else’s been seeing ghosts on this island,” Straw Hat adds. “What makes you think seeing Gail here wasn’t a figment of your imagination, too?”

“Because I haven’t done anything wrong!” Hemslock shouts. “Karl ran over some girl! Leo caused someone to shoot himself! And let’s not even start with all the things Steve’s done! I’m a fucking saint compared to the rest of you, my name ruined by some bitches who only want money! The god of this island has no problems with me. Not when He knows I can make Him a star! When I can make Him feared and renowned the world over! The only thing that makes sense at this point is if you’d been conspiring with Gail to make me look worse!”