WR8TH: dont feel bad for that trash. he got wat he deserved

GVaughn: That’s pretty cold-blooded.

WR8TH: yeah not me who stuck him in a storage locker

GVaughn: You’re quite the puppeteer.

WR8TH: r u all butthurt that i found yer program?

GVaughn: It served its purpose.

WR8TH: only cuz i let it

GVaughn: Why did you?

WR8TH: why didnt u go back to dc like they told u?

GVaughn: Been spying on us?

WR8TH: little bit. answer the question, why r u still here?

GVaughn: Suzanne.

WR8TH: same

Gibson stared at the last line of text for a full minute.

GVaughn: WR8TH. I assume that’s who you’re supposed to be? The WR8TH?

WR8TH: *blush*

GVaughn: I don’t believe you. I think you’re some wannabe using his old alias.

WR8TH: ur not that stupid. u know its me

GVaughn: Do I?

WR8TH: who else would have that picture???

GVaughn: It’s probably a fake. Just like you.

WR8TH: stop playing games. ur wasting time

GVaughn: Maybe it’s my turn to waste time. All your games kinda put me in the mood.

A long pause followed.

WR8TH: r u done?

GVaughn: For now. So it was you? You took Suzanne?

WR8TH: sort of . . . more complicated than that

GVaughn: What do you mean “sort of”?

WR8TH: i’m not wat they think I am

GVaughn: What do they think you are?

WR8TH: a pedophile like tate. that i hurt her

GVaughn: And you didn’t?

WR8TH: no, i loved her

GVaughn: You understand how sick you are, right?

WR8TH: not wat u think

GVaughn: Okay, you loved her, all right. So where is she now, Romeo?

Another long pause. Gibson was afraid he had goaded WR8TH too far. He couldn’t help it. Listening to this son of a bitch talk about loving Bear was too much to take. But he needed to keep him talking.

GVaughn: Are you capable of feeling bad for what happened to her?

WR8TH: every day man. every lousy day

GVaughn: So where is she? Come on. You have us all in suspense. We’ve played your little game. You’ve proven how clever you are. The Tate thing was very clever. Golf clap. But enough with the foreplay, huh? It’s main attraction time. The big reveal. Isn’t that what the point of all this is? Some kind of creepy confession? Unburden your soul at last?

WR8TH: u dont get it

GVaughn: Or do you just miss the attention? Just hoping to inflict a little more pain on the people who loved her?

WR8TH: I LOVED HER!!!!

GVaughn: Then where is she?

WR8TH: i dont know

GVaughn: Fuck you, “WR8TH.”

WR8TH: swear to god. i thought they knew

GVaughn: They? Who is they?