“Well, the worst part was my mom was obsessed with the case,” Billy said. “It was on all the time, and she watched it twenty-four-seven. I was sitting right next to my mom when it aired the first time. They showed the security tape and at the end froze on Suze’s face. I had a goddamn aneurism. Spilled grape pop all over the carpet. Mom thought I was freaking because of what happened to my sister. I was all, ‘Yeah, yeah, that’s it.’ Mom burst into tears, telling me it was all right. How it wasn’t my fault. Gives me this big hug. I felt so shitty, but I didn’t want her knowing I was the guy.”

“What happened to your sister?”

Billy grimaced as if he’d meant to leave that part out. “Why do you think I fed you Kirby Tate?”

Gibson sat back, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. “Casper? It was your sister in his trunk? Trish Casper is your sister?”

Billy nodded, rage settling over him like a toxic shroud. “We’re standing outside the supermarket, me and Trish. Waiting for Mom. She’d forgotten corn. Mom always forgot like three things. Tate, son of a bitch, walked right up and took Trish by the hand and just led her away. You know what he said to me?”

Gibson shook his head.

“He said, ‘I’ll bring her right back.’ With a little smile like it was our little secret. And when I looked confused he says to me, ‘Your mom said it was okay.’ And I just stood there like an idiot and let him take her.”

“Hey, you were a kid.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not now. And what they say about revenge? It’s true. You wait ten years; they never see you coming. It was so easy. Such a gullible prick.”

“Jesus, Billy.”

“Whatever, man. Fuck him. My sister still takes antianxiety meds because of what he did. She’s got phobias they haven’t even bothered to name yet. Can’t go outdoors. Can’t deal with strangers. Can’t buy her own groceries. Last year, I dropped a glass in her kitchen. She wouldn’t stop screaming for five minutes. She’s never had a regular job.” Billy’s eyes became distant. “Yeah, Tate should have stayed in jail . . . where he was safe.”

Gibson stared at him. Up until now he had had trouble believing that Billy Casper could be behind Suzanne’s disappearance or the hack at ACG. Billy just seemed too sweet. A little simple. But now, listening to him talk about Kirby Tate, he could see it. See the anger and calculating intelligence that lurked behind Billy’s friendly eyes.

“How long did you say you kept her here?”