Bram
As soon as I saw Mace lurking outside the window, gun drawn, I knew I had to think fast. It was him I was alerting to Simone’s Kevlar vest, him I was barking out orders to. As he entered the room, I knew I needed to keep command of both Ree and Simone’s attention.
“Call the police,” I say as I roll my sleeve over my hand and take the gun from Ree’s listless hand. I wipe down the handle before sidestepping over to Simone and rubbing her fingers all over it, making it look like a struggle ensued before depositing it to the floor.
“Mason.” I pull my brother to the side, his wild eyes meeting up with mine. “It’s time to get our stories straight.”
No sooner do Mace and I hash it out than a squad car pulls up in front of the house with flashing lights. Soon, the entire room is determined a crime scene. The medics give Ree oxygen and roll her out on a gurney as she extends her hand to mine.
“Bram.” Her voice breaks as she calls to me, calling me by the only name she has ever truly known me by.
I lean over and kiss her firmly on the lips. “I’ll be with you as soon as I can.”
“Bram.” Her voice is threadbare as she sheds silent tears. “I love you.”
“I know. I love you more than life, Ree. And I mean the hell out of it.”
There are moments in your life when you feel blessed beyond measure. Moments when you realize that the proverbial sun is shining warm on your back, and the dark, cold night of the soul is over. For as long as I have known Simone, for as long as I thought she was out of my life for good, I felt unsettled, my bones ached with misery, they resounded her name, and I never understood why until now. She was here, lurking in the corners of my life, orchestrating her next murderous move. There was never any leaving her. I understood it then, just the way I do now. I was trapped, bound by her insanity. We both were.
The ambulance roars out with Ree inside, with my very heart riding in the back.
Mace and I are taken downtown for questioning.
They ask for the truth, and we give it to them.
Just the way we rehearsed.
