“Then so will you,” Marcella says.
“And me,” Sydney adds.
“Oh, can I go?” Brynn asks.
“We’ll all go,” Marcella says. “Just in case.”
“Thanks,” Annalise says. “But I’ll stay here. Jackson hasgiven me all the male interaction I need for the day.”
He looks at her. “Good?”
“Sure,” she replies. “You brought pizza.”
“Wait,” Brynn starts, confused, “if we get the boys to admit what they’ve done, admit to being predators … then we …?”
“We kill them,” Annalise finishes for her, reaching over to pat her leg.
“What?” Jackson asks, wide-eyed.
“Kidding,” Annalise whispers to him, sounding like she’s only half joking.
“I know a reporter,” Raven interjects. “Mena, let me see your phone.”
Jackson points in Annalise’s general direction. “Are we not going to address that comment, or … ?”
I hand Raven my phone, and she pulls out the SIM card. She grabs her backpack and sets it on the coffee table. As she begins to remove small boxes and items, I lean forward.
“Although I’d love to think Jonah will just admit everything,” I tell the girls, “I don’t think it will be that easy. I doubt he’ll take responsibility at all. And he certainly won’t help us convince the other boys.”
“I have an idea,” Marcella says. “We go to the party, and while we distract the other guests, Mena has a moment alone with Jonah where she tries to get him to confess.”
Jackson winces. “Please don’t make her talk to him alone.”
“I’ll be with her,” Sydney says. She motions for Marcella to continue.
“If Jonah doesn’t admit to anything on his own,” Marcella explains, “get him to confess unwittingly, strain his ego. His patience. Something will work. Then, we use his confession to convince the other boys that he turned on him.” She smiles broadly, wrapping it up.
“That’s so smart,” Brynn says.
“I saw it onLaw and Order,” Marcella admits.
“Here,” Raven says, holding my phone out to me. “I installed a recorder. It’ll stream everything directly to my computer. Once you’re done, we’ll submit the highlights to the paper anonymously.”
I take the phone, looking it over. Then I slip it inside my pocket.
“You don’t need to base it onLaw and Order,” Raven says. “Just go to the party, ask about the incident at lunch, and get eyewitness accounts. Ask about past events. I have no doubt one of them will overshare. Judging by the posts they’ve put up, they’re proud. We can use whatever recording you get for the reporter to expand upon. By the time the story runs its course, the vice principal will be dismissed, and the school will have to deal with the fallout. We might even suggest their financial disclosures get a closer look.”
“Which could expose the investor,” I say, making the connection. “Crimes unrelated to the corporation, but still.”
“Exactly,” Raven says. “It might get the school’s assets frozen, which in turn would cut off the flow of money to Innovations. Expose the laundering scheme. Once I have the recordings, I’ll pass them on to a few female reporters, the ones who are actually interested in justice despite repeated death threats.”
“Death threats?” I ask.
“The joys of being a female public figure,” Raven says sarcastically.
“She’s not wrong,” Jackson says.
“Oh, thank you,” Raven replies. Her hostility toward him seems strangely placed.
