Everything about Mitch had been a lie? But he seemed genuine. Seemed like he really cared about Hunter—
Wait. He studied improvisational theater. Was he really that good of an actor? Was he gay at all? Had this whole thing been a set up from the moment we met?
Queasiness flared up my throat.
AndI set that upon Hunter.
God, had that moment when he banged into me again at the café been part of this plan?
My weight sagged against the building as if I’d been pushed from behind, but it was Mitch’s betrayal that weighed me down. It was the blood dripping from the corner of Hunter’s mouth.
I thought of the moment in my office when Mitch casually held my stapler. I wanted to slam my fist down on it and puncture him, the same way he was doing to my friend.
Blinking back something hot and wet, I prayed he would be okay. I’d never prayed before, it didn’t seem like a practical thing to do, but right now... now I was beyond practical. It was as if I were a puppet and my master was tugging invisible strings—strings that made me want to throw up and cry and punch something.
At least Hunter seemed to be taking this calmly. His blue eyes clasped onto me for a second before he darted his gaze to the side.
I followed it to The Raven, standing in those tightly-fitting boots Garret had mentioned, cargo pants, leather gloves, and a navy jacket with a large peaked hood, angled toward the ground.
From here it was easy to see how she could have been mistaken for a guy.
As she lifted her head, I caught a glimpse of her shadowed face. Now I knew who it was, I could see it. Her.Shannon.
Quinn stood to the left, rubbing the back of his head like he’d been shoved hard against the side of the building and had knocked it badly. He braced an arm around Shannon, stepping on the blue rose bouquet choked of life at his feet.
Shannon urged forward, but Quinn wrapped his arms around her waist and held her back. He too was calm, but there was the undeniable glow of fear lighting his face a pale green.
“Don’t, Shan,” Quinn said softly. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Is this why you kept trying to prevent me from doing this?” The hood shifted, revealing Shannon’s cold blue eyes trainedintently on Mitch. She shuddered, and her voice came out strained. “People like them and victims like Travis are the reason I wanted to be out there.”
“I’m sorry, but—” She stomped on Quinn’s foot and pulled at his thumbs, freeing herself, and lunged toward Jack.
He lifted his gun and pointed at the bird tattoo peeking through Hunter’s ripped shirt. “Stay back.”
“Let my brother go.”
“I’ll let him go,” Jack said. I glanced toward the window praying for the police to hurry up. “After I’ve ruined your life the way you ruined my brother’s.”
My breath shook. What could I do to help the situation? With only a pen, a notebook, and a cellphone, the answer was painful. Not much.
I took out the pen and notebook. At least by annotating the situation, I could give the police the best possible eyewitness account. I wrote faster than I ever had before, leaving out any details depicting Shannon as The Raven. Something I didn’t think about, but knew instinctively I had to do.
Quinn’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and then he spoke carefully, “Don’t do anything you’ll regret for the rest of your life, man.”
Jack swung the gun toward Quinn, his hand shaking, voice pitching. “He was there for me when no one else was. I owe it to him to exact justice.”
Shannon swore, “You son of a bitch. Why? Why do you attack men just because they love other men?”
Jack cocked the gun at the same time as his head. “My brother cared about that shit. I only care about who got my brother incarcerated. I figured the best way to find you was by following the trend.”
Quinn grabbed Shannon before she lunged, and he held her back against his chest once more. He whispered something in her ear. Perhaps something to cool her down. Quinn said firmly, “That’s your idea of justice? It’ll just get you thrown in prison, right alongside your brother.”
Jack let out a gurgled sound, as if his emotions were getting the better of him. He loved his brother, that was clear. “Maybe, but I’m going to make sure The Raven goes down with me.”
The safety unlatched, a distinctiveclicksounded in the still air, and that’s when I knew I had something else with me that could tip the scales.
Surprise.
