But then I think back to Jones.
“Or maybe they stuck to their contract, which didn’t include me. Just like Jones died, but not his wife or kid, even though they witnessed it.”
“Contract?” echoes Josh, and I grimace at the realization that I definitely withheld some important information from the only person who seems determined to get answers for me.
“Yeah, that’s the name I’ve heard Quill use for people the Devilsoldiers have been assigned to kill.”
“Okay.” Josh is still scribbling excitedly in his notebook. “So, maybe they’re not loyal at all. Maybe they only kill whoever they’re assigned to, and that means we can draw the conclusion that your parents’ murder, and Jones’, were contracts. They were all killed by Devil soldiers, and that’s the connection.”
“Maybe Jones was even killed for reasons related to my parents,” I guess. “Maybe Jones knew that it wasn’t a suicide. He’s never struck me as being a complete idiot. Just mostly one.”
“So he could’ve realized it was a Devil soldier kill,” nods Josh.
“Which freaked him out. He realized knowing that could get him killed. So, even though he tried to cover up his knowledge of it, he must have revealed stuff to the wrong person, or maybe shown just a bit too much curiosity, and so he ended up as their next contract. Josh,” I suddenly add. “Quill is in trouble. He messed up a contract. I wonder…” My heart is racing as I try to drink my frappucino, but I gulp in air, because I’ve already drained it of its last drops. “I wonder if hewasafter all involved. He messes up a contract right after Jones died. Right after my parents died.”
I’m back to jittering uncontrollably while feeling sick to my stomach. “I need another frappucino.”
“I think you’ve had enough,” comments Josh, taking in my legs, jerking frantically.
“It helps me think.” I count what remains of my twenty-dollar bill. I’d already spent some of it earlier, and if I buy another drink, I definitely won’t have enough money to eat anything other than the package of unopened cereal that I found at home. It kind of grosses me out to eat anything in the house where my parents just died, but I haven’t really felt hungry anyway, since my life suddenly imploded.
I don’t want to break another bill just yet, because the embarrassing truth is I really need money.
But I need this sickeningly sweet, caffeinated drink even more. I stand up to go order.
“Don’t bother,” says Josh. “I’ll get you one. But a small, this time. Okay?”
“Fine. Thanks.”
Josh scoops up the bills I’ve just handed him and heads to the counter. He returns a few minutes later with a small for me and another venti latte for him.
“It helps me think too,” he explains sheepishly. Then his expression grows even more sheepish as he returns my two five-dollar bills to me. “Oops. I forgot to use your money.”
I scowl at him. Clearly, he’s figured out I’m poor. Great.
“But you just lost your job,” I protest.
He shrugs. “I’ll get another one soon. In the meantime, I have savings.”
“You shouldn’t be buying me Starbucks drinks out of your savings.”
“Call it investigation expenses. It’s fine. I’m having the time of my life.”
Then he has the grace to redden, probably realizing for the first time today that he’s being a little thoughtless.
But I’m beginning to know him well enough to understand him, so I merely shrug and focus back on our discussion.
“I bet you’re right about Jones. If both he and your parents were Devil kills, the same soldier wasn’t necessarily involved in all of the deaths. Maybe the soldiers are taught a specific way to kill people.”
“Yeah. Could be Liam and Dane.”
“Right.” His face clouds over as he probably remembers what I revealed to him before. “They’re Devil soldiers too. So I guess Quill knows them.”
Crap. Another important piece of information I didn’t give him. “Actually, they’re his best friends.”
Josh’s jaw practically hangs open at that. “But theyrapedyou,” he says in a barely audible breath.
I swallow half my frappuccino in one gulp, feeling the jitters reach a practically intolerable level. Yeah, there’s no way I’m giving him the rest ofthatstory. No matter how important it might be for our case.
