Page 113 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘You want a plant?’

‘O-outside.’

‘That’s a big no, you know that.’

‘You could come… with me.’

‘Nope. Finish up.’

Working on the shape of his written words, Riley tries to think how to persuade Zachary otherwise. He gathers all he knows about these men who live with them but work for Troy.

‘I know where there’s… money. Lots of money.’

‘Shut up, Riley. I’m serious. No outdoors for you.’

He looks up, tears in his eyes.

‘What other… things c-can I do?’

Zachary sighs, rubbing his face. ‘Nothing, so stop it. No more talking.’

There must be something.

Riley is allowed downstairs again but only after Troy puts bars on all the ground-floor windows. He lurks in the shadows, listens to everything.

Troy is powerful because he hurts.

He kills.

That’s why these men are here.

Why they do what he says.

Riley watches Zachary.

Who he talks to.

How he seems.

There’s one man Zachary doesn’t like.

D’Angelo.

They have mean voices when they talk.

D’Angelo is rude to Zachary. They glare at one another.

Yes, Riley is certain Zachary doesn’t like D’Angelo.

So he waits until he knows D’Angelo is asleep and then he creeps into his bedroom with a knife he stole from the kitchen.

✴

Riley is tied to his bed.

‘Just until I figure this all out,’ Troy says, oddly kind with D’Angelo’s blood on his hands and a swipe across his face.

He doesn’t ask Riley what happened.