In the Hall with the Knife
Page 22
His brother only straightened, and that cruel, clever light came into his eyes. “Yes, well, they never will, will they?” Vaughn scowled in contempt and turned to leave the shed, but Oliver caught him by the arm. “Will they, brother?”
Vaughn shook him off. “Of course not. What good would it do? What difference would it make?” Mrs. White had panicked and assaulted the girls and drugged Mustard all by herself. She might not have done it if Oliver hadn’t convinced everyone in the house to suspect one another, but it was of her own volition. A few more charges cops could pile on top of the homicide.
“I imagine it would make quite a difference to you.”
Oliver was right. He was always right about things, always one step ahead of Vaughn. It was stunning he wasn’t the one who had gotten into Blackbrook. He certainly had the mind for it, as he’d proved time and time again.
“So what are we supposed to do now?” Vaughn asked.
Oliver sat back down. He picked up some piece of science equipment he’d likely stolen from the Blackbrook labs and polished a lens. “I can’t imagine why anything would need to change. The plan is the same. Everything is the same.”
Vaughn thought of Orchid and her easy laugh, and her promise to return to Blackbrook after the break.
Sometimes I think all I ever do is lie about who I am, and where I’m from. But I’m beginning to think that’s no way to become the person I really want to be. I think I need to start telling the truth.
What he wouldn’t give to tell Orchid everything.
To act like a normal high school student for once in his life. To actually be one. Vaughn Green, the kid with the guitar. Not Vaughn Green, who couldn’t remember the names of the kids in half his classes, because he wasn’t the one at half his classes, and Oliver had never been much for making friends.
To actually take history with Orchid next semester.
“I don’t think I want to do this anymore,” Vaughn blurted.
Oliver fixed him with a look. “That’s not really an option.”
“What if it is?” Vaughn tried to keep the pleading tone from his voice. He knew how much his brother craved it. “I could just finish school. Like I’m supposed to. And you can do . . . whatever you want. Look at all this stuff you have. It’s worth a fortune.”
“No!” Oliver slammed his hand down on the table. “We’re not changing course. I don’t care what happened in that house. It’s not over.”
“Things at Blackbrook are going to be different now,” Vaughn said quietly. “The storm, the scandal . . . It’s not like before. The school is going to be under fire.”
Oliver held up the lens, so all Vaughn could see was a big amber-brown eye, identical to Vaughn’s own. “Good,” he said. “Perfect time to strike.”
Acknowledgments
Thank you to everyone at Hasbro and Abrams who have made this madcap project possible. Thank you to Kara Sargeant for being a sounding board and to Russ Busse for seeing me through the storm. Kate Testerman: You couldn’t have found me a more perfect match! Also thank you to Kyla Linde, Leah Cypess, Sarah Brand, and Jennifer Lynn Barnes for brainstorming help; Michael McCartney and Dan Peterson for Mainer tutelage; Mari Mancusi and Jacob Beach for Clue cheerleading and tech support; and of course my darling family for their patience, love, and eternal eagerness to play board games and mess around with mansion maps. Finally, my eternal devotion to anyone even marginally involved with the beloved 1985 classic movie, as well as my parents, who thought nothing of letting us bring along our battered VHS tape of Clue on every road trip growing up. I could know a foreign language; instead I know that movie’s script by heart.