Chapter 57

“Not really,” I replied. “Maybe you should look up the definition of the word.”

“No, I meant, funny that you pieced all that together, and yet, you missed a piece. And it was sitting under your nose all the while. Sitting under any number of various body parts, I would imagine.”

I stared at him, at the gun. That lightbulb of mine dimmed, then flickered, then burned bright enough to make my eyes water. Everyone was being blackmailed. I said it. Arthur agreed. Everyone. “No,” I practically cried.

He nodded. “They were all in prison together. Well, not Ray, but Ray worked for me, for Tom, in his much younger days. Auntie has something over on everyone. “Even—”

“Jeff.”

He stood. He walked my way. “Come on. Before Chad finds us in here.”