Page 102 of Five for Silver

He nodded.

“Do you miss her?”

Chad shook his head. “No.”

“Did you love her?”

“She was my mother.”

Vincent snorted softly. “That’s not ananswer, and yet, somehow it answers my question perfectly. Youshouldn’t fear judgement from anyone, Chad, least of all me. Ifit’s okay to love someone you shouldn’t, then it must be okay notto love someone you should.”

“What has this all been about, Vincent?”

“You know what this was about.”

“You want the public to see me fail—”

Vincent laughed, but it turned into gasps,and weak, wet coughs into his tissue. “I wasn’t the one to involvethe press. I don’t care what the public thinks. All I cared aboutwas the promise you broke to me. I gave you something, I gave youinformation in exchange for your word, and that led to you saving alife. You owed me.”

“Maybe.” Chad wrung his hands together.“Maybe I did owe you.”

“Then why didn’t you visit?”

“I thought it was a bad idea—”

“But why?” Vincent slid his head closer onthe pillow.

“You’re a serial killer. You murdered—”

“Romeo Knight was a serial killer. You lovedhim. You still love him.”

Chad looked away. “You know nothing aboutRomeo.”

“Were you afraid I would’ve reminded you ofhim? Did you think whatever we talked about in Wiltknot would’vebrought up memories of your time together in the farmhouse? I won’tlie, I found you and him fascinating. Maybe if I’d have kept one ofthe girls alive long enough I would’ve manipulated her like Romeodid you.”

“He didn’t manipulate me.”

“Oh, Chad, for someone who thinks himself soclever you can be shockingly naïve.”

Chad pushed back in his chair. “If you’vejust brought me in here to talk about Romeo, then I’m done.”

“I brought you in here for four words.”

“Four words.” Chad cracked his jaw. “Iremember.”

“Want to hear them?”

“Yes.”

Vincent smiled. “I didn’t kill Harriet.”

Chad stared at him blankly. Vincent’s smilespread until the edges of his mouth cracked and bled.

“That’s it? Those are the four words?” Chadasked. “The ones that will bring about my downfall?”

Vincent hummed. “They are.”

“I already suspected you hadn’t killedher.”

---