Page 109 of Five for Silver

“I’ll call him back later,” Chad said,forcing cheer into his voice.

“Sure…” Romeo said, unimpressed.

Chad jumped at his phone ringing again, nolonger Josh, but Ally tried to get through.

“Answer it.” Romeo said, slipping off thesofa. He stood up, crossed his arms, and looked down at Chad. “Forgod’s sake, Chad, just answer it.”

Chad squeezed his eyes shut and answered thecall. “Hey, Ally—”

“Josh has been trying to get through to you.He’s with the DI and Faye. They’ve been called to James’s house.He’s dead, Chad. Gunshot wound.”

“Self-inflicted?”

“No. The neighbor was at the scene, tried totreat James where he was gunned down in his doorway, but it waspointblank to the face. She didn’t see who’d done it, but she heardJames’s shouting, heard the gunshot and came over to investigate.She took down the plate. Josh told me the vehicle leaving the scenebelongs to Lucy Hastings.”

Chad met Romeo’s gaze. “Fuck.”

“Josh is in a panic, he seems to think youcould be in danger, said you’d been investigating both Lucy andJames. What the hell is going on?”

“Fuck,” Romeo muttered, moving away. Hestepped out into the hallway and peered through the small spyholein the door.

“Chad! Are you there?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” he said, climbing to hisfeet on stiff legs to follow Romeo. He peered through the spyhole,too. “And so is Lucy.”

“What?”

“She’s driving up the road. I can see herred truck.”

“I didn’t kill Harriet.” Ally hissed. “Thosewere Vincent’s words, he said to me, he said them to you.”

“And he said them to LucyandtoJames.” Chad’s eyes widened. “Vincent set the board, he brought inthe players, but it was me rolling the dice.”

Lucy’s truck wheels scraped against theconcrete as she slammed her foot on the brake. She flung her dooropen, not bothering to shut it as she climbed out with the gunclutched to her chest.

“You need to hide,” Ally said. Her voicepitched with desperation. “You need to hide now.”

Romeo gripped Chad by the arm and yanked himaway from the door. He lost his grip on the phone. Ally shouted hisname, but Romeo didn’t give him a chance to catch it. It clatteredto the floor.

“Wait—”

The window exploded. A shard ripped openChad’s chin as Romeo dragged him through the house. Merc barked atthe door, but one whistle from Romeo and he bounded towards thekitchen.

“Vincent told me he didn’t do it,” Lucyshouted, “He told me the police made him confess to Harriet’smurder. He didn’t kill her. James did. James had gotten away withit for far too long, but not anymore.”

“Out the back,” Romeo growled, pushing Chadat the door.

“What the hell are you going to do?”

“Grab her from behind as she goes afteryou.”

“Are you mad!”

Romeo flexed his arm. “I’ll subdue her.”

“She’s got a goddamn gun.”

The front door swung open.

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