Pain tore through my side.
He held the g/u/n close to my shoulder and backed toward the hallway.
Rachel began crying.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just silent tears slipping down a face that had finally understood how far greed had carried her.
“Tell them to leave,” Marcus ordered.
“I can’t.”
“You’re going to walk to the door and tell them everything is fine.”
“They already know it isn’t.”
“Tell them Rachel hit you.”
Rachel recoiled.
“What?”
Marcus ignored her.
“Tell them the g/u/n belongs to her. Tell them she forged the document. Tell them she threatened you.”
“You can’t do this!” Rachel screamed.
“You wanted the money!”
“So did you!”
“Then help me!”
“No!”
The refusal stunned him.
Rachel seemed stunned by it too.
For years, she had followed Marcus whenever his confidence was stronger than her conscience. She had allowed him to direct every scheme because that gave her someone to blame if the plan failed.
