Page 66 of Break My Rules
“We don’t know for how long,” I interrupt. “Annabelle confirmed, he stops in to get IV drips all the time, he could have been out of there in plenty of time. He’s the last suspect left,” I insist, feeling desperate. My careful plan is spiraling out of control, and I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t see this through. “It’s him, I know it is,” I beg Saint. “We just need to get him to confess!”
“By doing what, scaring him out of his mind so he’ll say anything you want?” Saint demands. “There’s a reason torture doesn’t work!”
“No, it’s not like that,” I insist. “The truth serum should kick in soon.”
“The what?” Saint’s jaw drops. He looks at me in disbelief. “How long have you been planning this? Have you been lying to me this entire trip?”
I gulp. “I’m sorry, but I knew that if I told you, you would never agree to it.”
“Of course I wouldn’t!” Saint yells. “You’ve got a man tied up in the basement, Tessa! What the hell are you thinking? Have you lost your mind?”
“Maybe I have!” I shoot back. “Maybe I am a little crazy, I don’t care. All I know is, Max did it, and we need to get the truth from him. No more lies, no more pretending. Everything out in the open, once and for all. Don’t you want that, too?” I ask him, and Saint exhales.
“Of course I do, but—”
“But what? The drugs should be working now,” I add anxiously. “But they won’t last long. Please,” I add, my voice breaking with the pressure. “I owe this to Wren. I have to do it.Please.”
Saint paces again, back and forth, then stops. “Just questions,” he says, looking furious.
Relief hits me. He won’t stand in my way. “Sure. Just questions,” I agree, already heading for the cellar again.
For now. What happens when I get my answers…. Well, that’s another story.
We descend into the gloom again, where Max is waiting. “What the fuck took you so long?” he demands, looking past me to Saint. “Untie me and get me the hell away from this crazy bitch.”
Saint doesn’t reply. He moves to lean against the wall and gives me a nod.
“The Blackthorn party,” I start, squaring off in front of Max. “You took Wren. Tell us what happened. Why did you target her?” I demand, keeping my cool this time. Letting my anger turn icy and harsh. “Did she turn you down, is that what happened? You thought you’d teach her a lesson, take what she wouldn’t willingly give?”
“For fuck’s sake!” Max explodes. “I told you, I did fuck-all to your sister! Saint, you’ve got to stop this,” he begs. “She’s lost it, you know she has.Help me.”
Saint looks conflicted, but he holds firm. “Just answer her questions.”
“You weren’t in the hospital all weekend with food poisoning, were you?” I continue, poking holes in his alibi. “You lied about that, didn’t you?”
Something flickers on Max’s face. The first crack in his denials.
“Tell me,” I advance. “You went back to Lancaster Manor, didn’t you? You had Wren stashed in a cellar there, so you could take all the time you wanted.”
“No,” he shakes his head, frowning. “No, it wasn’t her.”
“Who wasn’t?” Saint speaks up, interrupting.
“I wasn’t with Wren, I swear,” Max blurts. “It’s like I told your psycho girlfriend, Wren blew me off, so I went and found someone else to party with.”
“Then why lie to everyone?” I demand. “That whole story about food poisoning and the hospital. Why go to such lengths to cover it up if it was just some random hookup?”
Max makes a noise of frustration. “Because I was fucking Annabelle’s cousin, OK?!”
There’s silence.
Then Saint moves closer. “Keep talking.”
“You can’t possibly believe him!” I exclaim. “He’s just desperate. He’ll say anything right now.”
“No,” Saint corrects me. “He’s in a highly compliant state, thanks toyourdrugs. I don’t think he’s capable of making something like this up, not right now.”
“Thank you!” Max huffs. I snap my head back around to face him.