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Jimmy banged his head against the gurney.

“Ple-please. I didn’t do anything. He would have hurt me too if I didn’t do it. He just gave me something to give to the girls, and then… I would walk them out of the door. The door was always open. I don’t know how. I didn’t ask. No questions. That’s his first rule.”

Hannigan said the same.

“Who is the one behind all of this?” I asked, gripping his shirt, tightening my grip.

“I… really don’t know.”

“Guess, then,” I said, glaring down at Jimmy. He was already pale, sweating.

One last name. One last kill.

Everything would be over.

Everything.

“I thought… I think it’s Jo-Jonah. My bandmate. He knew my… secret. He knew I killed the girls.”

“Jonah Bricks?”

“Ye-yes.”

30

A CONGREGATION OF LIES

DIYA

Jonah Bricks.

Again.

Sighing, I motioned to Asher. “Untie him.”

“But…”

“If he died here, there’s no guarantee you’ll get out of it this time. We need to take Jimmy back to his room.”

“He needs to die.” Asher glared at Jimmy, eyes burning. “But you’re right. Not yet.”

We walked back to the building, carrying Jimmy.

We sent him back to his room, drugged into oblivion, his breathing shallow but steady.

He would be alright. For now.

It was time to go see the Bricks brothers.

Vincent had texted me early in the morning, asking me to go to his brother’s anniversary party. I said yes, of course.

I got dressed and went to Hollowhaven to talk with Asher before I left for the party.

Asher’s eyes widened as soon as he saw me. He took a step back from me, as if he was worried I might bite him.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered, his gaze dragging over me, slow and deliberate, like he was committing every inch of me to his memory. “Breathtaking.”

I wore this dress for him, to make him regret what he said last night. He did look like he regretted it, but he stayed in his place, his arms crossed, as if it took him every last drop of resolve to keep his distance.