Page 46 of The Chain House
“No,” she said. “Other than my worst nightmare coming to life.”
“I know about you and …” Billy trailed off like he didn’t know how to attack the topic. “I always believed you, by the way. I always believed in the fourth killer that night.”
“Thank you,” she said. “But what’s going on? Has something happened?”
“Yeah,” Billy said. “A lot has happened. You heard about Sal Batise’s last interview?”
“He made me watch it.”
“So you know Batise announced to the world that he’s Mallard Malone?”
“Yes,” she said. “Do you believe him? You said you were a guard there?”
“Yeah. It’s him. I’m the one who’s been smuggling the manuscripts out of the prison for the past eight years.”
Beth couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but at least another piece to the puzzle had just snapped in place. “Justice Minks. That’s who’s holding us prisoner, you know that, right?”
“Yeah, I guessed that with the mask. Or at least someone impersonating him.”
“No, it’s him,” Beth said.
“He told me his name is Oliver Crown,” Billy said. “This place, I mean, what the fuck? Oh … sorry.”
“It’s okay, Billy. I’m scared too.”
“He’s psycho, right? I mean, he has to be. Have you read the books, Mrs. Hawthorne?”
“No. You?”
“All of them,” Billy said. “Only I waited until they came out. I have the entire collection at home. I was low man on the totem pole. I got the manuscripts out of the prison and into a secure PO box. Usually within a week of putting them there, I’d find money left for me. Money for the job, but mostly to keep my mouth shut. You wouldn’t believe how much …”
“It’s okay, Billy. I don’t need to know.”
He lowered his voice. “I’m a millionaire, Mrs. Hawthorne.” It was like he couldn’t help himself. “I’ve been counting down the days until I could put in my two weeks. But I was locked in until the last book came out. I had to stay until then, that was the deal I signed.”
“With who?” she asked, still trying to wrap her mind around it all. “Who did you sign the contract with, Billy?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “Nobody is supposed to know anybody in the chain. That’s how it’s worked for so long. That, and keeping quiet. The money kept me quiet. It was easy money. And the threats, of course. Whether they ultimately came from Batise or whoever in the chain, I wasn’t about to test it.”
“So you all called it the chain?” Beth asked.
“Yeah, ironic, right … coming from the guy who calls himself the Breaker of Chains.”
“Is that why you’re here, Billy? Did you break the chain? Did you tell someone?”
“No, that’s the thing. I didn’t do anything. For years I did my job, and I’ve been waiting and waiting for Sal to write the last damn book, but it never came.”
“You mean he hasn’t written it?”
“Not to my knowledge,” he said. “And then the interview this morning. He announces who he is. I get ambushed on my way into work, and here I am.”
“I’m sorry, Billy.”
“Yeah, maybe not as sorry as I am. I knew all along I was playing with fire.” He was quiet for a minute, and then it sounded like he was fighting tears. “I think we’re gonna die in here, Mrs. Hawthorne.”
“No, we’re not,” she said, but deep down she didn’t believe it. “How old are you, Billy?”
“Thirty-two. I’ll be thirty-three next week. Got a wife and two kids.” He choked up again, composed himself. “They didn’t know anything about anything. I took the threats seriously, because they weren’t all against me, they named my family too. That’s why I toed the line. Always. I don’t know why I’m here. I just don’t. But I was counting down the days and weeks, you know? I was out of there, and all my money, you know … offshore accounts, all that. I was going to take my family and go … just sail off into the sunset somewhere. On a beach. Rum drinks every night. Bloody Marys every morning. And I don’t even drink that much, Mrs. Hawthorne.” After another beat, he said, “I mean, why couldn’t he just finish the fucking series already? Sorry … language, I know.”
