Page 62 of The Chain House

“And televised,” Batise added. “Don’t forget that.”

They all shared looks because they’d hadn’t mentioned that part of the demand.

Once that sunk in, Sam finished: “And it’s only after this execution that Oliver Crown gains his … stardom. But to ensure that Malcolm Dodd is executed, he holds the governor’s wife as ransom.”

“Well done,” said Batise. “As I told Sam Harper earlier, Mr. Minks must be Mallard Malone’s biggest fan. He sounds like an utter lunatic to me.”

“In the book,” Governor Hawthorne hissed. “Does she live? Does the governor’s wife live?”

“Hmm, let me think,” Batise said playfully. “I wrote it well over twenty years ago …”

“Cut the shit, Sal,” said Warden Wren. “You have a photographic memory unlike anyone has seen before. You know damn well what’s in the book.”

“Temper yourself, Warden,” said Batise. “A good poker player doesn’t show all his cards.”

And Sam noticed he’d said it in a way that insinuated Warden Wren didn’t have any cards to play, and it was noticeable how quickly the warden tempered himself, backing down like a reprimanded dog.

Agent Givens said, “So you’re Malcolm Dodd in this book. You’re the cult leader on death row, and it’s obvious you patterned this book on your life.”

“I wrote the book well before I started The Collective,” Batise said.

“Okay, so you used the book as a blueprint,” added Givens. “Does Malcolm Dodd die by firing squad or not?”

“He does,” said Batise. “Quite gruesomely, I might add. Took many bullets to finish him off. He was a very tough man.”

“And then Oliver Crown rises from the ashes,” Sam said. “What causes the ashes? In the book, what causes the country to crumble?”

“The world to crumble,” he said, in amused correction. “The United States was just the first domino to fall, Sam Harper. And, like I said, it would be irresponsible of me to show all my cards now.”

Governor Hawthorne stepped around the desk but stopped. “And I’m to assume this Malcolm Dodd, in the book, has pulled every trick known to the legal system to stay his execution, just like you, huh?”

“I learned from the best, Governor, and Malcolm Dodd was the—”

“Cut the bullshit,” Governor Hawthorne screamed. “Why am I here?”

“Because it seems we have ourselves quite a conundrum, gentlemen.” Batise shifted in his chair. “I’m doing everything in my power to stay alive while this Oliver Crown is doing everything in his power to see me die.”

“Seems simple to me,” Agent Givens said. “You die tonight as directed, and this all goes away.”

“If you can trust Justice Minks, that is.” Batise folded his hands on his lap, grinned.

Governor Hawthorne turned toward the door, and on his way, said to the warden, “Pick your firing squad, Adrian. Shoot him right out there in the yard at midnight. I’m done.”

Before the governor reached the door, Batise called out, “My stay, Governor?”

Hawthorne ignored him, opened the door, his body language saying, Fuck your stay.

“I know where your sister is buried,” Batise shouted.

Everyone froze.

Governor Hawthorne stood still, with his hand on the doorknob, but Sam could see it trembling. The governor’s younger sister, Emily Hawthorne, had disappeared twenty-three years ago, without a trace, and no one had heard from her since. The family, Sam knew, had long considered her dead and had grieved her loss in a private ceremony ten years ago. But from everything Sam had read, there had been no closure for her big brother, and her loss—and the questions still circling from her loss—ate at him still, daily.

The governor’s shoulders rose and fell, rose and fell, as he sucked in deep breath after deep breath. If this was a joke by Batise, it was the utmost cruelty—there was no closer nerve he could have struck with the governor. But as Sam studied the man’s grinning face, he knew he was telling the truth. Batise knew something about Emily Hawthorne’s disappearance, even though it had occurred three years before the Hawthorne massacre and by all accounts a year before The Collective was even formed.

“Emily Hawthorne,” said Batise, like the governor needed reminding of his sister’s name.

Governor Hawthorne turned slowly. “You evil motherfucker.” He started toward Batise, but Agent Givens and Warden Wren held him back.