Page 38 of Identify

Yes, I have his friend tied to a chair, and roughed up his face, but he’s conscious, so he’s fine.

“Reed,” David says. “You gotta help me, man, this guy is fuck-nuts crazy.”

“What are you doing Mack?” Reed turns to me, his face filled with fury and frustration, with a touch of resignation.

I grab Reed by the arm and pull him aside. “He’s guilty. I have a recorded confession.”

“Under duress?”

“No, in the car on the way here.”

“In the car? Did you kidnap him? Why are you all dressed up? What’s going on?”

“I worked security for the party tonight. I handled getting him to a safe place after we discovered the gunman.”

“The gunman? You mean Quinn?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“So, shewasgoing to shoot him?”

“No, the gun has blanks in it.”

“How would you know?”

“I gave it to her.”

“Fuckin-eh, Mack. Start at the beginning and leave nothing out. I want the truth.”

You can’t handle the truth!Rings through my mind. No way am I telling Reed everything. As planned, I will tell him what he needs to know. Nothing more.

“Quinn was the distraction so I could get Tremblay out of the party to talk to him with no one realizing it. In case anyone else involved in the HT ring was there. Daria did me a solid acting as my getaway driver.”

I look across the room to where Daria and Quinn are speaking in hushed tones, heads bent together.

“Why didn’t Quinn just tell me that?”

“I asked her not to.”

“Why?”

“So, you wouldn’t be involved.”

“Involved in kidnapping my best friend.”

“Borrowing, for a bit.”

“What did he confess to?”

“All of it.”

“Fuck.” Reed hangs his head.

“Sorry, man.” I clap him on the shoulder, in a gesture meant to be sympathetic, but I think it comes across as more of just a slap.

“Did something lead you to believe he was guilty?”

“Call it a well-educated hunch.”