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Gang,
Murder,
innocent,
undercover,
borneo,
relationship problems,
infiltrate,
gang members,
teen detective,
teen spy,
love of her life,
accused of murder,
cover blown,
cree penny,
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liam penny,
teen investigator
he did. He got on their nerves, always
goofing around. Trying to fit in. Aus said he was a snitch.”
“That’s not a capital crime,” I said. “Except
in the Mafia.”
“Aus said he had to go. I didn’t think he
meant like that. I thought—he just meant—away.” Liam’s voice
cracked. He sniffled.
“Aus is the boss?” It rhymed.
I went on with my tirade. “That’s not a
reason to kill somebody. Deprive them of their whole life. Deprive
a mother of her only child. Just because you didn’t like him. There
are other ways of dealing with that. And then you wouldn’t be in
trouble now.”
Liam had a hand to his face and again shook
his head. “That wasn’t the only thing. I told you. And it wasn’t
me, it was Aus. I didn’t even know.”
“You knew after it happened. And he left you
holding the bag. Are you some kind of wimp, or what?” I remembered
Dad’s letter. Do those people have a hold over you? It
didn’t have to be a hold. Just a forceful personality.
“You don’t know Aus,” he said. “I didn’t—I
wouldn’t—”
He sniffled again. Were those tears for
himself or for Johnny?
I said, “Let me get this straight. You say
you didn’t know Aus was going to do that?”
Slowly he shook his head, then changed it to
a nod. “No idea.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Maybe he truly was sorry. Killing somebody is
rather monstrous, and if he didn’t know it was coming…
“You need a lawyer,” I told him.
“Nope.”
“The police.”
“I said no!” He almost forgot to whisper.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Big whoop.”
“I mean it. You should appreciate the
offer.”
“I don’t. You’ll get yourself killed and me,
too. And not only that, I can’t go anywhere.”
“Why not? You don’t have your car?” I
supposed the police had it and wouldn’t let it go.
“I don’t have my car and I do have this.” He
hiked up the hem of his pants.
“An ankle monitor? I never saw one
before.”
“Lucky you.”
“I’m not lucky. I just, um—”
“You keep your nose clean,” he finished for
me. “Maybe you’re the wimp.”
Did he think there was something glorious in being involved with murder?
The tears said otherwise. Maybe his comment
was only bravado.
Chapter
Eleven
A set of wheels rolled past the window.
Upstairs, a door banged open. It was an
outside door, I could tell by the sound.
Liam’s face was only a blob in the near dark.
A terrified blob. He really was sort of a wimp. Or else Austen had
him thoroughly brainwashed.
My dad’s voice shouted, “Anybody home? Liam,
where are you?”
Liam stumbled up the stairs. I followed. I
knew it was going to be awkward. Dad stared at us both, at Liam for
being in the basement and at me just for being.
I said, “Hi, Dad.”
When he didn’t answer, I explained, “We were
besieged.”
“Besieged?”
“The goons. Austen and company.”
“They were here?” Apparently I didn’t need to
tell him who they were.
“Outside,” I said. “But they wanted to come
in.”
Dad and Liam exchanged looks.
I said, “I brought your camera. I didn’t know
if you meant to leave it.”
Mrs. Mulvaney greeted me with a nod, Mei with
a hug. Dad mumbled some thanks for the camera and said he’d planned
to stop by in a few days. No hugs, no kisses. And he was my dad. So sweet and loving. Not.
Liam had disappeared. The rest of them began
to scatter. I stepped outside, looked both ways, didn’t see any
goons, so I sprinted to the car and locked myself in.
My brother? It still seemed
incredible. I should have known, if I ever got one, he wouldn’t be
the brother of my dreams.
It was sickening, the whole thing about
Johnny Kinsser. I couldn’t believe that either. My brother involved
in a murder. Even if Aus did the actual killing, Liam must have had
some sort of inkling. Aus must have told him something, like where
to park. And then sat in back, which probably wasn’t typical. With
Aus’s personality,
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