but she would talk only to her sister, as though Robin were the only one she was accountable to. "You know it was I who talked you into this weekend, and that I was the one who sent out the invitations. But there's a lot you didn't know, a lot I couldn't tell you because you would have tried to stop me. Late Thursday night, I called everyone and told them you weren't feeling well, and that they shouldn't come. I called everyone except those here. I didn't expect Flynn - or whatever his name is - to come, but you can't have everything. In case any of the other kids in the class called to see how you were."
"I cut the phones this morning. All this was just the set up. Tonight at dinner I laced the food with barbiturates. When everyone was unconscious, I dragged them down to the recording studio and handcuffed them to the walls. Last month when I was down in San Maritz, I bought a bunch of rattlers whose venom sacs had been removed. I was going to use these snakes to scare the truth out of everyone. I even had prerecorded messages to steer the interrogation. And it was working, better than that sham the police called an investigation. Even I started to remember things I had forgotten. But then Bert showed up. I had planned for so long, I was so pissed off, so I just let the snakes go." She winced at the sight of her injury, probably realizing her leg would be seriously scarred. She added quietly, "I did it for you."
Michael was heartless. "So what's Robin to you?"
His words cut deeper than the fangs she had so bravely suffered. And this same question had been whispered again and again behind her back this entire last school year. Apparently, unknown to any of them, its hurt had been accumulating, and had reached an intolerable level. Her reserve collapsed. Pretty, powerful Lena - it was soul-wrenching to watch. Bent with sobs, she tried to speak. "She's everything to me. I would do anything for her. If she were my sister, my real blood sister, I would give her both my kidneys." She fought for control.
Robin tried to comfort her, forcing a laugh. "Silly, you didn't have to do all this for me."
"How much did the snakes cost, Lena?" Bert asked.
Flynn reset his chair. But he did not sit down. He approached Kerry, who knelt on the floor, allowing the tip of his gun to touch her forehead. "Are you sick, Kerry?" he asked gently.
"Yes," she whispered, her eyes dilating with each light brush of the black barrel.
"Do you need to throw up?"
"Yes."
"Do you have cramps?"
"Yes."
"You're sick because I poisoned you, right?"
She nodded.
"Right?"
"Yes."
"Why is Robin sick?"
"Because she got poisoned."
"Right." Michael smiled. He was happy. "Now tell me, who poisoned her? Not last November, but this weekend. Tell me."
"You."
Michael was not happy. "You're wrong. I poisoned everyonebut Robin. You must have noticed how I brought her all her food and drinks. That was to be sure she didn't swallow anything bad." He smiled again. "So how is she sick?"
"Her kidneys are bad."
"But they've been bad since November, haven't they?"
"Yes. Please don't kill - "
"Then why is she suddenly so ill?" he interrupted.
"I don't know."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
"Be absolutely positive. If I find out later that you've lied to me on this point, I might become angry.
Have you ever seen me angry, Kerry?"
"No."
"I lose my mind. I lose all control." A snake rattled outside their door. Michael was pleased. "You don't like snakes, do you, Kerry?"
"No."
"I bet you don't." He returned to his chair, sat down, crossing his legs casually. He rechecked the cassette player. "We have plenty of tape left. You can take your time, Kerry."
"What? I don't understand!"
"Sure you do. Tell me how and why you put the insecticide in Robin's glass."
"Oh, no," she began to weep. "I didn't, no."
Michael sighed. "Kerry, I'm afraid you're beginning to anger me. Did you hear my question?"
She nodded.
"Answer me."
Even had Kerry wanted to confess, she probably couldn't. Her mouth wouldn't work. Michael raised his gun, pointed it at her head.
"Don't!" Shani cried. "I did it! It was me!"
"Nice try, Shani," Michael smiled. He pulled the trigger. The stucco wall behind Kerry's head exploded in an irregular crater, sharp chips riddling the room. A clock fell off the opposite wall and landed upright on the floor. It was exactly one o'clock. Michael reset his