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"Yes, violence," Maura said "Is that what you meant, Persephone? Yes"

All three of them had leaned unconsciously toward one another Sometimes Maura, Persephone, and Calla seemed more like three parts of the same entity instead of three separate women The three of them turned as one to Mr Gray

He adht you said you were researching a novel" Maura’s tone was more than a little prickly

"That was a lie," the Gray Man said "I’m sorry I had to think quickly when you said I couldn’t have a reading"

"So what’s the truth?"

"I’m a hit man"

This confession ushered in several moments of silence The Gray Man’s answer seeested otherwise It was the sort of answer that required an im

Maura said, "That’s not very funny"

"No, it’s not," the Gray Man agreed

Everyone in the roo for Maura’s response She asked, "And does work bring you here tonight?"

"Just research"

"For work?"

Unperturbed, Mr Gray said, "Everything is research for work In its way"

He did absolutely nothing to make his words easier to accept It was i them to believe him, or to humor him, or to fear him He merely laid out this confession and waited

Finally, Maura said, "Might be nice to have solanced at hireement in it

They all had another drink The Gray Man asked knowledgeable questions full of wry hulasses to the kitchen, and excused hilance at his watch "Not that I wouldn’t like to stay"

Then he asked if he could return later in the week

And Maura said yes

After he had gone, Calla looked through his wallet, which she had stolen as he left "The ID is fake," she re it into the couch cushions where he had been sitting "But he’lllike that," Maura replied, "makes me feel better if I can keep my eye on it"

"Oh," Persephone said, "I think we all knohat you’re keeping your eye on"

15

Adaht Gansey would be There wasn’t a day during his first lionby Academy when he hadn’t doubted his decision to co; he would never be able to look like one of them How incredibly naive he’d been to think he would ever possess a roolionby students did And Gansey was the worst of thelionby and fit in life around the edge But Gansey -- it was iet that he had arrived with a life intact, and instead fit Aglionby into it He was the boy all eyes turned to when he strode into the gym He was the student with the easiest s behind after classes to chat with the teachers like equals --Mr Gansey, would you hold up a moment? I found an article I think you’d be interested in -- and he was the boy with the ely handsome of friends, Ronan Lynch He was the opposite of Adam in every possible way

They didn’t speak Why would they speak? Ada to learn how to clip his accent Gansey, a furious sun, glowed froravitational pull too distant to affect Adah Gansey seemed to be friends with the entire school, it was Ronan as alith hilances and ists of the mouth, that made Adahing, he thought, at a joke where the rest of the world was the punch line

No, Adae a word until six weeks into the year, when Adam bicycled past the Camaro on the way to school Dark tire tracks pointed its path to the side of the road; its hood stood open It wasn’t an unusual sight: Adam had seen the Camaro behind a tow truck at least twice already There was no reason at all to think that Gansey, hovering by the engine, would want Adam’s help Probably he’d already called a mechanic he had at the ready

But Adaht then Of all of the agonizing days at Aglionby, that had been the worstdown his old bike’s kickstand next to Richard C Gansey III’s glorious burningorange Ca for him to turn His stomach had been a ruin of fear

Gansey had pivoted and in his slow, lovely accent, said, "Adaht?"

"Yeah Di -- Richard Gansey?"

"Just Gansey"

Already Adam had spotted what had stopped the Ca, he’d asked, "Do you want me to fix it? I know a little about cars"