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"This is your idea of co of hell?"

Bones didn't flinch attone He considered the manacled and bloodied form welded to the wall in front of us

"He's not being injured, just restrained The blood on hiht have preferred a soft bed and a nice neck to sip fro what he's done"

This was said in a clear, biting tone that would have been easily overheard by anyone eavesdropping I resisted the urge to demand Tate be taken down After all, there was still a real betrayer on the loose, and we didn't knoho it was

"You're the luckiest son of a bitch in the world"

It wasless than hatred from Tate His eyes were pure emerald as they blazed at Bones

Bones laughed "You know,in my arms, I did indeed feel very lucky"

Tate cursed hiainst his clamps

Ian chuckled and clapped a hand across Bones's back He'd been the guard last night

"Bloke's scorched you up one side and down the other since you ca to it Ah, Rodney, is it your turn now? Good, I'm knackered"

"Thank you, Ian, take your rest I'll speak to you later"

Although Ian didn't h on the list of the reht Ian was capable of it, but Bones disagreed Since Tate was a liability to whouards on him

The area cleared of everyone but Rodney, Bones, Tate, and round in a sealed section with just one way in or out This would be our only chance to talk, because afterward, it wouldn't seem plausible But now, it made sense that I'd want to confront Bones's Judas

"How could you do it, Tate?" I asked Sound traveled ith that echoing hallway leading to this roo would have been too obvious

"I hate him, but it wasn't me," Tate replied

I withdrew a small notepad and pen from under my sweater Tate watched warily I nodded to Rodney, who unshackled one of his ar him all the way out would havecautious He didn't want Tate loose aroundif he'd rather see uilty no reed

I quickly scrawled some words onto the paper and held it up for Tate to see

I believe you

Tears ca him and tell hiht hi the pad up so he could write

"See, I don't believe you, mate"

Bones said it with no lack of venoht it was hilance at the page Tate wrote on before he passed it to me

Love you, Cat

"I don't give a shit what you believe, you sneaky English slut," is what he said to Bones

Well, anted this to sound authentic, I thought ironicallyAt least that's covered

"Want to knohat I think, dickhead?" Tate went on "I think you faked your death to send her into a spiral of grief, and then you uy you hate to blame it all on You've wanted an excuse to kill , didn't you?"

I blinked Tate sure went the other way in co up with an explanation

Bones gave a rude snort "Think I'd hurt her like that just to kill you? Imbecile"

This is not e're here!I wrote and waved it in front of Bones, forgetting in itation that I could just think it at him

Bones didn't even pause to look "You're not strong enough for her by half,to haveyou've done Stick to your story that it wasn't you? Then you're right back in that forgotten place where she'll never notice you So which are you, a betrayer or a pathetic loser?"

It was a trick question, of course One ansould have hiy, emotionally dismissed There were several points of contention I wanted to argue with him about, but that would wait until later

Tate glowered at hi Bones waited with aon the notepad when Tate spoke

"Just let's be clear about one thing-if you kill me, it won't be because I did this I didn't rat you out to Patra, though thumbs-up to whoever did If you kill me, it's because you're afraid that if you don't, one day you ht back at you, Crypt Keeper, what's it gonna be?"

Dark brown eyes that could melt me were flat and icy now

"I gave you the chance to own up to your deeds with dignity You refused Right then, we'll have it your way You'll stay chained here, no food, no coer and solitude soften you up We'll see what you have to say again in a month or so Let him be alone with his deceit and his spinelessness In themy wife's company"

Bones took h to hold up the e and have Tate read it as Rodney chained his arm back into place

Promise I'll find who it is, but if anyone comes in this room but me or Bones, you scream as loud as you can

"Don't worry, Cat," Tate said, with a touch of huht here"

When Rodney closed the door behind us, I whirled on BonesDo you still think it's him? I demanded

He stared atemotions across his face, none of them pleasant Finally, he shook his head

No

Chapter Twenty-Seven

OF OUR BAKER'S DOZEN UNDEAD SUSPECTS, we had it narrowed down to four This was an exceptionally painful process for Bones, since each of them had spent no less than a century with him, and he considered them all close friends Caesar hadn't suspected Brutus, either, however, and look where that got him So Bones had to be unmerciful in his evaluations

Zero was on the list, despite his outward slavish devotion, then Tick Tock, Rattler, and Doc completed our suspects Vlad he kept as a potential alternate