“But the blowback on you, the blood everywhere? That wasn’t magic.”
She touched her temple. “A patch under the hair, triggered by the wireless remote in the fake gun. A harmless charge that detonated a small package, contained in the patch, of what looked to be blood and other things. Like they do in the movies. It was all prearranged, you see.”
“It was very well done. But why?”
“You needed to be persuaded that you had no choice but to stay and do my bidding. Otherwise you would be charged with murder. Or so you believed.”
“And your reputation as a heartless woman would remain intact?” He held up the arm that she had cut. “Butthiswasn’t an illusion. And neither is the one on Rhett Temple.”
She glanced away and crossed her legs. “I am not a good person, Dillon-san. You more than most should know this.” She shot him a curious look, and Nash interpreted it as Steers perhaps thinking about the fact that she had also kissed him, but he could be wrong about that.
“What you are is perplexing as hell,” he replied.
“I have ordered people to be killed. I distribute drugs that kill many people. There is nothing perplexing about that.”
“And yet you didn’t kill Lynn Ryder.”
“She is a valuable asset who had done nothing to harm me.”
“Neither did the people who take your drugs.”
“As I said, I am not a good person. I am the opposite.”
“But you have some conscience, clearly.” As he said this, Nash realized the significance of his words.
How can this woman have a conscience?
She exclaimed, “I have no conscience. I killed my own brothers and my sister. I am a sociopath. I have looked this term up. It fits me precisely in every way. I . . .”
An open-mouthed Steers stopped and looked astonished that she had made such a stunning admission.
She said hesitantly, “I am sorry. I. . .that is not for. . .your ears. Please do not—”
“But did you really kill your siblings?” Nash interjected before he could catch himself.
She looked at him strangely. “Do not try to make me into something I am not, Dillon-san. It is a fool’s errand. It makes you look weak.”
“Okay, so how did you kill them?”’
“You do not need to know anything about that,” she said sharply. “I never should have spoken of it.”
“But you did speak of it. So just tell me how you killed your oldest brother, and I’ll stop asking.”
“You will stop asking now, if you are truly wise.”
“Are you going to kill me if I don’t?”
In answer she walked around to her desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a pistol. She pointed it at him. “Yes, I will kill you.”
“Answer my question about your brother and then you can shoot me.” He pointed to the center of his forehead. “Right here, kill shot ten times out of ten.”
“You are mad,” she cried out, the pistol wavering in her hand.
“No, I’m just curious. I want to know how you killed your brother. That’s all. One answer and we’re done.”
She pointed the gun at his head. “We are already done.”
“Then give a dead man his last wish. Answer me.”