Chapter 16: Camera Three

Susanna's POV

The leak went out at midnight, and by one the chat had a new name for Keir.

I read it on Ben's tablet in the mess tent, with my bad leg up on a crate.

*Ghoul. Watched her bleed. Owner of the year.*

Then, three minutes later, the committee posted his statement.

*No contestant knew. No contestant was told.*

"He signed it himself," Ben said. "Nobody made him."

"I know."

At two Keir came to my door again.

He did not ask to come in. He held out a folded page.

"Read the second side," he said.

I read it under the porch light.

There was a name at the bottom in the neat, upright hand from every birthday card that family had sent me.

*On behalf of the Brantley family.*

"My mother paid for it," I said.

"The lawyer gave it to me at nine tonight. I wanted you to hold it yourself."

I folded the page and put it in my pocket.

"Thank you for bringing it to me," I said, and I meant exactly that and nothing more.

He nodded. He went.

By morning the whole ridge had picked a side, and it wasn't his.

I was wiping down the mess tent table when Tiffany came in alone, in her white parka, with her eyes already wet.

"Susanna," she said. "I just heard. I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"For all of it. He used you."

She came close, and she smelled of warm wool and sugar.

"I thought you should know somebody's on your side."

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