Kathy Reichs: Code

Then Katelyn closed in.

Fearing the worst, Kit tried the hospital, where an MD swore he’d seen a group of teens sprinting down Calhoun Street. Having no other plan, Kit hurried back out to his 4Runner and drove as far as the downed trees and smoking black truck.

That’s when he’d heard gunshots. Terrified, he’d raced ahead on foot, eventually stumbling into Marion Square.

Spotting me, Kit had shouted my name.

I hadn’t turned. Instead I’d run the other way.

Kit was about to pursue when a flying trash-can lid clocked him from behind. He’d dropped to a knee, momentarily stunned. When he’d recovered, I was gone. Then he’d spotted a gunman in the plaza aiming at Hi. The headlong assault had been pure reflex.

Super Dad hadn’t let me out of his sight since.

I barely listened to Hi and Shelton’s recitation. I was watching Ben.

He didn’t speak. Avoided my gaze. Then he stood and strode down the hall.

I popped up and started after him. Coop rose to follow, but I gently shooed him back with one hand. Though displeased, he lay down beside Hi and closed his eyes.

“Don’t go anywhere!” Kit called to my back. “You’re not to leave this hospital!”

I turned. “Dad, it’s over.”

Kit stared at me intently, then nodded.

An hour earlier, we’d flagged an emergency vehicle sent to investigate the exploding F-150. The police had loaded everyone into vans and driven to CMH. Hearing our story, and seeing the guns, they’d taken the Gamemaster into custody. A full investigation would have to wait until after Katelyn passed.

There’d be questions. Statements. The whole shebang.

My interrogation couldn’t wait.

I found Ben on a stool in an empty examining room, head in his hands.

He was waiting for me.

“I saw.” No point mincing my words.

Ben didn’t look up. “In my head?”

“Yes. You met with the Gamemaster aboard Sewee .”

“Twice.” Ben sat back, but didn’t meet my eye. “His name is Simon Rome. At least, that’s the name he used at LIRI.”

I’d thought myself prepared. Was wrong.

“Ben, no! Why?” I felt the walls caving in around me.

“No one was supposed to get hurt!” Ben lashed out and kicked a trash can across the room. “It was just a stupid game!”

He spun away, shoulders trembling. I sensed that he was crying.

I took a deep breath. “Tell me everything.”

Ben sniffed. Ran both hands over his eyes. Then he faced me, wearing a look of total devastation.

“Tell me,” I whispered, close to tears myself.

Ben slumped on his stool. Said nothing.

I positioned a chair opposite him, sat, and leaned forward. “Tell me,” I repeated for the third time.

“I met Rome on the LIRI dock,” Ben said dully. “He was the new mechanic, had only been working at the institute a few months. I’d see him every few days, and we kinda got to be friends.”

“Why did you never mention him?”

“I don’t know.” Ben scuffed at the floor with his sneaker. “I don’t have a lot of friends, not like you. I guess it was just nice hanging with someone else. Someone older.”

Not like me? What was Ben talking about?

“I … told him things.” Ben’s face reddened. “Personal things. After that he came up with this big idea.”

Though I wanted to know what things Ben had told the Gamemaster, I needed to keep him talking. “The big idea. Was it The Game?”

“It was going to be fun,” Ben said bitterly. “A series of codes and puzzles. And the best part was, I’d look smart and cool. We’d set up these tricky games, then I’d solve the clues and be a hero.”

“But why?” I couldn’t understand his thinking. “You didn’t have to impress us . We know you. We’re your friends. Your family .”

For a long moment Ben didn’t speak. Then, “I’m so stupid.”

I was about to respond, but he cut me off.

“I pushed Hi to buy that metal detector. He thinks it was his idea. It wasn’t. Then I started making fun of geocaching, all the time knowing he’d end up wanting to play the game. It worked, too. In no time I’d led everyone to the Loggerhead cache.”

“The puzzle box. The coded message.”

“The box was simple, and I knew Shelton would crack the cipher. But I saved the shining moment for myself.” His voice become mocking. “Look at Ben! He solved the altered coordinates. He’s so wonderful. On to Castle Pinckney!”

His sneaker slammed a nearby cabinet. “What a moron!”

“The second cache exploded.” My tone sharpened. “Cooper was hurt.”

Ben shook his head miserably. “That’s when I knew the jerk had double-crossed me.”

I waited for Ben to go on. He did.

“The Game wasn’t supposed to be dangerous. Then Pinckney happened. That monster rigged the cache with diesel fuel, then detonated a frigging bomb in Battery Park. It was all totally off script. I’d never seen that iPad before, and didn’t know the pictogram or the chemical equation. Now Rome was threatening to hurt people. That wasn’t part of the deal!”

My palms flipped up. “Why didn’t you say something? Warn us?”

“I was shocked. Embarrassed. I tried to contact Rome the minute we got back, but the cell number he’d given me was disconnected. When I called LIRI, they said he was on vacation. I didn’t know what to do.”

I thought of the times Ben had gone missing lately. Had acted distant. How badly he’d freaked when I’d touched his mind at Castle Pinckney.

I’d chalked it all up to his natural moodiness, or his running feud with Jason. I never suspected something more sinister.

“Everything spiraled out of control.” Ben’s knee started bouncing up and down. “I … I thought … hoped that maybe I could stop it somehow. Make it all go away.”

“The snare gun. Kit just said LIRI never owned one.”

“I was as shocked as you. Rome and I never discussed guns . When you told me what Marchant said at the coffee shop, I didn’t know what to think. I figured Rome could’ve stolen the weapon from LIRI, since he worked there. But I’m not surprised he was totally lying. Not now.”

“The Gamemaster murdered a man, Ben.” I forced him to meet my eye. “Eric Marchant was executed in cold blood. For no other reason than to mess with our heads.”

“ Never .” Ben’s hands began to shake. “No one was supposed to ever, ever … It was a freaking game !”

I thought of something. “You saw Marchant. At the firing range.”

He snorted without humor. “Why do you think I puked?”

“That was after Castle Pinckney.” The realization stoked my anger. “ After a cache burned Coop’s mouth. After the Gamemaster blew up the wedding gazebo. After the snare gun fired at me!”

Ben looked away.

“You scoffed when I suggested the Gamemaster might work at LIRI.” My fury grew as more pieces fell into place. “And when I worried we’d been specifically targeted for the Game? You knew , and lied to my face! To all of us!”

“I panicked!” Ben shot to his feet and began pacing the small room. “I didn’t know what to do. When we got back I tried one last time to reach Rome, to demand he end the game. I even tried to access his personnel file on that LIRI terminal. That why I sent you guys to check the lobby. It was useless. The records were gone.”

“You should’ve told us!”

“You wouldn’t have let me help!” Ben shot back. “This whole nightmare was my fault. I needed to find that psycho and stop him. If I’d told you guys the truth, you’d have shut me out. Then we found the corpse, and … and …” He shook his head. “It was too late. Things were crazy. All I could do was try to prevent whatever evil Rome had planned.”