Brilliant. Not a word people often used about Red or her ideas. She felt heat rise to her cheeks, but it wasnโt a bad feeling like it normally was.โ
โGood job, Red.โ Maddy sounded so much like her mom when she said that. โGuys!โ she shouted now, turning away from the mirror so Red could see her real face. โScratch the fake human plan, the sniper will never believe it. Weโve got a better idea!โ
โWhat?โ Oliverโs and Reynaโs voices called in unison.
โBut weโve already started building Larry,โ Simon followed up.
โThereโs a full-length mirror in here,โ Maddy called as Oliver approached down the hall. โWe put this by the door, at the right angle, heโll think heโs shooting at one of us, but it will just be our re๏ฌection.โ
Maddy put it better than Red could have.
Oliver caught sight of himself in the mirror, above Redโs head. She turned to see the real him, a light growing behind his eyes.
He smiled. โYes. Yes, that could work. It will work. Thatโs the new plan.โ He stepped forward, past Red, narrowing his eyes as he studied the mirror, ๏ฌicking to the small black framing on each corner. โWhatโs it attached with? Just those screws? Weโll get that down, easy. Simon, can you pass the screwdriver!โ
A clattering sound from the front of the RV, Simonโs voice calling: โComing, boss.โ
Oliver looked down at his sister. โWell done, Maddy. Really good idea.โ โWell, actuallyโโ Maddy began.
โโMom will be proud of you,โ Oliver continued, patting her on the shoulder. โWhen we get out of here, sheโll be so proud of you. Thatโs a Lavoy plan if ever I heard one.โ
Maddy dropped her eyes, chewing on her bottom lip. Red watched her, a tightening in her chest, shifting with her ribs.
โThanks,โ Maddy said, quietly. Nothing more.
Red didnโt mind, though, or maybe she did. What was that too-full feeling at the back of her throat, then? Or that hollow one in her gut? It was ๏ฌne. Maddy could have that plan, if it would make her mom proud. Red had her own.
โSpecial delivery,โ Simon said, jogging up the length of the RV, screwdriver held out in front of him.
โExcuse me,โ Red said, shu๏ฌing past Simon as he reached the bedroom, Reyna walking in behind him. A look passed between them, Reyna and Red, as they converged. Red wasnโt sure what it meant but she returned it anyway.
โYou okay, Red?โ Arthur asked, standing in the kitchen.
Red joined him, leaning back against the counter, arms hugged around her ribs, to protect them.
โJust dandy,โ she said.
โSo,โ he said, nodding his head back the way sheโd just come. โUsing a mirror to re๏ฌect one of us to bait a shot,โ he summarized, again, better than Red ever could. โThatโs smart,โ he added.
โThe Lavoys are very smart,โ Red said.
โWant to know a secret?โ Arthur said, his voice dipping into whispers, eyes ๏ฌashing from behind his glasses. โI think youโre smarter.โ
Red smiled in spite of herself. Had he been listening to her and Maddy in the bedroom? Or was he just trying to be nice?ย Smart.ย Another word Red didnโt belong in a sentence with. She hadย potential,ย though, remember. Had it, but didnโt use it, that was why people said it.
โI think youโre wrong,โ she said, voice ๏ฌat, barricade up.
โI think youโre lying,โ Arthur retorted, knocking away at it.
She looked up at him, that same drunk-warm feeling behind her eyes. Why was he so kind to her? And why did that make her want to be un-kinder back? Because she didnโt deserve it, that was why. She was just Red. Just Red and Just Arthur, and they should probably just stay that way, because she didnโt know how to be somebodyโs someone.
โThatโs okay,โ Arthur said, like he could read the thoughts racing behind her eyes. But he couldnโt, he didnโt know what lived back there, in her head. โYour secret is safe with me. It always is.โ
โI donโt have secrets.โ She hid behind a smile again. Oh, stop it, grinning like an idiot.
โInternational spy?โ Arthur asked. โI wish.โ
โYour real name is Agatha?โ โOnly if yours is Edgar.โ โSecret frog-racing champion?โ โYou got me,โ she said.
โNice.โ He smiled too, but he didnโt grin like an idiot. He wore it better. โI wonโt tell anyone, promise.โ
โWonโt tell anyone what?โ Simon said, walking down the corridor, knocking into the wall on one side and the bunks on the other. How did he seem more drunk again?
โRedโs big secret,โ Arthur replied.
โRight, move, move, move,โ Oliver raised his voice as he walked backward, carrying one end of the mirror, Reyna on the other side. They scattered, out of the way, Red moving over to the sofa and dropping down. It was nice to sit, her legs bone-tired. But she knew it wouldnโt last long. The purple plastic mop was lying in front of her, already snapped in half, the mopping end removed.
Oliver and Reyna gently lowered the mirror down, close to the front door, Oliver wrapping one arm around it to take its weight.
โLetโs think this through,โ he said, motioning with his head for them all to gather around.
See, not long at all. Red stood up, Simon on one side, Maddy on the other, the three of them repeated again in the mirror.
โRight, so if someone is standing thereโโOliver motioned to the gap in front of the closet, now missing its doorโโthey arenโt in the line of ๏ฌre, theyโre protected by the wall of the RV. And if the mirror is in front of the door, angled that way, the sniper will see their re๏ฌection, right?โ
โScience, bitch!โ Simon erupted then. โSimon,โ Maddy warned.
โSorry,โ he sni๏ฌed. โBut weโre in an RV. I was going to have to say it one time. Think Iโd rather be cooking meth, though. Less risky.โ
Oliver shot him a look, hardening his eyes. โSorry.โ
โYes, that works,โ Reyna said, walking around to the front side of the mirror. โBut only if the sniper is somewhere in this direction.โ She held out both arms in a wedge, a quarter circle, one arm facing straight out through the door, the other toward the back of the RV. โIf heโs this wayโโshe gestured out through the front right of the RVโโhe wonโt see the re๏ฌection. And thatโs if heโs even on this side at all.โ
โWell, of course this only works if heโs on this side,โ Oliver said. โWeโll have to repeat it in one of the windows on the other side if it doesnโt work.โ
Reyna didnโt listen to him, continuing with her own thought trail. โIf there was a way to pivot the mirror quickly, and someone else could be standing hereโโshe gestured to the small gap between the sofa and the front door
โโthen their re๏ฌection could be seen this way.โ She held out her arms again, another quarter circle. โAnd weโd cover this whole side.โ
Oliver nodded. โRight, okay. How do we pivot the mirror? And, saying that, how do we hold the mirror up? No one can be standing behind or beside it; theyโd get hit.โ
Simon darted forward, scooping up the broken mop from the ๏ฌoor, holding up Larryโs arms. โCould we attach these, as handles? Got a whole roll of duct tape.โ
Oliver snapped his ๏ฌngers at him. โYes. You get started on that. I want one on either side, at the top corners. Wrap the tape all the way around multiple times so itโs really secure. And use some extra tape to lengthen the handles; we want them as long as possible so no one has to stand in the line of ๏ฌre. Reyna, maybe you should help,โ he added, watching Simon struggle to ๏ฌnd the end of the duct tape.
Reyna slid the broken mop handles out from under Simonโs arm, and Maddy stepped forward to relieve him of the tape. They got to work, the duct tape droning like an angry wasp as Maddy pulled lengths and lengths from the roll.
โWouldnโt we need to slide the mirror over too, Reyna?โ Oliver said. โLike a foot or so, to get the correct angle.โ
Reyna looked down, studying the ๏ฌoor for a moment as she held up one handle for Maddy to tape.
โYeah,โ she said. โBecause in its ๏ฌrst position, the mirror needs to be slightly o๏ฌ-center, to the left to catch the person standing there.โ
โThought so.โ Oliver nodded to himself. โWe need to put the mirror on something then, something that slides easily. Oh.โ He gestured for Arthur to step forward and hold the mirror, moving away to the front of the RV and the abandoned closet door still resting against the dashboard. โThis,โ he hissed, bringing it over.
That wonโt slide easily, Red thought. โThat wonโt slide easily,โ Arthur said.
โEasier than the mirror against the ground,โ Oliver countered.
โYou almost need something round under it.โ Arthur hugged the mirror. โSo that it rolls, like a skateboard.โ
โGood idea,โ Reyna said, testing how secure the ๏ฌrst handle was. Everyone had good ideasโnot Red, though. She stood back, useless,
unused. She hoped the others didnโt think she was doing it intentionally. She couldnโt even think of anything round, everything that popped into her head was full of sharp edges. Including that fucking pattern in that fucking curtain. โI got it!โ Simon shouted, too loud, darting behind the mirror to the refrigerator. He opened it and came back with his hands full. A can of beer
clenched in both ๏ฌsts. He held them out to Oliver. โThat works,โ Oliver said. โGrab four more.โ
Simon grinned, disappearing behind the refrigerator door again. โSee,โ he muttered, โthis is why itโs stupid that they tell teenagers not to drink. Drinking saves lives.โ
That hadnโt worked with Redโs dad, though, had it? Taking whatever life heโd had left after Mom.
Simon passed the rest over, and Oliver placed the beer cans down on their sides, a few feet in front of the entrance, spacing them equally. Picking up the closet door again, he placed it on top of the cans, parallel to the front door. Sliding it forward and back for good measure, nodding to himself.
โWeโre done too,โ Reyna said, not holding on to the mirror anymore, just the handle that side, Maddy on the other, testing it. Reams and reams of duct tape were wrapped around the top of the mirror and the purple plastic, binding them together. It was ugly, but it worked. โYeah, it will stay up,โ Reyna said needlessly.
โAll right, letโs put it on the door, then. In its ๏ฌrst position.โ Oliver picked the mirror up by its middle. He turned on his heels and shifted his arms, carefully balancing the mirror on the center of the closet door, pointing at a diagonal, at the space between the closet and the front door.
โSimon, stand there, will you?โ he asked.
Simon did, commenting, โHandsome as ever,โ as he stared at his re๏ฌection.
โReyna, will you hold that side?โ Oliver said, taking the purple handle on the right while she took the one on the left. They ๏ฌddled for a moment, making sure the mirror stood up straight.
โMaddy, stand by the front door for a second.โ
She did, winding around Red on her way. She pressed against the door, standing as far back as she could.
โWhat do you see?โ Oliver asked her.
โI see Simon,โ she said, trying not to react as Simon winked at her through the mirror.
โOkay, now Arthur stand there, by the sofa.โ
Arthur shu๏ฌed sideways into the gap.
โOkay, so letโs see.โ Oliver used his foot, pushing the closet door several inches toward Reyna, the mirror moving with it, one beer can rolling free. โNow, Reyna, pull your handle forward while I pull mine back.โ The bottom of the mirror protested, scraping against the door, but it shifted into its new angle. โAnd now what do you see, Maddy?โ
โArthur,โ she said, which, judging by her brotherโs reaction, was the correct answer.
โOkay,โ he said. โItโs clumsy, but it works. Arthur, can you come hold this?โ Arthur stepped forward, taking the handle from Oliver, the mirror tipping forward as it passed hands.
โThe only problem is,โ Oliver continued, both hands free now, one moving to his chin, โI think the two people being the re๏ฌections also have to control the mirror. Thereโs no space for anyone else, and the rest of us need to be at the windows, recording to ๏ฌnd the muzzle ๏ฌash when he shoots. So, which two are going to be our re๏ฌections?โ
The room was silent, only the ๏ฌzz of static to mark the passing seconds
by.
โWell, it canโt be Maddy or me,โ Oliver said, gaze moving across them all.
โWeโre the ones heโs holding hostage. He wonโt take a shot at either of us.โ Arthur cleared his throat. โThe sniper never actually said that.โ
โNo, but he wouldnโt, would he?โ
Arthur didnโt seem to have an answer for that one. Well, that left all the non-Lavoys, then. What else had Red expected?
โSimon, Arthur, it should be you two,โ Oliver said, brows drawing low, darkening his eyes with shadows.
โWhy me?โ Simon glared back. โWho died and left you in charge?โ
โYou really want to make Reyna and Red do it?โ Oliver replied. โBesides, youโre the actor here, arenโt you?โ
Simon shrugged. โAct like it, then.โ
Oliver looked over his shoulder at Arthur, checking to see if he had any complaints. Arthur nodded his head, just once, chewing on the inside of his
cheek. He would do it.
โRight, okay, Simon, youโre there by the closet, Arthur by the sofa. Take the handle, Simon, there we go, letโs practice this a couple of times. So Arthur, I think youโll have to open the door, push it hard so it opens the whole way. And then once itโs done, Simon youโll have to close it.โ
Simon coughed. โHow am I going to close the door without walking down the steps right into his line of sight?โ
Oliver faltered, a good point there.
โRope,โ Red said quietly, a stupid suggestion really because they didnโt have any.
โWe can make one out of clothes,โ Maddy added, and now it made sense. โThereโs some sweatshirts in the top of my bag,โ Arthur said. โYou can
use those. On my bunk.โ
โOkay,โ Red said, Maddy giving her theย go-aheadย eyes. She walked around the mirror contraption, past the kitchen to the bunks. She stepped one foot up on the bottom bunk to reach Arthurโs bag, sitting there on the empty plastic frame of his bed.
โRight,โ Oliver was saying behind her. โLetโs reset the mirror into its ๏ฌrst position here and run it a couple of times so you know what youโre doing.โ
Red unzipped the bag, spreading the two canvas sides. Arthur had folded his clothes, not quite as neat as Maddy, and not quite as strict.
โSo the door opens,โ Oliver continued. โWe leave it a few seconds on Simon. Arthur, I think you can hold the mirror on your own now, so Simon can step into view. Simon, make it look like youโre walking down the steps or something, donโt just stand there.โ
โWalking, walking,โ Simon replied angrily, the sound of his sneakers stomping on the ๏ฌoor.
There were a few baseball shirts at the top of one of Arthurโs piles, more blues, more grays, one dark red. Red pulled out three of them, studied the lengths across the sleeves, and then grabbed one more to be sure.
She stepped down, the shirts bundled in her arms. They smelled clean, and yet somehow they still smelled like him. The same as the hoodie heโd let her borrow after New Yearโs Eve when he dropped her home. Sheโd slept in it
that night, under her coat, and in the morning it only smelled like her. Arthur had never asked for it back. Maybe he was used to losing things too.
Red walked over to the dining table, Maddy joining her there, picking up the ๏ฌrst shirt.
โNow, Arthur, kick the door across. About eight inches, I think. Whoa, stop, thatโs it.โ
Red picked up two of Arthurโs shirts by their sleeves, knotting them together at the ends and pulling them tight.
โArthur, you pull the handle back, Simon, grab yours, pull it forward.
Yes. Now, Arthur, get back in position, Simon can hold the mirror now.โ
Maddy took Redโs shirts, tying them to the two of hers and stretching the jumble out to its full width. โRope,โ she said, a pinch at the corners of her eyes, the face she made when she said sorry. Not about the rope, Red knew, about the mirror plan.
โItโs ๏ฌne,โ Red told her. โI donโt care.โ โHow did it look, Reyna?โ Oliver asked.
Red looked up to see Reyna shooting a thumbs-up from the front door. โYou done with the rope?โ Oliverโs eyes were on them.
Maddy jumped up with it, hurrying over to tie it to the metal handle on the inside of the front door. Double knot. Then passing the other end to Simon, who was shaking his head for some reason.
โOkay, letโs get this over with. We need to leave the lights on this time, so the sniper can see the re๏ฌection. Red, you take the window behind the sofa, this corner, point your phone in a diagonal toward the back of the RV.โ
Red followed the order, phone ready in her hand, resting one knee on the sofa, just a few inches behind Arthur.
โMaddy, take the same window, the other end, but point your phone straight forward.โ
The sofa sank as Maddy planted both knees on the other end, glancing at Red.
โReyna, the passenger-side window, aiming your phone diagonally to the front. And Iโll take the rearview camera again.โ
He walked over to the dashboard behind Reyna, dropping to his knees, head lowered to the screen. Red watched him and something stirred in her head, switching Oliver out with someone else. Didnโt he know people sometimes died like that, on their knees?
โPress record,โ he said.
Red thumbed the red button on her screen. The birdsong high-pitched beeps from her phone, answered by Maddyโs, then Reynaโs.
โGet into position.โ
Red pulled the bottom corner of the mattress up, sliding the hand with the phone through to the unknown outside, her wrist pressing against a shard of broken glass, but there was nothing she could do about it. She pointed her phone in the right direction and looked away, eyes on the back of Arthurโs head.
Red held her breath, counting the seconds. โIs everyone ready?โ
