Read The Big Splash for Free Online Page A

without responding. I couldn’tnegotiate a price for finding the criminal when I felt somewhat responsible for the crime. Maybe I wasn’t in on the plot, but I should have known something was up. Stupidity doesn’t make you innocent.
    I walked through the halls toward Vinny’s locker. Nikki’s figurine was in my pocket, the little plastic surfboard scratching my leg with each stride, a constant reminder of what happens to people dumb enough to think there’s such a thing as easy money. Kids were buzzing around, spreading the news of Nikki’s downfall.
    My anger ratcheted up with each step. Most of it was directed at myself, but I felt like I had enough to share with a special someone. Vinny was standing at his locker, getting ready to go home. Brian, a bodyguard roughly the size of Australia, was putting books in a backpack for him. I broke into a sprint. They must have heard me coming because they both turned toward me. Vinny looked nonchalant, as if I were coming to bring him a cup of tea. Brian, whose hands were still full of books, wore an expression of indecisive panic. I hit Vinny at full speed and pinned him against the row of lockers.
    â€œYou set me up.” I spit the words out, my face half aninch away from his. I wanted to make sure he knew exactly how I felt.
    â€œThat’s okay, Brian,” Vinny said to his bodyguard. “Don’t feel like you have to do anything.”
    This woke Brian out of his stupor. He plucked me off Vinny like a ripe grape. He only used one hand and I still slid ten feet down the hall. Brian was embarrassed at his previous lack of action, and was about to overcompensate to make up for it. I prepared to get stomped.
    Vinny raised his right hand, palm out. Brian stopped in his tracks.
    â€œNow, what was your problem, Matthew?” he asked.
    I got to my feet. “You know my problem. You’ve known it since lunch.”
    â€œIf you mean Nicole, then you have the wrong idea. I only just found out about it.”
    â€œBull.” I reached into my pocket to grab the surfer girl. Brian froze, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. If I had had a squirt gun, I could have taken them both out and been relaxing at home before Brian even moved. Vinny still looked calm.
    â€œMatthew—”
    â€œWhy today?” I asked. “Why, after two months, didyou decide you needed this back today?” I tossed him the figurine.
    He caught it with both hands. A tear fell slowly down his cheek. “I don’t know,” he said. “I really didn’t think she needed it anymore. I guess I was wrong. I’m sorry, Nikki.” Two more tears followed the first.
    â€œSave the act for the Oscars,” I said, “because I’m not handing out any awards. You knew this was going down, and you sent me in as a decoy, a distraction so your man could take her out.”
    â€œI understand why you feel that way, so I’m not going to hold your accusations against you—”
    â€œHow big of you.”
    â€œBut ask yourself this, Matthew. If I was really so intent on taking Nikki out, would I
really
be that concerned about covering it up?”
    I knew he wouldn’t be concerned at all. In fact, he’d be broadcasting it, using it to further his own legend. But my mouth was on a roll, saying things before my brain could stop it. “Well, this was probably revenge for something she did while following your orders. So maybe you didn’t pull the trigger, but you’re as responsible as the kid that did.”
    â€œI like you, Matthew, I really do,” Vinny replied, as ifspeaking to a small, dumb child, “but sometimes you don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about. I never forced her to do anything that she didn’t want to. All I did was give her an opportunity, an opportunity that she was born for. And she took it. Why? Because she wanted it. She made a choice, and she faced the