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Chapter 1

Maggie Neely woke up to the sound of her

She'd gone to bed as usual, with Jake the GreatDane sprawled heavily across her feet and the threecats jockeying for position around her head Hercheek was resting on her open geo theblankets, along with frag her jeans and a flowered pajaht: one red velveteen anklet and one blue cotton slouch sock

Those particular socks would eventually meanthe difference between life and death for her, but at the ie had no idea of that

She was si wakened suddenly She'd never heard thiskind of screa before, and she wondered howshe could be so certain it was herit

Soierealized slowly The worst

The clock on her nightstand said 2:11AM

And then before she even realized she wasacross her bedroo to trip her up She banged her shin on a wastebasket in the h The hallas diht and the screa from there

Jake trotted along beside her When they got tothe foyer by the living roorowl,half bark

Maggie took in the whole scene in a glance Itwas one of those es forever

The front door was open, letting in the cold airof a Nove a short bathrobe and holding her at hi breathlesslyall the while And in the doorway four people were standing: two sheriffs, a National Park ranger, and Sylvia Weald

Sylvia Her brother Miles's girlfriend

And knowledge hit her quick and hardasa hammer blow

My brother is dead, Maggie thought