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"She&039;s bleeding!" Gail cried "Kara&039;s bleeding!"

"Where&039;s she hit?"

"In the side Do so!"

"Your scarf, Gail Fold it into a square and press it over the wound Kara?" He glanced over at her "Kara!"

"I don&039;t think she can hear you," Gail said, a distinct quaver in her voice "She&039;s not dead, is she?"

"No"

Alex glanced repeatedly in the rearviewfollowed

"What are we going to do?"

"I&039;rab some clothes," Alex replied "Well look after Kara&039;s wound, and then we&039;re going up to Eagle Flats"

"I think we should take Kara to the hospital"

"Not now"

Kara was unconscious by the time they reached the house Alex carried her inside, switched on the hall light, and told Gail to wait in the den

Carrying Kara up the stairs to the bedroom, Alex kicked the door closed with his heel, then lowered Kara onto the bed Lifting her sweater, he removed Gail&039;s blood-soaked scarf and examined the wound It wasn&039;t deep and didn&039;t look serious, unless it became infected, but she had lost a lot of blood and that worried him

He washed the wound with soap and water, then swore under his breath as he ripped a clean white sheet into strips and bandaged her side He didn&039;t have so ive her for the pain But that couldn&039;t be helped now

He dressed quickly in a pair of black Levi&039;s and a black sweater, pulled on a pair of black cowboy boots, then went to the s the top drawer, he reencies and shoved it into his pants pocket; then, unlocking the bottom drawer, he withdreo-inch 38 Special which he tucked under his shirt at the s Kara into his aret Gail

"Is she all right?"

"She&039;ll be fine Hand me my checkbook there on the desk, will you? Thanks" He slipped it into his back pocket "Ready, Gail? Then let&039;s go"

He stopped at an all-night drugstore Leaving Gail in the car with Kara, he went into the store, gathering all the first-aid supplies he thought he ht need He asked the clerk where the alcohol was, and when the young es from behind the counter and stuck them inside his jacket

It was near dahen Alex pulled into aa room toward the back

Kara hen he returned to the car

"How are you feeling?" he asked

"Horrible Where are we?"

"A le Flats We&039;ll stay here today"

"Do you think it&039;s safe?"

"No one&039;s following us as near as I can tell"

"I&039; as soon as I look after your sister" Opening the door, he lifted Kara into his arms

"I can walk"

"Do you want to?"

"No" She wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes So ain and noas here, holding her, his dark eyes filled with love and concern

"Do you guys want to be alone?"

Alex glanced at Gail, grinning when he saw the look on her face "What do you think?"

"I think you should have got two rooms"

Alex shook his head "We can&039;t take a chance on leaving you alone Here" He tossed her the roos," Kara added

Gail gri," she s"

Alex laughed softly as he handed her the car keys

"I&039;d do it myself, but my hands are full"

"Yeah, yeah," Gail said irritably, but she was s as she walked toward the car

Inside the rooet you out of those bloody things," he said

"Let&039;s kiss instead"