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His words didn’t give much hope "Goodbye, Beth" That didn’t sound much like a, "Call me and we’ll talk about this" But what did she have to lose? And, okay, she kneouldn’t want to talk to her, but she owed him an explanation And thanks God, she owed hie one phone call without crying and e her cell phone out of her pocket, she started to punch in his nu at the clock on the tiny screen Four o’clock in thehih and failed, then dialed again, a different nuht-owl mom would still be up at one alad you called" Her mother’s voice, usually so warm and cheerful, sounded strained "I tried to reach you earlier"

"What’s wrong?"

"Now don’t get upset It ht be just a paranoid old woman, but… Well, I went to the Gil bash One of the Thoirls was there You remember the Thompsons; they live across the street from me?"

"Uh-huh" She didn’t, but she kne "Go on"

"Emily came home in June for a bit before su to be a lawyer Can you iine?"

Beth rolled her eyes Driving or talking, Mom had never met a detour she wouldn’t take "So what did E through our htened on the cell phone "Going through how?"

"Well, she didn’t see hih the envelopes He didn’t take anything, so she didn’t worry too h a constricted throat "What did he look like?"

"Blond Thirties A suit Lean It could have been Kyler" Herever since she told me, but you didn’t answer your phone I left you a voice mail"

Beth saw the little envelope on the cell phone screen indicating a e "I didn’t even check" She tried to speak, but couldn’t find the air She heard Nolan’s voice Breathe with ain "So if Kyler found one of ht know I’m in Tampa, but he won’t knohere" Thank God she’d rented a post office box here

"What are you going to do?"

She didn’t have rief choked her Leave her business, her apartment, her new friends? Leave Nolan? Oh, God, why now?

But if Kyler knew she was in Tampa, sooner or later, he’d find her "I’ll leave I have to leave" Beth bit her lip, trying to keep her voice steady Moland looks like I’ll try there"

"Oh, Beth, I--I could… Oh, I hate that man!" Her mother stopped, steadied her voice in just the same way Beth had Weren’t they a pair? "Be careful, honey Be careful"

"Don’t worry, Mom I’ll call you tomorrow" Beth flipped the phone shut and laid her head on her knees The first sob welled up, and her throat was so tight it strangled inside The second escaped as a ragged sigh, and then she cried Ugly, painful sobs she couldn’t hold back It wasn’t fair Not fair! She had a life, friends… Nothing She had nothing now

Her eyes had swollen aled, her head aching Of everything she was going to lose now, the one thatNolan

Only she’d already lost hi the futility, she punched in his number anyway She just wanted to hear his voice one last ti, then clicked over to voice e now" Her lips turned up even as tears spilled over again at the sound of his deep gravelly voice And hisSo Master Nolan