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"At least the path’s still negotiable," Bart said, pushing a branch out of his way as he and Max followed Sophia’s shorter forrave"

Max shot out a hand to grip Sophia’s upper arm when she stumbled over a rock "Thank you, Detective" A calht treh sheer, stubborn grit

"Anything look fa her ar at hied Max, his voice low "You know Psy don’t like to be touched"

"They also probably don’t like to fall flat on their faces"

"True" Blowing out a breath, Bart shook his head "I haven’t called Gwyn’s parents yet" The naue--like Max, he’d come to intiirl

"Neither have I," Max said, res, with an anger that hadn’t dulled in the intervening years "No use ripping the scab off that wound unless we can give theled toward a twisted old tree on the edge of the path "I saw that" It was almost soundless

Max kept an eye on her as she stepped off the path and began to jog forward Not more than five minutes into it, she jerked left and cla But she didn’t step off on the other side Reaching her, Max juht, as Bart did the same on her left

There was no need to ask her what she’d seen

"It’s like the land died here," Sophia said, her eyes on the lifeless patch of earth in front of the beat of the forest, tiny shoots and greenery, was itself as browned and dry as dust

As if Gwyneth Hayley’s lifeblood had soaked into the soil and turned it barren

The forensic teaht, they’d found only seven discrete bones, the others in all probability having been carried away by forest creatures, but aly, one of those seven was the skull And there were teeth still attached to that skull

A positive dentalmobile equipment

Sophia saw Max’s shoulders shudder and drop the instant after the forensic technician made his pronouncement "I’ll do it," he said to Bart Reuben

Bart’s face was drawn, his eyes full of old pain as he acquiesced "They trust youthe prosecutor walk past her and back to the site, Sophia went to stand beside Max as he iant tree with sweeping ar her fary sorrow "I’d prefer to do it in person, but I have to et the inforers clenched on the phone "It’ll tear theain"

Hidden in the darkness, she dared lay her hand on his arive them peace--and Gwyneth a safe place to rest"

Max didn’t reply, but he leaned into her touch It threatened to shatter her

Because Max Shannon was not a man who leaned on anyone

As she stood there beside him, he coded in a number from memory and raised the phone to his ear And then he did what had to be done

The next two days passed in a blur Sophia had another comm-conference with Bonner However, he wasn’t in theing of the prison authorities to stick to their bargain withnow that he had their attention, she didn’t squander her ti she could do to assist him