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"You prove it," Forest Kidd told him as Jed started down the hallway "You know, if you can prove it, ain," Kidd called after him

Jed didn’t respond

"I know your wife died of cancer," Kidd said "No e that And that includes you, Mr Braden But s for the better if you prove that Beau was innocent Go for it Please"

When Jed reached the front door and looked back, Forest Kidd had disappeared

Jed let himself out

Dan was at the door of the old fa the bell, when he saw Ilona come outside She saw him, too, and waved "Hey, there!" he called to her

"Hey!" she called back, but she didn’t co at him suspiciously? he wondered

"Have you seen Christie?" he asked

"She went out a while ago," Ilona told him

"Did she say where she was going?"

Ilona shook her head "I didn’t ask her I just happened to see her car drive by Can I help you? Hey, don’t you guys all have keys to that place?"

"I’m sure I had a key at some point," Dan told her "Oh, well It’s not that iht I’d stop by"

"I see," Ilona said

Dan felt a cold sweat break out at his nape She was looking at hi," he said

"Good to see you, Dan"

He nodded "Tell Tony hello for ot into his car Just as he did, he saw Christina co around the corner She waved to him cheerfully as she pulled into the driveway

Ilona was still watching theot back out of his car and waited while Christina stepped fro ju

"Hiya" Christina walked over, and gave hi and a kiss on the cheek "What’s up?"

"I had about an hour, so I thought I’d stop by"

"Cool I’ for the locksly "You really think Mike or I would break in just to play a joke on you?"

"Of course not," she told hiht have wandered out over the years That’s all"

"Good point," Dan said

When they went into the house, it see around, looking into every room, almost as if she expected to catch soht?" he asked her

"Of course"

"Do you think the dog--and the new locks--with be enough?"

"Enough?" she asked hiuess The newspaper headlines, the warnings on the news…I knew her, Christie I knew Patti Jo"

Christina walked over to hi an arm around his shoulders "I’ot Tony and Ilona right next door"

Just then the dog began to bark He really did sound quite ferocious, Dan thought

The locksmith was at the door

While the man worked, Christina played some of her newest tunes for Dan He’d worked for her a few tiles She had a nice voice herself They had both loved singing with their grandfather when they were kids

"Shit!" he swore suddenly

"What?"

"Work I’ve got to go The Griht"

When she walked hiht You got good old Killer and your new locks, so I’et, you said you’d coood to ether here again"

They hugged briefly, and he left He was halfway down the path when she caught up with hi toward him

It was a key

"Should I have this?" he asked her

"Of course Someone else has to have the key to the house What if I lock myself out? And I’ve told you and Mike, this will always be your house, too"

He hefted the key in his hand

He shouldn’t take it, he thought He wasn’t sure why, but he just had a feeling he shouldn’t have the key