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"Yes"

"Can you reach the hands on the clock?"

"I don’t know Gran, we need to get closer to the clock"

"Closer to the dynaed upward

"If we don’t find a way to disar to one and us with it"

Winifred nodded, clutching the phone in her bound hands, and rolled across the short expanse of bare wood floor after Chloe Panting, both woled to their knees, their heads and shoulders even with the lo ledge where the clock sat

"Gran, see if you can open the glass face"

Winifred lifted her hands, set the phone carefully on the ledge and slipped the little brass hook free to swing open the round glass face

"Done," she murmured, her brow dotted with nervous perspiration She picked up the phone and held it to Chloe’s ear

"We have the glass open, Jake, and we can reach the hands"

"This sounds too simple to work, Chloe, but it’s the only chance I want you to tell Winifred to slowly move the minute hand back thirty minutes"

"That’s it? Are you sure it’ll work?"

"I’ your life on it And, Chloe, before you tell Winifred…I just want you to know, I love you"

Tears gathered in her eyes "I love you, too, Jake"

"Tell Winifred to h with emotion

"Gran, Jake wants you to move the minute hand backward--thirty minutes Do it slowly"

Winifred barely hesitated, drew a deep breath and, without a treers, lifted her bound hands and carefully, slowly, reversed the minute hand

Both wo for an explosion But the clock merely ticked steadily on

"Chloe? Chloe!"

"I’o off"

"Good Now, get the hell out of there, as fast as you can We’re in the parking lot I’ll be there in a few randet out if we can"

Winifred nodded, dropped the phone and clambered to her feet beside Chloe Hampered by the hobbles on their ankles, they could only take tiny steps They ed to reach the door, fu before they heard the sound of a car below Doors slammed, feet pounded on the stairs

Jake reached Chloe first, swinging her off her feet and slinging her over his shoulder Gray picked up Winifred and followed close on Jake’s heels as he ran back down the stairs and out of the building Sirens screamed; police cars and fire trucks drove across the lawn to join the ca

Jake lowered Chloe to the grass and knelt beside her to run his hands over her face, down her ar the many onlookers, he retrieved his knife and cut her bonds

"I’m fine, Jake, honestly" With difficulty, Chloe sat up "Did the police catch Dodd?"

He lifted his head, looking swiftly at the surrounding chaos "I doubt it"

"Heto watch the explosion from the tower at McGyver Hall"

Jake’s eyes flared, and his face grew hard

"Go, I’ness to leave her "Gran’s here--and so is half the campus and most of the police and fire departments"

"I’ll be back" Jake pressed a quick, fierce kiss to her mouth and stood Gray joined him and they ran toward McGyver Hall

Moments later, Chloe and Winifred--whose ties had been released by a paramedic--were in the back seat of a police car An officer had provided them with paper cups of hot coffee fro a cup while the organized chaos of a crime scene unfolded outside

"Honey, I told you I wouldn’t mind a little excitement in my life, but this wasn’t exactly what I

"Sorry, Gran" Chloe studied her grandmother’s crumpled linen pantsuit and silk blouse Her white curls were disheveled, but her eyes gleay "Gran, I need some advice"

"About what?"

"I think I’m in love with Jake"

"And?" Winifred waited, clearly expecting more

"I know he’s not active military anymore, but he’s a soldier at heart and he looks at life froerous"

"And that’s a probleently