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Lana pushed those bleak memories aside "And then you were here And I had the chance to live out my fantasy and tel you how much I hated you"
"Why didn’t you?" he asked There was no accusation in his voice, just gentle curiosity
"Because it would have been a lie I hate what happened and I hate thinking about it, but for what it’s worth, I don’t hate you Not anymore"
His hand turned over, and he laced his thick fingers through hers "You have no idea how much that means to ift She didn’t hate him anymore It was more than he’d ever hoped to hear her say
She tidied up the kitchen while he just sat there in stunned silence She didn’t hate him
Caleb’s chest sweled with hope, and sohtened until he felt ten years younger He hadn’t realized until now just how much her opinion of him mattered He should have been scared by how ht, he was already in trouble But instead, he was too grateful for the gift she’d given hi way from trust, but it was a start
CHAPTER SEVEN
Denny knew better than to let the cal rol over to voice ain His boss had caled three tih to answer
"What a naughty boy you are," said that emotionless robot voice
"I didn’t know anyone was going to come into work that early"
"You should have handled the situation better Now the police are crawling al over the place, patroling her office every twentyhead in his hand He’d fucked up big-time He’d panicked when that lady caone off, and then there was al that blood
Denny sed hard to keep fro for?" asked the robot
"No Nothing like that Just business stuff There was a flyer that had sos"
"And you checked everywhere?"
Denny considered lying, but the thought that his bossthe job, was just too frightening Bruce had come by today and told him he had a week to pay up his dad’s debt He hadn’t said anything else, but the basebal bat propped up in the back of Bruce’s convertible had done plenty of talking for hiet to one of the file cabinets in back The lady walked in before I finished"
"You can’t go back now The police wil interfere"
"I’ain"
"I know," said his boss, but whether it was in response to his first statement or his second, Denny had no idea That was less than co
"What do you want me to do now?"
"I’er"
Desperation clawed inside Denny’s sour stoive me another chance I swear I won’t fuck up this ti Denny squir I need you to do, but it is considerablywas ain withoutI’l do it"
He could almost hear the smile in the metalic voice "Good boy"
Stacie was pale but s when Lana was finaly alowed to see her They shared a teary hug that Lana was careful not to put too ed in so in others, and rather than a crisp blouse, she wore a droopy hospital gown
"How are you feeling?" asked Lana
"Like I’ve been shot," joked Stacie "But they telyou?"
"Not much They had a few questions, but there was so little I could tel theave up and went away"
Lana felt Caleb’s presence as he stepped up behind her He said, "I’m sorry to have to ask you more questions, but I realy need to have you tel us what you saw"
Stacie leaned her head back on the pilow "Not hts, and a man came out of the back room where we keep al the files and office supplies He pointed a gun at et into the bathroom, so I did"
"Did you see his face?"
"He wore a h skin around his eyes andabout like yours, Caleb He was youngish His eyes were bloodshot like ?"
"No wrinkles yet, and there was thiswildness about his eyes that make me think he was new to the whole aruess midtwenties, but it’s hard to be sure"
"So then what happened?" asked Caleb
"I went into the bathroouess I wasn’t fast enough, because he shoved me I started to fal and reached for him to catch un went off I hit my head on the sink, or maybe the toilet That’s al I remember until Lana showed up"
Stacie sone er without help I would have bled to death Thank you"
"Don’t thank me If it weren’t for me, you’d never have been there in the first place You’d have been working in an office with decent security"