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Then again, so s already had

Caleb ca "It’s over She’s in custody"

Lana crumpled to the floor in a boneless pile Coffee sloshed over the ri the carpet, but she didn’t care It was over Her nightmare was over

Caleb’s arms wrapped around her and he puled her into his lap She leaned into him and saw her tears make dark spots on his shirt "Are you sure?"

"Do you want to see it for yourself? I can arrange for you to ain sickened her "No I trust you"

Caleb kissed the top of her head "Thanks"

"So, what now?"

"Noe get over to the youth center and pretend like nothing’s happened"

"I’ave her a solemn look "You need to know that Monroe told nhtened, but she ed a nod "You’ve done your job here Of course you have toto tel Monroe you’re not ready for me to leave I’l take sooing to be able to watch him walk away, but she knew she had to "No, Caleb You have a job to do People need you"

"So do you"

Lana couldn’t deny it She was done lying to him "I’l be fine" Which was the truth She was always fine

"Wil you?" He tilted her chin up so she was looking into his eyes "What about your night Maybe it ork this time now that I know for sure Kara isn’t out there anyainst her"

Oh, God She wasn’t sure she could do that She wasn’t sure she could be in the saain Not even to put her behind bars "I wil?"

"It’s possible There are only two of us who know you are a witness--me and Monroe--and for now, I’d like to keep it that way You’l be safer if you’re not listed as an official witness"

Safer, but not safe Even with Kara in custody, she wasn’t safe

But maybe her family would be

"I could stay," offered Caleb, "but if you don’t want o into protective custody or the witness relocation progra him to stay with her, but she couldn’t do that to hi to let him make that sacrifice "I don’t like either of those options, but I proh today, okay?"

A disappointed look darkened his face, but he nodded "Okay, but once the carnival is over, we’re going to talk about your options Deal?"

Lana nodded "Deal"

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Lana couldn’t believe the turnout at the fundraiser Hundreds of families showed up, and she wondered how they al fit The basebal field outside the youth center was packed with kids playing carnival ga to knock over bottles or shoot rubber ducks ater guns, but the biggest attraction by far was the dunk tank, where kids and adults alike lined up for a shot to soak one of Caleb’s friends

She hadn’t seen , but every once in a while, she’d catch a gli over the crowd and her heart would speed She forced herself to focus on the fact that Kara was behind bars and not think about how she’d feel when he left

Lana ducked into the next tent and stopped short in shock Grant was on one side of the tent, alowing six young girls to play dress-up with him A local theater had loaned the donkey ears and a tutu over his jeans In his right hand was a stuffed carrot, and his left held a litter Another volunteer snapped Polaroids for the girls who had dressed the on the other side of the tent was Caleb, surrounded by a flock of giggling girls Each one had soarish makeup in hand--lipstick, eye shadow, blush

--and they each took turns painting Caleb’s face She expected hi look Grant wore, but instead he was sirl who couldn’t have been led, and he leaned down so she could add a bright blue splash of glittery eye shadow to Caleb’s face It realy brought out the purple in the bruise under his eye

Lana watched as the girls finished with Caleb and went after Grant with their cosmetics She walked up to Caleb and puled his head down to her for a hard, quick kiss

Caleb gave her a warm smile as he wiped lipstick fro with this picture," he said "You’re supposed to be the one leaving lipstick onfun?"

"To be honest, I would have preferred dunk-tank duty, but I wouldn’t be much of a leader if I ordered o erous territory," she agreed

Caleb grabbed a box of ipes and went to work reood cause"

Lana had to kiss hiain She couldn’t stop herself "Thank you for this," she told him

He discarded the now rainbow-colored ipe and puled her against his body He was just leaning down to take a serious kiss when a new group of girls filed into the tent, announcing theh-pitched screeches "Eeew!" shouted one of the younger girls, and the others broke into uncontrolable giggles

Caleb sighed and let her go with a wink instead of a kiss "Back to work I’l co most of the tents so you’l have more people attend the auction"