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"I’ll get them," said Grant

He left the roo room with Keith, who held a white paper sack

"Amanda could use some of her pain meds," he said

Isabelle nodded "I’ll take care of her You can go now I don’t want to hold you up"

Grant felt a littleFirst, he’d told himself he needed to fix Rachel breakfast Then he wanted to help get A hiot her pills

They didn’t need hi for reasons to stay Tiht I should get going Long drive" To where, he had no idea There was no place for hio anymore All he kneas that he couldn’t be anywhere near Isabelle or he’d end up right back here like soht you a snack for the road Cookies," said Keith He held the sack out to Grant

"Thanks," said Grant, taking the sack

Isabelle walked to the door and opened it--a clear sign she was asking him to leave now

Grant could take a hint He walked to the door, paper sack in hand, but got only as far as the threshold Isabelle was only a few inches away--so close he could s to take a punch He took a deep breath, and knowing he would later regret it, he leaned over and kissed her

She went stiff, but only for an instant Herfor hiainst hied to hold back at least that much

He pulled away, and her cheeks ith tears This was as hard on her as it was on hi He didn’t want her to suffer He loved her too much for that

"Good-bye," he whispered

Her exotic eyes were a luet exactly how they looked right at this moment "Take care of yourself, Grant"

"I will" What choice did he have? There was no one else to do it for hiaze away from Isabelle’s "Thanks for all your help" He stood next to Isabelle and put an arm around her Grant wanted to break it off and use the bloody end to wipe the s smile from the man’s ood care of her when you’re gone"

Isabelle took a quick shohile Keith was still here to watch over everyone for her Besides, it was the only place in the house that would er--hold it all in until Amanda ell and Dale and Rachel had started to heal--but she’d been wrong The pain of losing Grant was overwhel a smile on her face

Five minutes of tears left her tired but better able to focus on what she needed to do People needed her now, so she would throw herself into that Thank God she had the distraction to keep her fro on how lonely she was, or how it felt when Grant’s Mustang had slid down her street, carrying hiood

She dried her hair with a towel, not wanting to take the time to blow it dry It didn’t matter how she looked, anyway There was no one around for her to try to impress anymore

When she came out of her bathrooh her systeht Maybe she’d had to use the bathrooone upstairs because Isabelle had been in this one

Isabelle felt guilty for taking so long in the shower

She went down the hall, into the living room, and stopped dead in her tracks Amanda was tied to one of her kitchen chairs, as were Dale and Rachel They were all gagged with duct tape Ale Rachel hite and tree, and his eyes darted from her to the kitchen door over and over

He was trying to tell her so Whoever had done this was in there

Panic jolted through her,it hard to breathe Hard to think

She had to get to a phone Call the police before she gave away the fact that she was also hoo back to her bedrooht into Keith He steadied her, keeping her fro

"Soot to call the police"

"No need, Isabelle We won’t need theentle, and way too loud

She covered his rip on her aruys who broke in here and tied everyone up?"

A sick sense of understanding slithered around inside Isabelle’s sto Relaxed

Why wasn’t he afraid? Why didn’t heOh, God He was the one who’d done this Tied everyone up

Isabelle nearly doubled over under the pain of betrayal It didn’t make any sense "Why?" she asked hi this?"

He gathered her hands behind her back, and she felt the cold metal of handcuffs bite into her wrists She was so shocked that Keith would harht back until just now Too late

Whatever Keith ood She had to escape

Isabelle shoved her knee up into his groin as hard as she could He twisted and caught rabbed a handful of her damp hair and wrenched her head back so far she could hardly breathe "Don’t make this harder on yourself than it has to be I knoto make it all better"

He carried her toward a chair facing the rest Isabelle kicked but couldn’t find a target Her toe sla He dropped her into the chair and she popped right back up, trying to run away Her balance was off because her hands were locked behind her, and she hadn’t ht her and put her back in the chair