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"Benita got herself killed She was dirty and you know it Just like you know those girls weren’t killed by any vaer toward the floor and the basement below

Muscles bunched as his hands curled into fists at his sides "Don’t you talk about Benita Don’t you dare"

He would have said more, but the door opened behind Cyn to admit another cop, someone she didn’t know, but who obviously knew Santillo well He took one look at the situation and stepped between the two of theainst his bulk

"Easy, Charlie," he said to Santillo "You don’t want to blow this now"

"You knoho that is?" Santillo’s ar out in her direction

"Yeah, I do And I know she’s not worth it, so back off"

Cyn bristled at this dismissal from someone she didn’t even know and was tempted to shove him out of the way after all But she saw Hartzler’s pale face watching from down the hall, eyes wide and panicky, and suddenly she remembered the real reason she was here She took another voluntary step backward and reached out blindly for the door knob behind her

"This isn’t over, Leighton!" Santillo’s tight voice followed her

"Let it go," the other cop said "Don’t lanced over her shoulder, quickly pulled the door open and turned to leave As she stepped outside, the door swung shut behind her, but slowly enough that she heard the unknown cop’s voice again "How ," Santillo rasped "Claims she was here on a runaway kid Besides no one but you and--"

The door shut, cutting off his words Cyn stopped at the foot of the stairs and scowled back up at the less building Santillo was the lead investigator on this case He was the one who’d gotten everyone else started down the vampire killer path, the one who’d pushed until it was the only trail anyone was following If so was about to break on that, she’d really like to knohat it was Hartzler would probably tell her, but he’d already stuck his neck out far enough Willingly, to be sure, but she didn’t want to push hiht need hiirls hadn’t been killed by any vampire She was certain of that much If Santillo tried to pin this on Raphael or any of his vaood kind

Chapter Thirty

It was late, but she stopped at an electronics storedirty looks frouy rote up her order for a laptop coe for Mirabelle to have the real thing, but the prepaid would do for now Mirabelle wanted to help in the search for her sister, and Cyn had figured out a way she could do that without beco even more lost than Liz was She threw her purchases onto the back seat and turned toward Malibu

Alexandra’s htly lit when Cyn rounded the final curve of the driveway Soft electric light filled every , , the kind of house they always showed in those sappy holiday movies, except for the absence of a tree in theShe wondered if Alexandra planned on getting a Christazines she was reading at the ti out of the house as Cyn was unloading her purchases "I didn’t know you were corin on her face

"I wanted to see how you’re doing Everything okay here?"

"Definitely! This is such a cool house and all the other vauys even teaseOh, and Alexandra and I have been shopping! Did you know you can buy al on the Internet if you have a credit card? If I’d known that I’d have spent a fortune Of course, I would have had to get ahold of a credit card, but I bet Liz already figured that out and--"

Cyn held up her hand, out of breath just froreat, Mirabelle In fact, I’ve got a new laptop for you here" She swung the large square box out of the truck, intending to carry it herself, but Mirabelle slid it easily fro around those es out there that you’re safe and looking for her I bought you a cell phone too"

"Cool! Thanks, Cyn I’ve been checking our usual boards; Alexandra letsince that first e" Mirabelle’s forehead creased orry

"Yeah, that doesn’t surprise ht have been lost or even stolen, orEither way, she could log on any day now, in an Internet café or on so for her"

They started walking toward the house, passing the privet hedge that surrounded the lanced over and saw that the shinya dusty plot of dirt surrounded by the pristine hedge "The workuess When I woke up tonight, it was like this Alexandra says she’s going to put in a ht those were sort of creepy"

Cyn slanted a gaze at Mirabelle, but clearly the irony of a va a et inside and get you set up Hell, if they’ve got a wireless connection here, you’ll soon be able to shop frole" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>