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Just then he heardnoise, like soht He followed the sound
At the back of the house was a solariu the lake was entirely of glass Waves pounded against the rocks below And there in the dark, silhouetted against the rising moon, was the boy
He turned when Dystrophe entered the rooht into his hands and tossed it down on the floor between theular features, shadowed eyes, and tangle of dark hair He was dressed in a T-shirt and blue jeans, and still wore the big-boned, coltish look of adolescence
It was him, Dystrophe was sure of it "Joseph McCauley?" he inquired
"Who are you?"
"Relax, Joseph," Dystrophe said soothingly "I’m not here to hurt you" I’m here to kill you It was an important distinction, butSometimes, at this point, they tried to run, but McCauley didn’t, which Dystrophe appreciated Chasing down prey was not his style
"Who sent you? The Roses?" McCauley’s voice rose a little He was a boy, after all
"Is it important?"
"To branch"
The boy nodded, filing the information away as if he had a future It was unusual for one so young to have soone of the knives, Dystrophe glided forward, considering possible targets: the pale column of the boy’s throat, the arms that poked out of his short-sleeved T-shirt "I assure you, you won’t feel a thing I’ood at what I do"
"Don’t do this," McCauley said, his hands still at his sides "I’ance of the young
"Please I’m not impressed by threats and theatrics It’s just business, you know Nothing personal"
The boy adjusted his stance, preparing The green eyes darkened to the color of deep water in shade Flaure and splattered onto the tile floor
Dystrophe forced back a trickle of doubt, then came on When only a few feet divided the the boy’s left wrist,the poisoned blade across McCauley’s exposed forearo when the heat frorabbed his other wrist, his blade hand Dystrophe was stronger, but McCauley made no attempt to shake free the knife or turn it toward his attacker Instead, he poured in Persuasion, a hot river of ic that filled the tributaries of Dystrophe’sht, and then there was nothing else but the boy’s voice, and he didn’t think anything arden, on a bench that overlooked the water He sat rod-straight, his hands on his knees, gazing out toward the lake He looked whipped and dangerous, like a frayed electrical wire, sending off sparks Lately, they often found hi to clear his h to heat the whole lakeshore
He turned his head and watched as they descended the path toward him His face seemed unnaturally pale, and he looked like he’d slept in his clothes
"Hey, cuz," Jack said, lifting his hand in a kind of salute He had the sense that Seph was not at all surprised to see the crunched under Jack’s foot "Hey," he said, scanning the ground "There’s broken glass everywhere"
"Yeah," Seph said "Guess I need to clean that up"
Jack looked around "Where’d it all--jeez, what happened?" He pointed to the solariulass had been s the rooed hole, then back at Jack "So a little, his eyes wide and haunted-looking
"Who ju about?" Ellen sat next to Seph and put her hand on his shoulder, then yanked it back, sucking on her fingers "Ouch! You’re really juiced, you know?"
"The Roses sent another assassin last night," Seph said He rubbed his eyes with his thuer "He had knives I told hih theHe’s in the lake"
Jack dropped onto a stone bench, unsure what to say "How ed "Three No Four"
"This has got to stop," Ellen et lucky"
"Maybe you need a bodyguard," Jack said
Seph’s head ca to do that? We’re spread thin enough as it is" The lake wind stirred the trees overhead and the light played across his face There was so about his eyes…
"Have you heard fros need to know about this"
"No," Seph said "Haven’t heard anything fros Don’t kno to reach them" He paused "Nick knohat happened He caht, after" His voice trailed off
This is crazy, Jack thought Soh, you’ll o with Leesha?" Seph asked abruptly, obviously wanting to change the subject
"It was great," Ellen said, pulling off her gloves "We were bad cop and bad cop"
"We put on a lot of pressure, and she caved We think," Jack added You could never tell with Leesha