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knohat I’ray eyes were stones

and her lips were purple "Because I’ to wonder, Weller No

one is indispensable, not even To to yourself"

Exasperated, he turned, propping his butt against the kitchen counter "Tom is actually the one person in this ca to do for hiuarantee not

one kid would take a bullet for you oras he remains an asset, Weller, not a

liability The last thing we need is for hiirl is

alive and it’s his mission to track her down"

Weller had to work to keep the chagrin fro its way to his

face This was precisely what Toht and wanted: There was the

ski pole, Weller There’s the Glock Tell ot her out, if there’s even a chance she’s alive

"Why don’t you focus on the fact that he’s out of that daht, waselse If that Chucky hadn’t shown her face,

he wasn’t sure To off, looking for son of where those Chuckies had taken

Alex--which, he thought, wasn’t necessarily as crazy as it sounded

What Toht they

blew theht now, he wants to talk, so I’ll listen" "Yeah, and I bet you’re just so very understanding" Her eyes suddenly slitted "Did you pro that she’d jumped to that conclusion

so easily "Not exactly"

"Oh, for God--" She huffed "What did you say?"

"That e’re done with Rule, if there’s son, a direction

I’ll help hied "She’s dead, Weller He’s basing this on

a ski pole and a gun that’s not even hers"

"Look, Mellie, he’s not so far gone he doesn’t see it’s nuts, a long

shot at best But you weren’t up on that rise You’re not carrying what

he is The last thing he needs is us rubbing his nose in it, or you interfering, lecturing"

"I will do whatever I think--"

"Shut the hell up," he rapped "Mellie, I need you to listen good

and hard To He’s braver and

more loyal than alo up there alone--"

"Because he still has a heart to break," Weller grated "For God’s

sake, Mellie, think for a darieving Now, there’s that Glock, and he’s grabbed

hold of this little bubble of hope, but it’s a fragile thing, and so is his

soul, and I a to be the one to crush either I know he has

to let go eventually He does, too, I think But people let go in their

oay at their own tiood thing, all in all"

"How do you figure that?"

"Nothing like a little near-death to ," Weller said, but didn’t sot his head

handed to him today, and that scared the hell out of hio either way Push hiht back up That’s what To to the lake by hiet past this already?

And give the kid sos and

never coht like this"

"My God" Her eyes sharpened "You admire him What is he, the

boy you alanted to be but weren’t? Or is it more? Don’t tell me

you care about him For heaven’s sakehe’s a tool, Weller" "Anyone can tell you, you got to take good care of your tools, you

want theive o of

a hurunt "So when the sudden conversion?"

On the rise When I heard her call and hiet to her Then I realized just what I’d done and that nothing, not

even revenge, is worth this If ever anyone needed to let go of the past

But he doubted it would be wise to share any of this with Mellie,

who had her own allegiances and none of the her