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Even so, Crow had no intention of taking Val there when they were released in the

"I have a plan," he said

"Oh?"

"The cops say we can’t go back to the farm yet," he lied "So instead I’ve booked a room at the Harvest, so they’ll be safe, and it’ll be easier for them to come back here for treatment and, um…therapy"

Val just nodded Saul Weinstock had explained to her the kind of treatment Connie would need Mark, too, in all probability

"What about us?"

"We’ll be ht or two"

Her eyebrows rose "Wow!"

"A little elegance won’t hurt us, baby Sunken tub, Jacuzzi to e away our aches and pains Great food A nice bottle of wine for you and an equally nice bottle of Pepsi for ainst him "God, it sounds wonderful, but--"

"No buts, sweetie I ran it by Saul and he approved, so this is on the level of doctor’s orders"

"But the Pine Manor costs an ar! That’s too much to--"

"Not at all, not at all," he said sood for ainst his chest as she processed the words Then she opened her eyes and raised her head, staring with puzzled uncertainly into his eyes "What did you…?"

Then she sahat he had taken out of his bathrobe pocket while her eyes were closed He held it flat in the palm of his hand A square blue-​velvet box

Val’s eyes were as wide and huge as any painting by Keene, and her mouth formed a perfect O

Since she had only one arm free, Crow opened the box for her and showed her the dia

"I wanted to do this over dinner at soot a little crazy and…well…I want this whole thing to end on a happy note For me it would be the happiest note of ree to bein the world and if you say yes I’ll be the happiest man who ever walked the planet"

"Oh my God!" she said…and she said it several times

"Can I take that as a yes?" He cleared his throat "I…hope?"

Val’s eyes filled with tears and with her one good ar his battered faces with kisses by the dozen, saying, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" over and over again

He steered through the deluge of kisses until he found her lips with his and then kissed her as deeply and as sweetly as he could, feeling his own tears flow and h to slip the ring on her finger, and then pulled her close again

"I love you!" they both said at the sa hts went out

Chapter 26

1

"Crow! What’s happening?"

He pulled away fro toward the open doorway, but all he could see through the darkness were vague for with one another

"I don’t know," he said, rising "Power failure, maybe" He hts are on in the parking lot" He pulled the curtains back and faint light spilled into the roohts should cohts did not soby the doorway looking at the confusion in the hall He saw the police officer assigned to guard hi by the nurses’ station and called out, "Norris! What’s happening?"

Norris Shanks turned around and shone a flashlight beam full in his eyes "Crow? Go back into your roouessed" He went out into the hall

"Hey, Shanks," he said, batting the flashlight gently to one side "You sure that’s all it is? I enerator or so?"

He couldn’t read the cop’s face in the dark, but he saw Shanks stiffen for a second and then snatch the microphone from its clip on his shoulder

"Base, this is Officer Shanks at Pinelands Hospital on guard duty with Crow and Val Guthrie"

"What is it, Norris?" Ginny’s bored voice answered

"We have a total lights-​out here at the hospital Mains and backup generator Requesting backup"

"All the lights?"