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"Around so I didn’t worry about Eilahn I knew that if so happened she’d be at my side in less than a heartbeat But I couldn’t shake the feeling that so I saw flickers of es of h the grass and the trees Except…

Except it feels off

I fought back a shiver as I scanned the area again with othersight Jill stood silently and patiently while I openedIt was sih the clouds, scattering mottled shadows onto the carpet of leaves and pine needles A branch scraped against a neighboring tree and droplets of moisture pattered down onto the picnic tables and the liave her a wry smile "Guess I’m nuts after all"

She chuckled "In other words, business as usual for you"

I fell into step with her as we made our way back up the trail "Life would be easier if I was nuts, I think," I said

"Oh, just do what everyone else does--heavy drugs!"

I began to laugh, then stopped dead Barry Landrieu Now I remembered where I knew him from

Jill turned back to ave a slow nod "Yeah Sorry I, um, just realized why the victi look, but I hesitated Had I ever told Jill about some of the more unpleasant parts of my past? Screw it, I decided If she can tolerate the whole de because of this

"After uardian, I did a lot of acting out," I told her "Experi Mostly it was just s alcohol, but sometimes it was painkillers or ADHD o on nod

"I used to hang with a girl named Tammy," I said "Tammy North--and she had an older brother Half-brother actually He had a different last name, which is why I couldn’t place it at first" I lifted one "Barry Landrieu Taave us But one day when I went over there Barry gavenew to try Heroin I overdosed and damn near died"

"Jesus," she breathed

I scuffed a shoe in the dirt "Yeah, it pretty much sucked ass" Then I took a deep breath "On the other hand, it was one hell of a wakeup call for me and my aunt"

"Is that when she tried to see if you could be a summoner?"

"Not immediately, but about a year later Aunt Tessa ‘introduced’She also called the narcs on Barry and they busted hiht he was still in jail, to be honest"

"What happened to his sister?" Jill asked

"Dunno My aunt pulled strings and had ain" A sliver of guilt wor fro, and I’d barely spared Taht

I blew out my breath "Anyway At least now I knohy the name’s fao let the Hatchet Man console you in your ti, as I took a swing at her

"You are such a bitch," I rin However,lot I knew the victih, actually, considering how small Beaulac is, I decided I should probably be surprised that it didn’t happen more often Sometimes a coincidence was just a coincidence

Still, it was one of those things that would make me take a closer look at everyone involved