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"Correct," Pietro said "He is a very dangerous ht to have him checked out sooner, but Kristi assured hly and that I could trust hiure out that Pietro had used McKinney for some dirty work of his own

"Yeah, well I ate his brain" I leaned back and laced ers behind my head "Motherfucker shot me I couldn’t let that shit slide" I killed a man Shouldn’t it bother me more than this? Yeah, sure, he was a really bad htened abruptly "Shit What day is it?"

Marcus tipped his wrist to look at his watch "Well, in about an hour it’ll be Tuesday"

"Oh, ," I slumped back in relief "I didn’t ave a rueful s with my probation officer"

Ed snorted "Seriously? You’ve just survived a secret government zombie lab and that’s what you’re worried about?"

"Exactly!" I shot back "I just survived a secret governo through all that and then end up back in jail because I ue with that"

"Don’t, ue with her It’s much better that way"

I smiled and sipped my coffee

Chapter 30

And then Marcus took me home My dad and Ed had retrievedthat the old tires had been dangerously bald, I was pretty pleased at how that worked out I suspected Pietro had so to do with it, since I knew my dad didn’t have that kind of money Also, miraculously, my purse and its contents were still in the car, which savedeo I didn’t ht, baby?" he ulped and nodded "I will I pro smile, then lifted his head and looked to Marcus "Thank you for keeping her safe and bringing her back"

"She kept herself safe, Mr Crawford," he replied "She’s a tough chick All I did was give her a ride"

"Yep," I said as I ru was really there "Just call ave hied it in it lit up like a Christes--almost all from Derrel, with the others froes, confusion growing From Derrel I had: Call me And: Where are you? You need to watch the news And: Call me! Where the hell are you? From Monica simply: Yay! I’m so happy for you! Then, froain: I’ to kill you if you don’t call e froo, so I went ahead and called hies?"

"Uoing on?"

"You need to watch the press conference Dr Duplessis gave yesterday It was on channel five news and it’s on their website"

I started to remind him that I didn’t have a computer at the house, then spun to Marcus "You have a sht?" At his nod I told him, "Derrel says I need to watch the coroner’s press conference from yesterday on channel five news"

"Okay," I said to Derrel after Marcus pulled up the video and started it "I’ it…Wait What the hell?"

Derrel chuckled "Keep watching"

Dr Duplessis was standing in the conference rooel Crawford was nineteen years old she e to property was e where she received a suspended sentence and probation

"Our justice system is intended to rehabilitate offenders, and if we do not allow these people ish to improve themselves the opportunity to do so, then we have failed theel Crawford is a dedicated and hardworking eunpoint and told to turn over the body bag containing a decedent In most professions employees are told that, if they are robbed or threatened, they are to comply with the perpetrators demands in order to protect their own lives This office is no different And to imply that her prior record somehow contributed to this terrible incident--especially without knowing any of the details or reasons for the theft--is as vile an accusation as when a rape victi their attack

"Therefore I wish to make it perfectly clear that I refuse to bow to any of the political ga, because in this scenario, as in as and our petty s have real consequences for theency of one of its finest workers, but it would also give credence to the idea that this office was at fault or soent And, I tell you now, it was not"