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PREFACE

YOU WILL LOVE HIM TO RUINS

The words echoed inlights and delighted screaether in a riot of sound and color I knew Noah was behind me I kneould catch up But my feet tried to do what my heart couldn’t; they tried to leave hi clown that pointed to the entrance to the Hall of Mirrors Noah caught up to me easily He turned rasp, my cheeks ith tears, my heart splintered by her words

If I truly loved hih

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LILLIAN AND ALFRED RICE

PSYCHIATRIC UNIT

Miami, Florida

I WOKE UP ON THE MORNING OF SOME DAY IN SOME hospital to find a stranger sitting in erly--er She had dark brown hair that bled into gray at the roots, and hazel eyes ebs of crow’s feet at the corners She s, Mara," she said

"Good ," I said back My voice was low and hoarse It didn’t sound like my own

"Do you knohere you are?"

She obviously didn’t realize that the floor directory was positioned directly outside thebehind her, and that from the bed, I had a clear view "I’m at the Lillian and Alfred Rice Psychiatric Unit" Apparently

"Do you knoho I am?"

I had no idea, but I tried not to show it; she wouldn’t have asked me if we’d never met, and if we had met, I should remember her "Yes," I lied

"What’s my name?"

Damn My chest rose and fell quickly with my breath

"I’m Dr West," she said evenly Her voice arm and friendly but not at all faht in by your parents and a detective by the name of Vincent Gadsen"

Yesterday

"Do you re pale and wounded in a hospital bed after he was shot by the irl

I remeoing to the police station to confess to stealingfire ants in her desk, which is why she died of anaphylactic shock

I remembered that it wasn’t true--just a lie I would feed the police so they would keep ain Because they wouldn’t believe I wishedafter, she died Choked to death on a swollen tongue, exactly the way I iined she would

I remembered that before I could tell anyone any of this, I saw Jude at the Thirteenth Precinct of the Metro Dade Police Depart here to the hospital I didn’t reht After Jude appeared, I re else

"You were ader--Dr West--said "The detective called your parents when they couldn’t get you to stop screa"

I closed my eyes and saw Jude’s face as he walked by me Brushed past me Smiled The memory stained the backs ofelse

"You told theht died in a building collapse in Dece to stay calm

"Excuse htly and eist expression, one I recognized well since I’d seen it often on ist mother Particularly in the past few months

"You said that you caused the abandoned asylu your best friend, Rachel, and Jude’s sister, Claire, inside You said Jude sexually assaulted you, which is why you tried to kill him And you said he survived You said he’s here"