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The clasp of the handcuffs echoed around the room For aand un Then I slowly pulled away I took a step back and then another Deacon’s brows crinkled "What are you doing?"

Ignoring hirabbed my skirt off the chair and slid it on When I went for the silky blue blouse with the ruffled front, Deacon asked, "Is this part of the game?"

Tears burned my eyes as I worked frantically to button the blouse When I was finished, I glanced at hioing on?" His tone had turned from amusement to desperation

"I have to do this, Deacon It’s the right solution Really it’s the only solution where you and Willow don’t get hurt"

"You’re notany sense" He jerked at the handcuffs and winced "Getinand stared down at Andy’s cut With treers, I took it out I rose from the floor and then turned back to Deacon His eyes left mine and drifted down to my hands With widened eyes, he de with that?"

"I took it from the war prize closet"

Deacon sucked in a breath so fast it sounded et ave a slight jerk of rowled "Don’t you even think for oneelse I left out aboutI didn’t even tell Rev or Bishop" I drew in a deep breath "Sigel caused the accident that killed my parents"

Deacon stared at lanced down at the cut before telling him about how my parents’ love of children had caused their deaths When I finished, I dared to ain "Besides you and Willow, I now have a stake in this I never iined A chance for justice in my parents’ el down You are walking to your death, you stupid, stubborn wo the cut on the chair, I bent down and picked a silk scarf out of the pile of clothes I had tossed out of the suitcase It was one I had worn to teach in ht it would serve another purpose When I started over to Deacon, he ht I had finally co hands took the scarf and gagged hiot it tied

Tears dripped down my cheeks when I finally allowed myself to look at him "I’m so sorry, but I had to do this I did it for you, and I did it for us"

He stared at e and venoine what he would have done to otten free I had to turn away fro at ht be the lastrabbed the cut and shoved it down in rabbed e ofoverover the doorknob, I willed myself not to look back Instead, I said, "I love you"

Then I walked out the door

As soon as I arrived at the school, I was herded into the cafeteria for a presentation by the principal Facing the massive crowd, I found arten teachers My legs shook with nerves as I tried to focus on as being said In the end, I couldn’t tell you one wordthe parents’ faces, searching for Sigel or anyone from his club I hated that he had chosen the school for us to do our business It wasn’t just about the one clean part ofsullied It was ardless of Sigel’s promise

At seven thirty, ere dismissed to our classrooms, where for the next hour ould meet with parents On the walk to my room, teachers chattered aroundon keeping the frayed and tattered strands of ot inside reet and students to talk with, enuinely and enthusiastically talk about each student’s progress and graciously take the co their child

The sound of my principal’s voice on the intercoht thirty We would ask that you wrap up your questions and conversations andBuffington Ele set of parents to ood-bye, lanced warily at it over rab it "Hello?" I questioned breathlessly

"Co of the school that hasn’t been finished Go to the last bathroo"

When the call ended, I took a deep breath I went over toand took out the cut After I laid it on the desk, I reached inside for the knife I slid it into one of the inside pockets of the cut, one that I could keep my hand on at all times With a determined step, I walked out my classrooh thea little like a sal upstream

While people came out of the B and C hallways, the double doors to the D hall were e, the school had been forced to open early, before the last as co me as I stood before the closed doors I pushed theht to guidethe silent hallway The snap and pop on the tile reunshots I counted down the first and second bathrooms When I reached the third door, I faltered I couldn’t see my feet forward or my hand to push open the door Fear clutched th and for courage Of course, the irony in praying with regards to plans to kill someone was not lost on me