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“Georgia,” said Eo of Jeanne and Airls ht be their paternal grandain once she was done with iven her a th that seelad you ca her aardly on the back “Buffy and Shaun send their regrets”

“E his wife’s arm until she released me I stepped quickly backward, and both Jeanne and Alances ets since she ran out of the convention to get to the me I appreciated that “It was a beautiful cerelanced toward the churned-up earth “Becky hated these things Said they were morbid and silly She would’ve stayed hohed, bitterly “She really wanted to ot the chance,” I said, pushingoff the patchy snow “Would you ”

“No, of course not” He kissed Eirls, all right, sweetheart? I’ll only be a ed to force a wavering smile, and said, “We’ll see you at the reception, won’t we, Georgia?”

“Of course, Mrs Ryman,” I replied

The senator and I walked until ere about eight feet froh that they couldn’t hear us, but close enough to ia,” he said, without preamble “What’s this all about?”

I tilteddirectly at him, and said, “Senator, if you don’t o up to the ranch and take a look around” He was silent I continued: “If alk the grounds and post our footage ”

“You think it’ll reduce trespassers looking for a little excite , he nodded his acquiescence “I hate this, Georgia,” he said, in a voice that was a million miles away from the proud, self-confident man I’d followed most of the way across the country “This is supposed to be the start of thehere consigning my eldest unto God when I just want to shake the bastard until he gives her back toback to where E children, I added, “But you’re not the only one it isn’t fair to”

“Are you tellinglady?” he asked, with a mirthless chuckle

“Soia Very true” He followed iven you folks peruards, now ”

“We have the proper licenses”

“Good” Raking his hair back frohed “Ain’t this just one hell of a ood-byes without et back to the business of et back toor Buffy took the wireless network off-line for upgrading Rick hadn’t been with us long enough for , but I was sure he’d co He was a journalist, after all, and we’re all incurably insane

I walked toward the ce my ear cuff “Shaun, what’s your twenty?”

“We’re parked behind the security vans,” Shaun said Soround, and he added, “Buffy wants to knoe need her or if she can go with Chuck He’s pretty torn up, and she wants to get in some ‘couple tie of nine who still says ‘couple tiuards as I passed through the gates and scanned the parking lot for the security vans

“I do not,” said Shaun, sounding affronted “I like dead rats”

“Sorry My bad Tell Buffy she’s free to go, but I want her to have the field equip by nine”

“The field equip for the ranch” I griain, cutting off the connection The van was in sight; I could let hi up with it re arcane to a shoulder-ed out of her funeral clothes into so more comfortable, if still subdued, and when she looked up, it was obvious that she’d redone herto unbuttonhis arhtly on the exposed circuitry, and snapped the cover back into place “Chuck’s going to come pick me up, so you can leave me here when you head out It’ll only take a few more minutes to review the field equipment”

“Anybody call Rick?” I tossedmy dress shirt I had a tank top under that; swap my skirt for jeans, add a Kevlar vest, my motorcycle jacket, and coirls learn how to accessorize for dinner parties and dates I learned to do it for hazard zones