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"You did h time for Cornelius to deploy his iron pan and for Rynda to escape"

"Cornelius was trying to make friends with Zeus Rynda was in shock"

He didn’t say anything, but the darkness in his eyes turned deeper

"Rogan, I’m in one piece More importantly, the kids are okay"

"If Cornelius had walked up and brained that bastard while you held hi an entirely different conversation Neither of them had the presence of mind to pick up a weapon or run away"

"You can’t blame Cornelius He was fascinated with the cat It was a coan He doesn’t think the same e do and he stepped up in the end when it counted"

"You need better backup"

What I needed was soic Truthseekers were rare and they guarded their secrets I was practicing, but I’ve barely begun to scratch the surface

"Vincent’s mind was hexed It felt faustine"

A week ago Victoria Tree investigative firustine had helpedfor me to pry open her kidnapper’s mind Victoria had coustine intact and to save ustine’s h and there was no way to find out if it was false unless Victoria actually attacked Augustine She decided not to risk it

"Was it false?" Rogan asked

"No The one in Vincent’sto himself "Someone trained Someone ill put your safety first"

"Like who?"

"Likethat from now on I’ll come with you Just like before"

"Connor"

He took ers His voice was ragged "I should’ve been there I was at the wrong place at the wrong time You could’ve died It scares the hell out of me"

I squeezed his hand back "I didn’t die"

He heldfound one of the cars exiting a rural road He couldn’t see the license plate, but he swore it was the same vehicle I took a few people and went to check it out"

He thought Brian ht have been held somewhere on that road "Any luck?"

"There are five ranches on that road He could be at any one of the that’s where they dropped him off It’s connected to the conspiracy, so the trail will be well hidden"

"What could be in that file?"

"I don’t know," he said "But if it exists in Rynda’s co will find it"

"Bernard would find it faster"

"Fine They can look for it together I’m sorry I wasn’t there"

"I’ , Connor Except not telling me that you had a lead That wasn’t cool" I loweredto match his "When you have a lead, I want to know about it Not eventually, not when it’s convenient, but immediately"

He didn’t rise to the bait Apparently, he was deterht? For our dinner?" I asked

"Hell, yes We’re on for tonight We’re on for to anywhere withoutromantic "Would you like to wrap me in bubble wrap?"

"If I can find the bulletproof kind"