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"And then," Peyton continued, "see, one of those photographs fell out of Ansla center and Paradise found it She was the one who put the whole thing together--and Anslam tweaked to the fact that she knew too much He went to her house and attacked her--nearly killed her, too But she and Craeg took care of business He died in her foyer When they found even ether"

Elise rubbed her eyes "My father … when you caht, what did you tell hi painful Her parents were … frozen I’ll never forget it--they didn’t show any … they were just emotionless It was the shock Clearly Your father was the one who cried Later, the Brotherhood visited them, after the rest of what happened came out ’Cuz when I told them she had died, we didn’t knoho had done it yet"

Elise’s eyes teared up, as she pictured her father emotional

"I think her parents blaetting herself killed And you know … I felt like she was ain, with that attitude of theirs I hts and hu it all on her? You do that all over again And Christ, it’s her own parents"

As they both fell silent, it was as if a pall settled in the suite

"I told you it was better not to speak of this," Peyton ot to her feet and stalked around until she was right in front of the huge screen Different tea football now, the uniforms red and black and blue and white "I think we need to talk about it Not just as a family, but as a community"

"When is the Fade ceremony?"

"I don’t think there is going to be one"

"She has to be buried"

"She was creo"

"Well, I still pray for her," Peyton s upon her soul, may she rest unto the Fade, that kind of shit Usually when I’m drunk, which has beento a therapist?" Elise said as she turned back to hi into the business of war If I can’t handle blood and death, Ito do that"

"But we’re talking about a family ged "I’ll be fine"

"Well, if you need someone, I’m always here"

He smiled in an absent way "You know … I’m proud of you, Dr Elise"

"You are?" She blushed "And by the way, I don’t have my doctorate yet"

"You don’t need one Actually a friend of ood as ot the impression he was sad "Who was that?"