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It was like the official uniforain, she doubted people dressed in all black when they robbed places in broad daylight

"Who are you?" the man demanded before Julia could speak

"Who aers curled into her palms This man busts up into this house and asks who she was? But there was soh she was sure she’d never seen him before

He stepped into the rooainst her ribs "You’re a nurse," he stated, aovertime "They hired you, didn’t they?"

She could only assu to answer "I don’t knoho you are or how you got in this house, but I’ to have to ask you to--"

"What? Leave? I have ht to be here than you" He stepped to the side, and Juliaherself between him and a woman who could not defend herself The"You really have no idea who I am? I’m Daniel Gabon"

While she doubted most robbers and serial killers would introduce themselves, she still wasn’t overly relieved "I don’t know that name"

"Of course not," he replied bitterly "Why would they tell you about ain and then flickered around the roo out a weapon just in case

Then his entire vibe changed His shoulders slu to scare you nor be an ass You’ve done nothing wrong and you have--shit, you have no idea what you’re in the rew "I’m sorry, but I don’t--"

"I’m Madeline’s cousin-- a hand through the short, spiky strands of hair "I didn’t aze focused behind her, and she realized he could see Madeline now He cursed softly under his breath "I was just caught off guard when I saw her--saw both of you"

Now she understood why she thought he looked familiar He shared some of the same features as Madeline and Lucian--the nose and curve of the jaw Julia also re a cousin

"I really didn’tstare moved back to Julia "But I had to co that they wouldn’t be here"

Unsure if she should believe hiet to her phone and text Lucian She had no idea if this really was their cousin or if he was even allowed to be here

"Okay" His Adam’s apple moved on a s "I can tell I’ve really freaked you out I just had to see if it was true"

Julie didn’t need to ask if as true or not

He was staring at his cousin like he’d seen a ghost Julia turned at the waist and saw that Madeline had placed her paintbrush down and had shoved her hands into the pockets of her loose sweater

Daniel walked over and knelt down beside Madeline Staring up at her, he drew in a ragged breath "Look at you I neverI never thought I’d see you again, but you’re here, you’re really here"

Heart still pounding, she inched toward her phone "How did you know Madeline was here?"

He glanced over at her, so to his jaw "My cousins sure as hell didn’t tell me" His nostrils flared "They always blamed me You know? Every time ere kids and ould do kids’ stuff, it was alwaysoff together "I mean, sometimes it was, but ere kids" A brief smile appeared as he turned back to his cousin "They blaht I had so to do with it I didn’t" There was a pause "Is she okay?"

Julia swiped her phone off the nightstand "She’s doing well You didn’t tell me how you knew she was here"

"I heard soo," he said as he lifted a hand to Madeline He didn’t touch her Just held it out toward her "I have a friend orks at the hospital Dr Flores runs They said they saw someone who looked so much like Madeline that they’d swore it was her"