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The wo to die?"

As she looked back and forth between theabout

Every move

Anne had been aware of every uy with the knife That deadly weapon, already dripping with blood, had slashed and stabbed as the two had fought for control of it Terror had threatened to freeze her, but she couldn’t give into the e down, she’d identified herself as a medic and asked the woman to ease back The instant Anne had opened the parka and yanked up the shirt from the jeans, she’d known that they were in trouble

The puncture wound was in the lower gut, where a lot ofblood vessels down there, as well as an artery that, depending on how deep the knife had gone, could lead to a mortal event

She had thethe phone to her ear, she’d looked over at Danny

That hen their eyes had met

The look on his face was one she would never forget They had been through a lot together on the job, had walked into burning staircases, roo up, and attics that were hotter than stoves But they were trained for all that

This situation was doubly dangerous because there was hu what the victim could transmit And then there was the very real possibility that Danny could be killed outright

I don’t want to lose you, Anne thought Not tonight

Not ever

As the realization hit her, there was a loud snapping sound--and she had heard enough bones dislocate on the job to knohat it was

And then the knife got throay

Danny cranked a subas, lying li in pain

"I called for help," she said in a voice that cracked "They’re on the way"

Danny was breathing hard "Good"

"Is he going to die?"

Anne looked at the woman who couldn’t seem to decide which man to worry about "Can I have your scarf?"

The woth free "Here" Then she focused on the unconscious uy "It wasn’t supposed to be like this"

Anne wrapped the length around itself and placed it onto the wound Pressing down, she said to the woman, "What’s your name? I’ upward, Anne said, "Rob? Can you talk toup Meanwhile, the victi shallow, his eyes closed

Please let that aht

"Does he have any medical issues you’re aware of?"

Candy shook her head "None He’s my boyfriend And that’smy brother"

Rob started to shake his head and muht headlights shone down the alley, Anne got her first clear look at Candy The woman looked forty under her heavy makeup, and her hair was dyed badly Her skirt was so short her pink panties were showing, and even though it was thirty-two degrees out, she had nothing but a blouse on under a light windbreaker

There were ligature marks around her throat, the bruises not fresh but a day or so old, showing purple against her skin

And she was bone thin

‘Rob,’ if that was indeed his name, popped his eyes open "Pied "No, he’s es"

Chapter 5