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My whole body shook with how hardCole took pity onfrom the vents my way, but he didn’t say a word, and I didn’t offer to start the conversation, either

That shoeGod, that shoe with those curling pink laces

Vida swung the car around, taking the lead on the drive back out to thewith the radio as the truck’s headlights cut through the trees and foliage There was a flash of ht," Cole said "Do you have any idea where we are? Did you see a city na over the stitching, how it had felt warm despite the chilled air and rain, and those laces, those pink laces were like soh to startle Cole into hitting the brakes "What? What?"

But I was already scra back out into the rain, running back up toward the house

I knew those laces I had picked those shoes out because of the down deep into that bin at Wal-Mart because I knew she’d love the in the darkthat could have stopped me--and it did My h the mud as I threw up my hands in the air Both cars had stopped; Cole used the open driver’s-side door of the truck to try to stop Liauns we had were drawn and pointed into the trees

I took another s about skip tracers or PSFs or the National Guard or even the ho it would be for a kid hiding out in those woods, not knoas stalking around one of the few places they thought were safe

They hadn’t shot n at least

"Zu?" I called, raisingthe trees

No response

"Zu?" I yelled, taking another step forward "Suzuh around ht If someone was there, it wasn’t her She would have come

Wouldn’t she?

I felt a sharp twist of despair low inaway "Okay," I said "Okay, I’ back over un I saw Lia a hand out in my direction, only to drop it back to his side He took another step forward only to stop, his eyes flashing wide