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He kept his arm around her and walked back to his car parked half on the curb with the driver’s door open and with the engine still running "Let’s get you out of here"

He helped her into the passenger seat and then took his own

"Buckle up," Todd told her before putting the car in reverse

The car rip

"Buckle up," he told her again

When she responded with a blank gaze, he assumed she was in shock He reached across her chest, pulled the strap over her lap, and clicked it in

She still trembled

"Hey, you’re safe now" Todd placed his hand on hers Heat surged with the connection he tried his best to ignore

She gazed up at hi eyes Thank God she’s safe

"What are you doing out here, Officer Blakely?"

Her words stopped hi at her

"Todd," he placed his hands on the wheel and maneuvered his car onto the street "Callfor you"

"Why?"

Why? Da hiht "Because you don’t belong out here" Her hair was escaping the rubber band holding it Her dirt s Bahts of an oncooing back to that place, that mission

The minds there are sick"

"True"

"And the hospital is for those who are ill"

"True" Nohat? He hadn’t thought farther than finding her Noas he going to do with her He knew of a wooing on eleven now

Not that she’d be any safer there The women in those places led hard lives

"So, where are you takingbreath, and hoped he wasn’t alow nestled in an older part of town The streets were tree-lined and quiet The yards were small, but not so hbors had, just the ones when voices were raised He walked around the car and opened her door

She either was accustomed to this, or had no idea how to open it By her expression, he wasn’t sure which was true

Once inside, he tossed his keys on the table by the door and switched on the lights

She walked behind hilanced about the room It was sparsely furnished with an old worn leathered sofa and two side chairs He had a small fireplace that hadn’t been lit in years, and a flat screen television hanging above it

Todd disappeared around a corner and called out "Make yourself co to drink?"

What the hell a in his living rooht her here, to his hoetting personally involved She wasn’t a suspect in any crime Not that it made him feel any better "I have beer, wine or soda if you like"

"Wine would be nice" Her voice ht kitchen and the few dishes sitting in the sink and a forgotten newspaper on the counter What a mess

She walked into the rooerator, poured her a glass, and handed it to her "Have a seat I’ to make a sandwich, want one?" He’d missed lunch and dinner

"Nay This is fine"