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"Hello?" The voice was tentative, and I hoped it was just because I was calling from an unfamiliar nu into theat first There was a pause, and shuffling It stretched out, and after aback at all Then I heard him, his voice a sharp whisper "Kyra? Where are you? I’ve been trying to reach you What’s going on?"

I shookon over there?" My pal to do "Are those peopleare they still at one now" His voice was still hushed but insistent "But they were here, and they were asking questions about you, asking my parents and me if we knehere you were What did you do?" He stopped talking, and then, with just the barest hint of a laugh because I swear he couldn’t help hi when I asked if you were planning to knock off a bank"

I wanted to laugh, too, but instead I groaned "I wish it was that si? I’ll tell you everything if you meet me"

"My dad would shit a brick if he kneas even talking to you He got all ‘yes, sir’ and ‘no, sir’ when he was talking to that douche bag agent guy" My heart sank I’d been sure I could count on Tyler And then his voice, husky and absurdly beautiful, found me from the other end "So of course I’ll be there Name the place"

And despite the whole crappy situation, I smiled

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

I KNEW THE SOFTBALL FIELD WAS A BAD IDEA Agent Truman had already followed ain, waiting for his chance to pounce on me

That hy I didn’t choose the softball field I picked the bookstore instead

I had a hard ti about Tyler’s bookstore Still, I couldn’t afford to take any chances I stayed hidden behind one of the gross, garbage-filled Du until I was sure Tyler had come alone And until I couldn’t stand the stench of warer

When he got out of his car, I ot his attention

Despite the cloak-and-dagger circu ht person to call At least until he got a good look at rin fell frorippedit impossible to avoid his inspection

"Don’t worry It’s h it off "I’m fine Really"

But my explanation had the opposite effect, and his expression shifted froedto knock, just letting us inside "What the hell happened to you?" he deuys surround your house and ask a shitload of questions And then you turn up covered in" His eyes were so much softer than his tone as they captured mine It would have been iht?"

I nodded, guilt welling up inside uess I do have another option, I thought, feeling the manila envelope crumpled up in my back pocket I could always run aith Sisworth Essentially, I could start over

The idea had itshere

Because herereen eyes and who had a dietfor me now in spite of the fact that I had blood smeared all over ainst hi on top of my head, I breathed in and braced myself I could do this

"Remember when you said if I believe it, you believe it?" I raised ht of that look like lead settling over ht want to wait till you hear what else I have to say"

Tyler was a way better listener than I had been He didn’t interrupt me the way I had Simon In fact, the only interruption to my explanation had been Jackson, who’d come into the back room to locate a book he’d put on hold for a custoy for the disruption, even though ere the ones hiding out in his bookstore He cast a feard glancesme even more uncomfortable about the fact that we’d made ourselves at home in the dark recesses of the cluttered storeroom

Tyler didn’t seeistered Jackson’s presence at all He offered his friend a quick nod but impatiently waited for me to continue my explanation after Jackson slipped back into the front of the bookstore once s Simon had told me was harder than I’d expected, and I’d expected it to be da to up and bolt at any second, because hearingthe way it sounded coer and more far-fetched than it had when I’d been in his shoes