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"So you lied to theure you for a liar"

"Funny I didn’t lie, exactly; it’s just not a school project And ears watches any the thick leather studded watchband on his wrist "Isn’t that what cell phones are for?"

"Yeah? Then what tirabbed his ar Despite her bravado, her heart was hauy? Did Sara tell you anything?"

Rafe shifted suddenly, and she realized he looked just as anxious as she felt She wondered how she hadn’t noticed that before Sing, he said, "Gangbanger Drug dealer Piuy does it all He was picked up yesterday after a doot there, they found his girlfriend and their two little kids dead Slaughtered He clai stuff But they think he’s lying" His eyes dropped to his feet and his hands were clenched into fists

Violet thought about the boy she’d seen yesterday, and her throat tightened "Ho old is he?"

"Eighteen," Rafe said, shoving his hands into his pockets

She winced That was only a year older than she was "They were his kids? And they think he killed theaze down "That’s what Sara said"

Violet hadn’t seen Rafe looking this uneasy since they’d first s she was

She thought about the things Rafe had just told her, and about seeing the boy again, so--his own children She felt sick She considered refusing, at least this ti up an excuse that she had too

But Rafe glanced up at her then, his voice barely a whisper "Couy"

Goose buertips all the way to her toes, and Violet rubbed her arms She stared back at him speechlessly, her brow furroorry Finally, after a long hed, his stance visibly relaxing "Let’s go Sara’s waiting"