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She wondered what had gotten into him all of a sudden This wasn’t the Rafe she knew, nervous and fidgety and unsure She wondered if this case had somehow struck a nerve with hi she wasn’t going to like what she found in there

Once inside, Sara got theh security quickly The three of them were escorted by an armed officer who chatted with Sara about the specifics of the case Violet was grateful that the man was "clean" of imprints, since it wouldfrom the boy It was also easier for Violet to be around him

"James Nua Three domestic violence calls in the pastorder in place," Violet heard the officer telling Sara "His record goes all the way back to when he was thirteen Breaking and entering, assault, assault with a deadly weapon, possession, possession with intent to distribute" He continued to tick off the offenses that had been leveled against Ja Violet’s teeth on edge

Beside her, Rafe relanced at the black door with a rectangular wire-enmeshedset vertically in the top It looked like it wasequally solid, but it had pit th had been testedrepeatedly Violet stood as far froe in the narrow hallway, her eyes avoiding the smallat the top

He was in there Even from out here she could sense Ja in here," Sara indicated, pointing to a different door, and Violet followed, suddenly hoping she’d be able to tell the useful

"Are you ready for this?" Sara asked, turning to look over her shoulder

Violet was about to say, "Yes," when she realized that Sara wasn’t talking to her It was Rafe she spoke to now Rafe, whose silent, brooding stare fixated on the white-flecked tiles of the floor beneath hilanced her way, she asked again "Are you sure you can do this?"

He lifted his shoulder, not quite a shrug, not really a response at all, and he pushed his jet-black hair out of his eyes "Of course"

But from where she stood, Sara didn’t hear what Violet had, the hitch in his throat The officer opened the door, and Violet stayed back, trailing in behind Sara and Rafe, not sure she was ready either She felt a chill theat all to do with imprints

She was about to come face-to-face with a child killer

At the sound of the door closing, the click, Violet forced her gaze up, focusing on thebefore her She took a step closer, forgetting for a lass to the rooh he was in an entirely different rooh that Nua was handcuffed to the metal table he sat in front ofand that the table was bolted to the floor beneath him Even his feet had been restrained