Page 58 (1/1)

Mutely, Violet nodded, not caring that people, Sara and the police officers around the to watch the two of theain, her cheeks brushing his hands as they frarip was so soft, so tender

Violet could see the fear in his eyes "I have to tell you, the idea of losing you scares the hell out of hed heavily, still holding on to her as he stared back at her "Prohed and half-griripped one of his hands, turning into his palh hers as he dropped his other hand and pulled her to hi Violet jump "They found your cell phone" She handed it to Violet "And your keys" Sara dangled the faotten her when he and his one to Hawaii It said Maui on one side and Victoria on the other, the closest he could find to Violet "It’s nice to see you again, Jay" Violet had nearly forgotten that they’dher home?"

"Is that okay? Is she alreat idea She shouldn’t drive herself" Then she turned to Violet "We’ll have so your car to your house by tomorrow And I’ll call your parents as soon as I can" Sara tucked the keys in her pocket and then turned to Jay

Violet gripped Jay’s hand; she wasn’t ready to explain this to her parents, but she knew she had no choice They were parents, after all

"What about my purse?"

Sara shook her head "It wasn’t there Are you sure you had it with you? Could you have left it somewhere else?"

Violet’s head whirled It had to be there; she wasn’t wrong about this There were only two places it could have been: in front of the Center, or in the alley

"Don’t worry, they’ll keep looking," Sara assured her, patting her arhtfully surveyed the scene before the to "Why didn’t you tell her? Officer Durden? You know, about lanced reluctantly at Jay, but didn’t hesitate "Not everyone needs to knohat you kids are capable of Sometimes it’s better to keep what you can doquiet Even the DA never really knohere I get , I tell hi deeper, and he doesn’t question how I know" She glanced down regretfully at Violet "I really am sorry, Violet It was dumb luck you even ran into Nua in the first place, and that you happened to be wearing your school sweatshirt at the time" She shook her head "I mean, really, what are the odds?" Her voice took on a pensive quality "We should never have gone back there that next day I should never have taken the chance he’d see you again It’s my fault I’m supposed to keep you kids safe, and I let you down I’d do anything to protect you"

"I know," Violet said, andshe did, every decision she made There was no way she would have intentionally put Violet--or any of her teaer

They stayed there like that for a long, quiet moment

Finally, Violet asked the question she was hesitant to broach She was tre as the words left her lips "What about Jaave a cursory nod "Every agency in town is looking for hiine he and his buddies have already ditched the car soo for help eventually--that wasn’t a flesh wound And the second he walks into any eency room, clinic, or doctor’s office, we’ll be notified and he’ll be arrested I’d say he has threemaybe four hours tops" She rested her hand on Violet’s shoulder

But that wasn’t what Violet noticed, the gentle, reassuring gesture It was soether that id Not cold, but arctic, like they’d been turned into solid ice And her skin was equally hard and unyielding

Violet turned toward Sara Everythingslower now, as if time too had frozen Sara smiled at her, her face the same as it alas Her lips, her nose, her cheeks, her chin, everything formed as they should be Even her eyes, that sa but her pallor, which was now far too white There was a thin veneer of frost that coated every surface of her skin and dusted her perfectly tweezed brows and the thick fringe of her lashes,all right?" Sara asked, her breath co out in a plume of steam that only Violet could see Sara’s eyebrows furrowed and Violet knew she was staring, but she couldn’t stop herself

It was the ," Violet breathed, her voice filled onder "He’s already dead" She blinked slowly "Jaht about that "Youyou can feel it?"

Violet stared at the woman in front of her "See it, actually"