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"I appreciate what you’ve said," I say "That you believe I could … possibly run Fleur"

"If anyone can do it, it’s you I’ve been groo you for it since you were a child" He rests his arape at him This entire conversation has been surreal "There’s soht find … unpleasant"

Ah, here it is I’m almost relieved that he’s about to deliver bad news I didn’t believe he called me in here just to lavish praise on me That’s not his style "What is it?"

"I was contacted by ," he says, his voice low, his expression grim I feel my body sway at the mention of the word lawyer and I clutch the arers hurt "He notified me that Alan Brown is set to be released from prison in a feeeks"

The sway turns into a full body sluainst the back of the chair,I could alht …" My voice drifts and I glance down, focus onfroripbreath, but it coht he had a twenty-year sentence to serve It’s barely been three years"

"His sentence was reduced They let hiust in Father’s tone is clear He hates this, probably as much as I do "I didn’t want you to find out in any other way, like reading so you Or worse … so out to you Not that any of them will, but you knohat I mean I wanted to be the one who told you first"

"Thank you," I say with a short nod The Browns are a fareith My sisters and I played with the Brown children Went to school with them My parents and the Broere old, dear friends

Until their son tried to attack me Then the old family friendship was horribly splintered forever

"No one will find out your connection to Alan Brown, Violet, especially considering you testified as Jane Doe during his trial We took every precaution to protect your identity," he reassures me as he has before, countless times over the years But we both know the truth Anyone with decent research skills and access to Google could narrow it down and figure out that the college junior Alan Brown assaulted four years ago was ht hiot a dangerous man off the streets

And now he’s about to be set free

"I’m not worried about the media He’ll find me," I whisper "He knows exactly where to look"

I reavehis trial When I’d gone to college, Father encouragedAlan was there to protectanother soul