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On the third , but she welco for a time, then rode the teeter-totter with her Kate had said nothing about Lila since the night Guilder had beaten her Whatever cord had connected therew too fierce, they headed back inside Just as they reached the door, Kate stopped

"Soave this to me," she said, and showed Sara In her hand was a pink plastic egg

"Who did?"

"I don’t know She was over there"

Sara followed the girl’s gesture across the courtyard There was no one Kate shrugged "She was there a second ago"

For just a few minutes, not more than five, Sara had let Kate wander off by herself

"She toldout to her

The wo into the pocket of her robe Her body felt numb When Jenny had disappeared, she had allowed herself the faint hope that this burden would pass from her How foolish she’d been

"Let’s keep this a secret-would that be okay?"

"She said the sa, Kate asked, "Is it a secret e?"

Sara did her best to s right away; she was afraid to When they returned to the dark apart match Her face was drained of color, her hair brittle and askew She called them over to the sofa and held out a book

"Would you read to me?"

Little Women: Sara opened the cover to a puff of dust froes," Lila sighed

Sara was istered the story as interesting, but the rest was in a fog The language was difficult, and she often lost her place Kate’s attention waned; eventually she fell asleep It see to o to the bathrooht back"

Before Lila could say anything, she stepped briskly to the lavatory and closed the door She pulled up her robe and sat on the toilet and withdrew the egg fro wildly A flicker of hesitation; then she opened it and unfolded the paper

The package is in the garden shed at the edge of the courtyard Look beneath the floorboards to the left of the door The target is the senior staffin the conference room, tomorrow 1130 hrs Take the central elevator to the fourth floor, then the first hallway on the right The last door on the left is the conference rooio lives

She had returned the paper to the egg when there ca on the door "Dani! I need you!"

"Just a second!"

The handle jiggled Had she locked it?

"I have the key, Dani! Please, open the door!"

Sara lurched off the toilet, sending the egg skittering across the floor Shit! The key was turning in the lock She had just enough ti into the botto in the open doorway

"All done," she said She heaved a smile onto her face "What do you need, Lila?"

The woman’s face blanched with confusion "I don’t know I thought you’d gone somewhere You scared me"

"Well, I did I went to the bathroom"

"I didn’t hear the toilet flush"

"Oh Sorry" Sara turned and pulled the chain "That was rude ofShe seemed co for me? A favor"

Sara nodded

"I would like somechocolate"

"Chocolate" What was chocolate? "Where would I get that?"

Lila stared incredulously "The kitchen, of course"

"Right I guess that was obvious" Maybe so about Sara didn’t think it would be a good idea to coht away"

Lila’s face relaxed "Anything would be fine Even a cup of cocoa" Her eyes unfocused; she gave a little sigh "I always loved a cup of cocoa on a winter afternoon"

Sara stepped from the apartht to flush the note down the toilet? Had she closed the drawer? She replayed the moment in thethere, though to be safe, Sara would have to retrieve it before the serving girl returned

The kitchen was located on the far side of the building; she’d have to cross the atriu a wave of adrenaline, she aimed her eyes at the floor and made her way down the hall

As she entered the lobby she beca escorted by two guards, her pitiful cries amplified by the rooging you! I’ll do better! Don’t take me to the basement!"

The woman was Karen Molyneau

"Sara! Help me!"

Sara halted in her tracks How could Karen see her face? And then she realized that she’d et to do She’d neglected to pull down her veil

"Sara, please!"

"Stop"

The command had conized hi the tip of his nose, the winglike eyebrows The thirdher face intently "What’s your naone dry "Dani, sir"

"She called you Sara"

"I’m sure she’s mistaken" Her eyes flicked reflexively toward the exit "I’ like a fish in a net "Tell theaze hardened The corners of his mouth lifted in a set a face, not one like yours"

Sara bolted for the door Three strides and she went blasting through it She tore down the steps, into the sun and wind, shouts rising behind her "Stop her! Stop that woman!" Where could she run to? But there was no place; cols were racing toward her fro noose Sara’s hand went to her pocket and found the little envelope of folded foil Here it was, the end She stopped on the path; there was no use running anye opened to reveal its lethal contents She took the blotter between her thuer and raised it to her oodbye

But it was not to be As she brought the blotter to her lips, so her off her feet; the ground fell away and rose again, slowly and then quickly and finally all at once, her skull collided with the pave went black

Chapter 59