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He realized he was shaking with fury What monster had done this to a child? He knew, from firsthand experience, that there were many monsters out there, but to come face-to-face with this made him want to puke and kill at the same time

He willed her to wake up She didn’t move He considered whether to take her to the hospital now He had no phone so he couldn’t call He’d even left his cell phone at home It was late He didn’t knohere the hospital was, how far And he didn’t knoho had done this to her, who’d abused and beaten her, or where they were No, tomorrow he’d take her, and he’d stay with her He wouldn’t leave her alone Tomorrow, he’d drive with her to the sheriff There had to be a sheriff in Dillinger Tonight he’d take care of her hi, then he’d take her to the hospital, no matter what the hour But not now

Had she saved herself, escaped somehow, and run into the forest? Had she tripped on a root or a rock and struck her head? Or had theher to die in the forest? He leaned over her and gently ran his fingers over her head He couldn’t feel any lumps The pulse in her throat was still slow and steady

If she had escaped the man who’d done this to her, thatfor her Of course he’d known this in his gut when he’d brought her into the cabin and that hy he’d locked the door He checked his Browning Savage 99 lever action rifle It was already chambered with a243 Win On the table by the sofa was his Sun, had since his father had given it to hiht hiic because of its black finish on stainless steel He liked to shoot it, but he’d never used it on a person

He picked it up It was fully loaded, as always He looked toward the door, the revolver in his hand, gauging the distance there

What man had done this?

He fixed hi his eyes off the child Then he heated the soup It sood He waved a spoonful beneath her nose "Come on noouldn’t you like to have a taste? Caht off an old-fashioned woodstove It takes a while to heat anything, but it does work Coot a shtly pressed it against her bottom lip To his surprise and relief, her ave her more

She ate nearly half a bowl Only then did she open her eyes She looked confused Slowly, she turned her face toward him, and stared up at him He smiled and said,

"Hello, don’t be afraid My name’s Ramsey I found you You’re safe now"

She opened her e noise he’d heard, a soft ht and helplessness

"It’s all right No one will hurt you You’re safe noith me"

Her mouth opened but no sound cahan and she flailed at hi that ainst him and protect her

He quickly set down the spilled soup and grabbed her wrists Her eyes fluttered closed, but not before he saw the flash of pain He released her wrists Both wrists were raw She’d been tied up "I’ht me, please I won’t hurt you"

She huddled into a small ball and turned her back to him, her arms over her head, and didn’twhat he should do She was terrified Of him He couldn’t blame her

Why didn’t she screae sounds Was sheshe could hear hie them for you? They’ll feel better"

Had she heard him? She still didn’t move He pulled an old undershirt froht and ripped it into strips He felt every scrap of fear in her as he washed her wrists and ankles really well, smeared on some Neosporin, then wrapped the softthe he could He stood slowly, knowing now he shouldn’t make any abrupt ht little ball, her hands, now freed of hiood bit of the soup She wouldn’t starve

She arm She was clean He’d smoothed antibiotic cream on the worst of the scratches and cuts He looked toward the front door, then the front s He pulled down the shades and closed the curtains Now no one could see in He slid the bolts hoet in, someone would have to shatter them He walked to the back door in the kitchen and flipped the dead bolt The door didn’t have a chain He pulled one of the kitchen chairs over and shoved it beneath the doorknob Someone could shove the door open, but the chair feet would screech on the floor and certainly wake him up