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"Oh God," Molly said "Do you know his naain, her breathing even and slow She was sound asleep

They looked at each other Molly said, "What a to do?"

"I told you, Molly I’ to do? Tell you what We’re both still too tired to think straight I’ve got so her head back and forth, her red hair o back to Denver I’ back to Denver I don’t understand what’s going on here How many people are involved in this? Who are they? Hohy, could E be a conspiracy?"

"Conspiracy," he repeated slowly "Why do you call it a conspiracy?"

She shrugged, one corner of her sleep shirt falling off her shoulder

"I guess kidnapping could end up being a conspiracy if the parents were in on it, or if it was done for another purpose But you didn’t ht be possible We already know about up to five different men"

"An elaborate sche darker, soht mean it would involve people around you"

She was silent He watched her pull up the shoulder of her sleep shirt It said on the front: B1GFOOT WAS HERE Her hair was corkscrewed and wild around her pale face She looked inutterably weary And also very pretty, he thought, somewhat amazed that he’d noticed and here it was in the ht Her skin was very white, unlike his, with his olive skin tone He wanted to put his hand on her, to co it "Let’s get some sleep We’re out of here tomorrow"

HE returned to the Jero Old Maid seated cross-legged opposite each other, the card pile in the et up We’re the proud owners of a 1989 Toyota 4Runner with lots of miles on it It’s a two-door ot four-wheel drive, nearly all the cootten the maximum cash allowed from AMEX and paid the car dealer in cash He added, "Even if they’ve tracked down the Jeep, it’ll take the lot over by the lift" But he knew they weren’t safe, not by a long shot

He said quickly, "It’s time we checked out of here Fifteen minutes okay with everybody? We shop and then we’re heading west"

They’d spoken about it briefly thatwhen they’d awakened "It’s just our next destination," Raets us closer to my home and my turf"

Molly had said quietly, afraid that Emma would awaken, "I knoe can’t stay here Where west do you want to go?"

"Truckee I know the area very well Let’s just get ourselves lost for the tie who lived on Lake Tahoe"

Molly didn’t say anything ot him in the bathroo her pillowcase

He said, "Anyone with a brain could trace the money withdrawal from AMEX that I used to pay for the Toyota, and I think we’ve got professionals here So our best bet is to get ourselves lost for the ti The Sierras are beautiful and out of the way Any problem with that?"

"I’ve never been to Lake Tahoe," she said, fiddling with a towel that added up She wasit back on the rack

"It’s a little town, quaint, all rigged out for the skiers in the winter and the hikers in the summer Emma’11 like it It’ll be safe"

She looked up at hi You and Eauze The skin’s staying together, a good sign The flesh is pink Very little swelling It just aches"

"You wouldn’t lie to o" She turned away, her hand on the bathroom doorknob, and said over her shoulder, "You don’t have to do this, you really don’t I have money Not just the cash I showed you I have lots of money, faet Emma to safety"

"Don’t, Molly I couldn’t leave Ehed as she twisted a corkscrew curl around her index finger "I know"