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As soon as I come to a stop, she opens her door and hops out before I can tell her to keep her little ass in the cab I don’t even kno I’e of e her for the first ti out behind her and doubling my steps until I’m able to reach her side, where I wrap my hand around her waist and pull her closer totiny that the top of her dark head sits right at ile, from her too soft skin to her petite size And she’s e wo the front door to the trailer Her thin blonde hair is pulled away froe, round body is incased in what looks like a baggy dress with long sleeves I know right away this must be Ellie’s aunt Marlene, her mom’s sister

"Where’s Hope?" Ellie asks frohter around her to keep her in place

Taking a puff off her cigarette Marlene tosses the butt into the yard while stepping back into the trailer as we come up the creaky wooden steps that lead inside

"Where’s Hope?" Ellie asks as we step into the sive her side a squeeze re her that she’s not alone

"Hope’s asleep in the back bedroo hall then looks at me "Who’s him?" she asks, but Ellie pushes past her and rushes down the hall, ignoring her question

"Who you?"

Jesus It takes everything inthe woman, afraid of what I’ll say if I speak

"You a cop?"

Fuckto tell her she shouldn’t look relieved by that

"That niece of ures she’d ht the same"

My fists clench and drop to my sides I don’t know much about Ellie, but there isn’t a doubt in my mind that she is better than this duoes toward the opena little girl in her ar, dark hair hanging over Ellie’s ars wrapped around her side

"What is it, baby?" I question, closing the distance between us