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Myto?"

"I couldn’t " Vivvie’s voice was very s a number"

"Like a phone number?"

Vivvie shook her head "Like an account number"

The president’s doctor knew that Justice Marquette was going to die He had a speech prepared And the day after the justice’s death, that doctor was on a disposable cell phone giving an account number to whoever was on the other end

"We have to tell someone," I told Vivvie "The police, my sister, I don’t even know, but--"

"We can’t, Tess" Vivvie reached out to grab my arm "I can’t I know it looks bad" That was an understatement "But, Tess, he’s my dad"

Vivvie had to have knohen she’d told me this, that I couldn’t just turn around and pretend that nothing had happened

"You said you were a ether and holding them clasped in front of her body "I want a miracle"

I couldn’t go back and change what she’d heard I couldn’t wave a ic wand and alter the facts "What do you want me to do, Vivvie?"

She was quiet for several seconds "I want proof," she said finally "Not just suspicions, not just so But if I’ainst his She didn’t want to be the one to tear her family apart at the seams

"Proof?" I repeated "What kind of proof?"

Vivvie toyed with the bottoet you the phone," she said, "can you figure out who he was talking to?"

That was so far outside my skillset I didn’t even knohere I would start "I can try"

Vivvie blew out a long breath, then nodded "Okay," she whispered Then she turned and started walking back toward her house

"Vivvie," I called after her "Are you sure you’re going to be okay at home? With your father?"

"He won’t hurt me" Vivvie had to believe that She wanted me to believe it, too "He doesn’t know that I know about the phone After the wake, all I told hi his speech"

And look how that ended

"You don’t have to do this You can come with me We’ll"