Page 39 (1/2)

It hit ia didn’t know--about Vivvie’s dad, about Judge Pierce About any of it Ivy hadn’t told her

You can’t tell anyone what you told ot a handle on it, until we know exactly who’s involved, we can’t risk drawing attention to either one of you

I thought of Georgia saying that Justice Marquette’s death was an opportunity, tragic though it hter" Beside ia’s question "I intervened"

She’s not telling Georgia about Justice Marquette She’s not telling her about Pierce

"Ivy?" My voice shook with everything I wasn’t saying: Why aren’t you telling Georgia everything? Why didn’t you tell the president the second we told you?

"This was a h her hair as she took in the look on my face "Your life here was supposed to be normal, Tess" And then, ht I never should have brought you here"

I didn’t realize until she said those words that I’d been waiting to hear her say them since the moment I saw the bedroom she’d saved for me Nausea rose in the back of my throat

Vivvie’s father was dead, andsecrets fro me here was a mistake

Just like that, I was thirteen years old again She asked me to live with her, and then she left I tried so hard not to let ainst any weakness, to fight it, to go numb

I can’t be here I can’t do this

I couldn’t let Ivy see ia’s Secret Service escort I heard Ivy calling afterMy feet slapped the pavement I needed out I needed away Ivy still had the First Lady to deal with She couldn’t follow -can-touch- I ran until I couldn’t run any in and out,from inside my pocket

I realized on so I pulled it out, but didn’t answer Eventually, it stopped ringing I waited for it to ring again Instead, it inforain, concentrating on the rhythm of my steps, the push and pull of e What could she say? That we needed to talk? That she had her reasons for keeping everyone, even the president and Georgia, in the dark? That bringing me here hadn’t been a mistake?

That Vivvie’s father hadn’t killed hi nuest tiers found their way to the keypad I called the nu until the voice mail picked up I couldn’t find any words, certainly not the right ones

I hung up

An hour passed Maybe two Every once in a while, the phone rang Ivy Adanize I hesitated Probably, it was Ivy Probably, I should just let it ring

But what if it was Vivvie?

I answered "Hello?" My throat was dry, and my voice sounded it