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She leaned forward and briefly touched her lips to his, lingering long enough to taste hi for him overwhelm her Only then did she sit back on her heels "We'll follow this trail as far as we can, okay?"

A sed at his mouth "We?"

"Have I abandoned you yet?" She immediately realized the depth of her question and didn't want him to press her any further So she held out her hand and pulled him to his feet "At the very least, we're one step ahead of your uncle, so we can get on this first thing in the aze never left hers— as if he were telling her he knew so deep existed between thee it too

She feared she couldn't put off facing that issue er

Chapter Twelve

DIRTY AND TIRED, Zoe wanted nothing more than to pick up Saht's sleep before she had to tackle the next part of their search She certainly didn't need to arrive at the Baldwins' house to find Saone But she had

"Accidents happen," Vivian said to Ryan and Zoe "But when the plu the toilet, then we're talking about a deliberate stuffing" Vivian shook her head, her exasperation obvious "By the hat is a scrunchie, anyway?"

Zoe bit the inside of her cheek to keep froer"

"Well the water overflowed and created quite a mess" Vivian's posture and tone showed the weariness she hter

"Where's Sa about what she did and why she did it," Vivian said

Zoe shot Ryan a glance

"You punished her?" he asked, surprised

"What else should I have done? She showed no thought to basic etiquette when visiting someone else's home" His mother stiffened her shoulders defensively

"Did you explain that to her?" Zoe asked

"Of course"

Ryan stepped forward "And did you yell, scream and threaten to throw her out and never let her come back as you did to Faith?"

Zoe sucked in a harsh breath, taken aback by his sharp tone and biting sarcasht" Vivian ran her hand down her bob, straightening her already perfect hair "Believe it or not, I thought long and hard before asking you if I could take Samantha for the afternoon I revisited ain?" Ryan looked into hisI et into this now, but I a to have to realize there are consequences to her actions, though" Vivian gestured to the circular stairs "Shall we go talk to her?"

"In aon Ryan's fa Not when she needed answers to questions that would directly affect Sam

"Yes?" Vivian turned her head to face her

"Why?" Zoe asked