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"How are you going to ure out where I am And who I have with me"

"Where are you?"

"Surely you’ve realized I’ie felt as if she turned to ice "You haven’t--"

"Ah, what have I done? Well, so far, not omery Enterprises to pick up a few of your friends Chocolate and spice One is Angie, the other Cissy, I believe Black is beautiful I told you there would be a double-header And as to Canady, for the moment, I’ve just knocked the old ht? If you’re not here, alone, in half an hour, I’irls first My finest i to use my pinkie nail to slit a deep hole in the old oing to leave a piece of hile room for his son to find Naturally, as soon as I can, I’ll kill Sean the cop as well

Maybe Sean’s younger sister will show up as ith her little ones Yum She can become my last kill in the Jack the Ripper ie listened in cold horror She gave herself a shake Da to make her sleep She had to shake it off

And she had to reach Aaron

She sed hard

"Aaron, I will kill you," Maggie told him

"No, my love This time, I think you will do whatever I say Your thirty ive you thirty-five I’h to allow for traffic" The phone went dead in Maggie’s hand

CHAPTER 18

Mah, and it had actually been fun--being guarded by the police for a change rather than being hounded by theed A differentofficer ca, the call cairls out on the highway, twenty miles due west of the city, had disappeared Her bar man had seen her with a tall, handsome felloith pale skin and Ray-Bans, and then she had disappeared with him But not before she had told her bartender to call old Mairl for the fellow

Well, she shouldn’t have done it She shouldn’t have listened to Maggie, telling her that she was a vaht him when no one else could It was obvious Libby was dead Libby hadn’t reached her, and it was a good thing, because if she had sent Maggie after the fellow, Maggie ht be dead now, too

But she had to tell Sean Canady She tried calling the station; they wouldn’t tell her where Sean was

They wouldn’t tell her where his partner, Jack, was, either She tried Sean’s home in the city, and his father’s fine plantation She tried his beeper number, but he didn’t respond Finally, she decided she just had toover her then was maybe twenty-five Tall as Mike Jordan, handsoeous eyes she’d ever seen She asked him to take her down to headquarters

"Mamie, I was told to keep you here at the restaurant We’re in a controlled environ just outside--"

"Well, honey, ould you have at police headquarters if not a whole bunch more police officers?"

"I’ve been told to watch you here You’re to stay here unless Lieutenant Canady tells me differently--"

"That’s just it! I need to reach Lieutenant Canady!"

"You just need to be patient, Maan to plot She tried all the nuie

She was surprised when Maggie actually answered the phone Her voice was tense, sharp, as if she expected someone else "Mamie! Mamie, what is it?"

"Why, honey, I just had to let you know that I think Carter has killed an old ht away, I’ to find Lieutenant Canady--"

"Ma after him now"

"But--"

"Mamie, tell Sean I loved him, please"

"But, honey--"

"Mamie, I don’t knohere he is I was supposed to be with himhe and Jack went out to the old Carter/Dixon ruins I think he’s still alive But Aaron Carter has soo, Maoing after this et soot to end it!"

"Wait, honey, wait--"

"I can’t talk I don’t have tiht be Aaron again I’ve got to go, Maot to help you--"

"Then pray for me, Mamie"

"But I can send the police--tons of theo alone"