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In the room, I scented cleansers, fabric fresheners, Misha, perfume, and herbal bath products; I also s else beneath the fa not quite right I felt Beast stir and stare out at the world through eness in the weak scent So else--so sickly "I missed you too, Bobby boy"

Gently I pushed him back and blinked away the tears to study hi the teenager he had been and the row up like other people did; he’d always have the mental capacity of a ten-year-old, always filled with the wonder, the joy, and the hopefulness of a child But he had grown older He had fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his freckles had grown closer together than when he was a teenager The extra pounds I had felt in the hug ell distributed on his fraood on hi rew at least ten inches," I hyperbolized "You grew up on me"

"Come on in and meet little Charly" Bobby tookrooirl was curled up on the sofa, watching TV "Charly, this is Jane" The little girl waved to irl and ht, skinny and pale, with thin brown hair cut in a pageboy to her ears She was bundled up in pink velour sweats that were sized to grow into, and a blanket covered her legs She wore a pearl ring on her left hand, so that looked too adult for her but see, and she pulled the blanket up to her chest as if uncoaze, so I looked away and took in the suite

Misha had paid for a hospitality suite with adjoining roos for a reporter-turned–book writer There were children’s books and toys in a large wicker basket, a lavender hoodie jacket on a hanger on a hat rack instead of pitched over a chair back, a pair of wo shoes placed precisely side by side below the jacket, a packet of folders lined up neatly at the corner of a table From the way her shoes were lined up and her hoodie so carefully hung, I didn’t think the control freak I reed all that er on a doorknob to a roo-sized bed The place was decorated in beige and a soft rosy red, with dark wood furniture A soothing palette

Bobby said, "Misha is in the bathroo"

I nodded, scenting again that faint hint of sickness I looked Bobby over and thought about his scent rising to ain,both the sickness and the scent of chemicals to her Her paleness wasn’t natural to her skin tone, but was the pale of anemia Her hair lacked the sheen a child’s usually had, and was dull and far too thin On the sofa arm beside her was a small clump of hair There was another clump on her shoulder And a small bald patch on her crown

Her hair was falling out

Charly was getting che at Charly Sick kit

I stood rooted to the floor, horrified and totally out of anything that ht have resembled a comfort zone I was in a hotel room with Bobby Bates and a very sick child Fortunately, before I had to react to e, I heard a noise froerOne by One

A door opened in the rooht switched off and shadows move I had no idea what to do with my hands so I tucked theripped them behind my back, which felt even more posed, and I realized I was nervous

Beast, who had been oddly silent, chuffed with aht back Uncertain, maybe And she isn’t prey

Prey or hunter Or plant Or earth and rock Or water and air, she added with a soft snort There is nothing else

I stifled a sigh just as Misha walked into the rooed since the children’s home She was taller, her hair worn in a chic, tousled bob, and hts made her blue eyes look bluer and accented her sharp cheekbones She earing jeans and layered T-shirts in bright blues, shades of royal and indigo, fuzzy socks on her feet, and was color coordinated froe pearl wrapped in silver dangling on a silver chain She rown up She stopped in the doorway and we stared at each other, silent In the background, the volu us I recognized strains from the animated Disney ood at waiting games, but my nerves didn’t let"Hi"

A slow grin spread across her face She’d had her teeth fixed, and the effect was blinding white against her pale skin and all that blue She looked gorgeous "Hi back Are we supposed to hug?"

I didn’t knohat h softly "Yeah I’er either And it feels stupid to shake hands" When I didn’t respond, she said, "You’ve met Charly?"

I nodded