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Questions whirled in her mind until she felt dizzy What were the beasts? Where was this guy taking her? What would happen when they got there?

Then she thought of Ethan Would he search for her? She had to believe he would Cassie prayed that Garrity wasn’t going to use her as bait Not that she’d have to live with any guilt if she was the instrument of Ethan’s death, because she had no doubt Garrity intended to kill her once her usefulness ended

And just when she didn’t think she could stand one er, the van pulled up behind what looked like a large abandoned building She didn’t see any lights inside

The ot out and came around to open the van’s back doors Henry jumped out and waited as his handler snapped his leash onto his collar Then the man climbed in to release Cassie froave her a little shove toward a door hidden in the shadows "We’ve kept Mr Garrity waiting long enough"

Inside, the darkness was coo faster Panic made her clumsy, and she tripped on what felt like a raised board Unable to break her fall, Cassie fell to her knees hard and for asharp had torn her pants and cut into her knee But then theher forward

While she stu, Cassie sensed others in the darkness They didn’t speak, didn’t move Guards?

Finally, she reached another door He pulled it open and light flooded out Cassie saw a stairway leading down Anxious to stay a few steps ahead of Henry, she didn’t hesitate

Once the man joined her at the bottom, he led her to the end of a hallway and then knocked on the door there With an electronic hum, the door slid open

He pushed her inside "This is as far as I go" The door slid closed, leaving her alone with

The slanced around the large rooly familiar Lab equipment, sinks, and containers with God knehat in thelass coffins on the her with unblinking intensity Huht so At least the woman was The man had that coaze finally settled on the far corner of the roo behind it

"Garrity, I presume" Cassie hoped she sounded at least semi in control She clenched her cuffed hands into fists so they wouldn’t shake

"Cassie, I’ve looked forward to this moment" He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes "Co his desk

Just to make sure, she reached back aardly with her cuffed hands to try the door handle Locked Taking a deep cal breath, she walked to the chair he’d indicated and sat Then she took stock of Roland Garrity

Cassie had pictured someone ould look the part of a hue height and build Thinning, light brown hair Faded blue eyes A weak chin She would pass hiht now, she didn’t have control of her physical situation, but herme here? If you try to use h to walk into a trap"

Garrity raised one brow "Bait? I’m afraid you overestimate your i for you" He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his desk He steepled his hands and studied her "No, I only went to the trouble of sending Caleb to take you for two reasons--vengeance and to make sure Felicity’s family doesn’t discover that I was involved in her disappearance Faeance Cassie repressed a shudder She didn’t trust herself to speak, so she sih he hadn’t expected her to comment "You are directly responsible for the loss of Eternal Rest Now I’ll have to deal with insurance and a police investigation besides having to find a new place of business I believe you oweto do?" No matter how horrible, she wanted to know his plans

"First I’ll explain all this"--he swept his hands wide to encompass the room--"because no one should have their hu why it happened And then I’ll change you from a pain in the ass into a useful co to die There was a kind of sick relief in knowing the worst Cassie didn’t say anything, because if she tried to speak she knew her voice would shake She wouldn’t give hiloat over her terror