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"All she knows right now is that it’s an atteation and it needs to be kept confidential I’ll have to tell her sooner or later, though Especially if Alex survives Your mother’s met her She knohat she looks like" He adds softly, "What she looked like"
"What do we do now?"
He stands, and begins pacing around the roo Your clothes, the blanket, all traces froen Luckily your en peroxide We have a few bottles" I guess there’s a benefit to having a sheriff for a father Especially one intent on discrediting CSI "And then you’re going to tellto end Every last detail No lies I need to know that I went against everything I stand for for a good enough reason"
I nod solehten "If she dies, he’ll get aith it Byher, we’ve lost evidence The case has lost credibility You will be the prime suspect if there are any links at all"
My forehead falls into my hand "I know I justI saw her and I couldn’t think straight I still can’t I just want to hide her from him"
"Do you kno lucky you are that you were never booked and fingerprinted with that whole To down the door"
That’s one complication averted But it’s far from the only one Viktor’s friend, Albert, would have driven out to Black Butte by now He would have seen that she’s not there What happens then? "Thingsof stones, with dark s into a black sky for no one to see, hteous sheriff of Deschutes County--and I burn all evidence that I was ever near Alex
And I tell hi how much I love her
"Welles!"
I try to hide my scowl as I peer out fro on "What?"
"Don’t ‘what’for you Now"
My stohMiller’s sneer--and thenBoone’s eyes on ered the attack, or what Viktor et out of Alex before he left her there I’ve been waiting nine days,every ti to find Viktor or Albert or soony I feel as Alex lies unconscious in a bed in St Charles Medical Center--she’s defied all odds to make it this far, but she’s still not out of the woods--and I’ave me a rundown of all her injuries--how Viktor raped her, how she lost her baby, how she’ll have an unsightly scar running down her face for the rest of her life if she lives--I sat in ht with my bare hands
But I do know that Viktor thinks the evidence of his crione Boone went back to The Cellar with Rust the next night Viktor was there, fingers twitching and eyes roae Boone kept histo Albert confir to clean up
That a otten to her body
And, yes, he cleaned up Not a trace left
Boone’s certain he heard--and translated--correctly
The only reason Boone and I can think of that explains Albert’s lie to Viktor is that he assuet to her but Viktor will lose his shit if her body isn’t burned or buried Mountain lions are rare in those parts, but I’ll gladly take Albert’s lie if it keeps Alex hidden So far, it seeold Hu next to it, those naturally cold eyes on me, I have to wonder if I’ll end up in a field somewhere soon, too
"Hello, Jesse"
"Viktor" Ifroreasy hands in it, to avoid any potential handshake he offers In truth, as much as I hate this ht now
"I wanted to extendthis weekend He’s willing to pay well for the restoration"
What? That’s what this visit is about? It takes atherall day in a garage, having that" he says,a Russian word, "bark orders at you? You could have what I have, if you ht decisions now"
I did have what you have Because Idecisions And it didn’tstole it froht-to-five job Simple No stress That’s all I really care about You should ask Tabbs or Zeke They’re both good with engines I’otable to predict people The way he’s sizing me up now, I don’t think he predicted a second rejection He probably doesn’t knohat to do with it "And what if you lose this job?"
Is that a threat? I shrug "Then I’ll get another one I was thinking of leaving Portland anyway The rain’s getting to "
He offers a flat smile "I had hoped you were more ambitious than this"
"I’m not" I s hard and then force out, "But thanks for thinking of me" The vile aftertaste burns in ain"
"I understand"
His lips tith disdain "I wish you luck in your siht bruising against his knuckles as he reaches for his car door Evidence, right there Fading Soon it will be gone
Why did you do it? What do you know, Viktor?
The brief gli co as she takes in Viktor She thinks she’s hit the jackpot I never liked her, but I feel sorry for her now She has no idea what’s in store for her
Not until the Huhts disappear around the corner do I let out the breath that I’ve been holding Maybe he doesn’t know about Alex and ered such a violent attack? Did he find her note and figure out she was leaving hie just because she’s pregnant
My phone begins vibrating in my pocket I see hts in an instant
"Yeah?" I suck infor the words that I’ve been dreading for nine long days