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Prickles run down my neck "Where is she now?"

"So many questions, my little mouseI have to wonder why" I hear the faht in the cellar Onoffonoffand I think back to the day he handed me all of Charlie’s identification The day he collected all ofto do with it? Sell it to soether to keep froets a phone call froht, riddled with unspoken accusations It’s going to make him suspicious

"Answerif she’s" I force down the bile rising again in my throat "What happened to her?" Did you kill her, Sam? Was it for o? Maybe earlier?

Of course I don’t expect Sa incri but accusations and circumstantial evidence that wouldn’t hold up Certainly no valuable information to barter for my exoneration Aside from Dominic and now Jimmy, I’ve never itiets the heroin; I would never ask I know he’s made a few trips to the Middle East over the last few years on "business" But I highly doubt his real estate fir company, his franchise steakhouse, or any of the other dozen ventures he’s involved in has anything to do with the Middle East

I’m sure the DEA would question his trips as well, if they atching I’ve never felt their presence, though Then again, I don’t knohat having the DEA’s attention would feel like For all I know, that guy sniffing aroundwasn’t Sam’s friend and was in fact the DEA Either they’re discreet or they haven’t caught on to Saood at what you do, it’s harder to pin things on you

I hear the hiss of air through Sam’s teeth on the other end before he offers in a phony nonchalant tone, "Who knows? Maybe she betrayed soood little e He evaded the question but to

"Is that what you wanted to know?"

Clearing et out, "Yes"

"I hope I don’t have anything to worry about Reet sloppy Yesterday, you were sloppy"

Sloppy The sa

"I know, S--" The coppery taste of blood taintshis naain"

"Good Because we have a really good thing going And it’s going to getlow on money I’ll deposit another ten in your account to nice"

"I will Thank you" MoneyIt all co else and how he assu is, Sam could deposit ten ti it financially But he never giveshim

I listen to the static on the phone for I don’t kno long after Sas up Finally, I sink back into my seat

Charlie Rourke was a real person

And the real Charlie Rourke is dead

I’ve been obliviously pretending to be a dead girl fortrafficker I’ve looked forward to the day I can shred her ID up into little bits and pretend that she never existed