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As Jiht on I wouldn’t have, had I not looked in my rearview mirror at that precise second to see a black sedan three cars backoff its shiny upgraded hubcaps

It looked an awful lot like the saht Seven minutes and three turns later, I can’t deny that it is the sa--quivering at how easily I could have brought Ji him yet another bit of information that could lead him to Cain--and I continue all the way to a twenty-four-hour diner on the other side of Miami

Far away from everyone I’ve come to love

Chapter thirty-nine

CAIN

"Cain?"

Theon end as he answers his door, half asleep, the day’s sports highlights blaring through his apartround

"I need a key to Charlie’s apartment"

He frowns "Wellerthe laws say--"

"Fuck the law, Tanner," I snap "Either give me the key or I’ll bust down the door, and then you’ll be dealing with contractors to fix it"

Grurabs the giant ring of keys that hangs on the wall beside the door He re Thrusting it forith a scowl, I feel his eyes on my back as I march toward 1-D Tanner’s a fantastic superintendent

"Charlie?" I call out as I step into the dark apartment I’m almost positive she’s not here because her car’s not out front Still, I know she has a gun and I’d rather not get shot tonight

Silence responds

She could be back any ht for her bedroo aswith her clothes and her feminine stuff has invaded my bathroom cabinet In fact, based on my cursory inspection of her bedroom, the room is empty, except for the sheets on her bed

And the bottoh the assorta pants--until I cos buried beneath Blond, brunette, short-haired, long-haired The strands are silky between ertips I’m pretty sure it’s real hair, and if it’s real, that uises

And high-end cri sound as I whip it at the wall in anger How did I not have a clue? I’ve been sleeping with, working with, falling for this wos No wonder she’s been so secretive Fuck! Given who Dan is,up I remember how she froze when she realized I had spoken to this Saure out that whoever he is, he’s controlling her--and she’s terrified of him Maybe he is her real father That would mean she has assuave me is real

Someone went to a lot of trouble to hide who she really is

Quickly searching the rest of the place, I find nothing of interest And no gun She must have it on her

There’s really notthe faint scent of her floral perfume that it still holds I slide my phone out of my pocket and dial her nu to say? Accuse her of dealing drugs over the phone? Shit I should have given this soh, my thumb shifts to the "end" button when Charlie’s sweet voice coe But I find I can’t hit it I can’t break this connection to her What if it’s the only one I have left? What if this isoff my chest?

"Hi, Charlie" My voice cracks with her naht not be her real name, but it’s the only one I know To ht out from me before I even realized she had her hands on it I chuckle into the phone, the irony not lost to ate, the words begin pouring out freely and quickly as I try to beat the ti syste her I explain how I just rifled through her things and I knohat she’s into--or suspect what she’s into--and how I don’t care, as long as she’ll let et out of it