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Finally, he turned and stabbed his finger at Cooper "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you wouldn't have listened to us - any of us," the dwarf said in a resigned voice "You loved the girl, and you only wanted to see the good in her There was no point in s worse than they already were "

Owen turned his gaze to Kincaid "And you, Phillip? Why didn't you tell ? Hell, why didn't Eva tell me?"

"I tried, but you were too busy beating the shit out of oes, she told me that Salina threatened to hurt ed me to keep quiet, so I did Eva was so upset, so afraid that Salina could coh, and I didn't want her to worry any more than she already was That's the reason I keptEva "

So you failed to do Kincaid didn't say the words He didn't have to

That stricken look diuilt Guilt that he hadn't realized as going on, guilt that he'd taken Salina's side over everyone else's, guilt over what Eva had suffered, guilt that he'd aluilt Enough to last a lifetime

As o over to Owen, hold hi I could say would ht now I needed to talk to the dwarf about more practical matters

I looked at Cooper "So what happened? How did you convince Salina to leave Ashland?"

He shifted in his chair again "Phillip called h Owen and I weren't speaking at the time I caot the boy patched up, and aited for Owen to leave the house When he finally did, ent in and confronted Salina I told her to leave Ashland and never come back - or I'd kill her Of course, she didn't listen to ed to overcoround with it while Phillip packed up her things Then we made her write a note for Owen and threw her out of the house That was the last time I saw her "

We were all quiet, although I could hear the sudden, loud chirping of the birds deeper in the woods, like so had startled them A fes zoo around and around in the sky above

"Salina iven how isolated you are here Maybe it would be better if you stayed with Owen for a few days Just in case "

"Bah!" Cooper waved his hand "I don't need protection from her Besides, I doubt she'd come all the way up here Salina never did much care for this place - or me "

"All the more reason for her to co around settling old scores, a her out of Ashland That's not the kind of thing a person forgets Especially not soes She'

ll come after you sooner or later "

Cooper shrugged "And I'll deal with her the same way I did before "