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Unable to breathe, he held her tighter

Hope hazarded a glance across the interior of the car at Rafe, theacross his forehead as he stared straight out the front windshield

She checked the rearviewwheel as she accelerated past traffic on the way up I-45

After they’d somehow found their senses in front of Noah’s house, Rafe had helped her to her feet Police cars left in silence, and he said he wanted to go to his cousin’s lake house She’d offered to drive

As she’d accelerated away from the metro area, they’d held hands across the center console, and he’d shared the horrible details of Lillibet’s disappearance

But as they’d navigated through traffic near the Woodlands and the highway lined by miles of pine trees, he’d lapsed into silence

She was grateful Skyler had put Rafe on speakerphone when he’d called the office earlier that afternoon Hope had heard his every word, and his sincerity had been an ice pick that carved through the protection she’d wrapped around her heart

Then Celeste insisted he was suffering, right before she’d provided an update on the Lillibet situation along with Noah’s address

When Rafe had left the house, he’d stood on the porch, crestfallen with sorrow And then, when he saw her… Her throat had swollen His eyes had lightened as the demons had been vanquished

The sound of a chiation systehway

“Sorry” Blinking, Rafe glanced her way “I was thinking about my dad What to tell him” He pressed his thumbs to his temples “When to tell him”

“I can’t ih” Words were inadequate, so she settled for brushing a finger across his knuckles

His phone rang with an update from Celeste The police had entered the lake house and hadn’t found Lillibet A search of the property’s two acres was underway

Without saying goodbye, he dropped the phone to the console, then reached for Hope’s hand

Within ten minutes, she braked to a stop near the Richardsons’ house, across from an ambulance and several police cruisers Rafe pocketed his phone before they exited the vehicle

“I’ll wait here,” she said after he dropped a kiss on her forehead