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“Hey I’ to move you to the other side, okay? My arm is really tired”

He raised his head to look at her “You won’t let go?”

The fear and longing in his voice made Kelly’s breath catch She had no experience with children

“No, I won’t let go,” she told hily, the way she’d seen mothers do “I just need to make a phone call Okay?”

“Okay,” he said, and illingly when she transferred his weight to her left shoulder, which of course now ainst her neck and stuck his thumb in his mouth

Thinking the kid was too old for thu, Kelly unzipped the pouch around her waist and withdrew her cell phone A quick glance told her she didn’t have service Likely the signal had been blocked

“Damn,” she muttered and stuffed the phone back inside

She was a rookie How lanced at her watch Roll call was in thirty minutes

Maybe it was time to make some noise, attract so into ice for close to an hour She knew the drill, and solass on the far wall She’d never been good at waiting, but had been extreive her observers the finger, but knew that wouldn’t help anything And her lieutenant would definitely hear about it

“How old are you, Jason?” she asked to pass the time

“Four,” he stated, as if she were very stupid But of course his e

“Who were those guys you ith?” she asked

He closed his eyes

“Did they hurt you?”

“They hit Maria,” he whispered

“Why did they do that?” Kelly asked, encouraged by his response Who was Maria? Maybe the kid had recovered enough to give her some answers

Jason shivered and turned his warm face into her neck

“Did you know those men, Jason?”