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“There was no other body on the report,” Dawg said

“I got rid of it Paid to have it burned There’s no trace I couldn’t … she tried to save her mother when I should have been the one there I failed, and she had to pay the price No one took any tests of her clothing She’d just held her dead ot there, or she scared him off No one knows Just me, Lori, and God”

Paul dropped the crowbar and looked toward Dawg

“Don’t … please don’t hurt her She had a shitty father and had to live withthe house over foryou”

Dawg didn’t say a word Leaving the basement, he headed out to the car where Paul joined him

“Are you okay?” Paul asked

“Yeah, I’m fine”

“You were right”

“Of course I was right I’ht”

Work and life went by as if nothing had ever changed, which surprised Lori because to her, everything had changed She lived with a ht They shared ether, and they talked often He’d even text her, and she loved their conversations In those et who she was and who he was They were two different people enjoying each other’s company

Entering his hoarlic Her mouth watered, and as she entered the kitchen, she found Paul and Dawg talking, which they stopped the moment they saw her

“Good day at work?” he asked

“Yes, it was good You?”

“Can’t complain”

She bit her lip, but didn’t say anything more

“Well, that got aard really fast,” Paul said

“I didn’t know you could cook,” she said, trying to make the effort for it to be less uncomfortable

Dawg s smirk that she wanted to wipe off his face, but equally see it there as well He had this way about his at once, and there was no way that wasn’t confusing Even to her

“Take a seat, sweetheart Dawg has always been able to cook Hisshe knew”

“I didn’t know you had parents”