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“I don’t like the sound of that”

She huffed a short, soft laugh and raised both hands “What? You think I can’t take them doith a karate chop?”

His mouth quivered She was feisty and cute “I’er Greed can ”

“They’re kin They want to scarein her expression said she wasn’t really certain of that

“Why don’t you bunk over here in ed before you spend another night alone”

“Henry Johnson was supposed to have coh Don’t worry” She stepped off the porch into the darkness Gabe followed

She whirled “You shouldn’t leave AJ alone”

“He’s alone right this minute, Brooke It’s a dozen steps and back, not halfway across town”

“Still So could happen”

He took her ar over her shoulder as though expecting his house to burst into flames

“Stop it,” he said “You’reme nervous”

“He’s too little to be alone”

“No argument about that” They reached her back door and Gabe waited for her to flip on the porch light “Mind if I cos”

“No need”

“Humor me”

She did He made a quick assay of both levels while she barricaded the front door with a chair beneath the knob He’d never known if that actually worked, but the action gave him a measure of peace

“If you so , you call me Got it?”

“The chances of creaks are good in this old house”