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Shit That was Nick

The scene caether in one, horrible rush

Nick was being arrested for Tessa’s murder

The youngHis body went stiff, his face completely impassive, as if he’d simply shut down

Lance got out of the car He was not getting involved in Tessa Palan shouldn’t either The DA wouldn’t be happy to find her at the prime suspect’s house

“Nooo!” A high-pitched yell ca off the front step, with Gianna at her heels

“Sophie, get back here!” Gianna shouted

The little girl’s face was a e Lance darted left and intercepted her with an arm around her middle

“No!” she howled “They’re hurting Nick Make them stop!”

Lance swung her into his ar to turn her face away from the scene Not that it would help at this point She’d obviously already seen the worst part

Tiny fists pounded on his chest “Don!”

“Shh” Holding tight, he rubbed her back “It’s going to be all right”

The reporter pointed at Lance, and the ca around to aim the camera at him He shifted Sophie to shield her from the camera’s vieith his body

Across the street, Morgan’s face was sheer devastation as a stiff-legged Nick was dragged toward a police car and put into the back The carip on thea hand across his face, and nodding blindly at whatever she was saying to him

Lance carried Sophie inside

“I’m sorry” Gianna held out her arms

“Hold tight” Lance bent to hand her over Sophie’s spindly arhting and started sobbing “Keep her inside I don’t want those vultures fro news”

Gianna took the child, wrapping her arms around her small body, and walked toward the rear of the house Over Gianna’s shoulder, Sophie shot Lance a ry, tear-streaked red She was never going to forgive him

He went out onto the front stoop to see as happening The car containing Nick had left Cops, including Brody, swaran had pulled Nick’s dad to the side of the property and was talking to him The man’s face was locked in pain and despair

Morgan touched his forearm, turned, and walked toward Lance He met her in the middle of her driveway Her eyes, usually deep with sadness, were on fire Over the past few months, the only times he’d seen her truly happy and ani with her kids Underneath, her grief ran deep When she was alone, she tended to brood

“What happened?” he asked

“They found a knife, which appeared to be encrusted with blood, buried behind the shed” Morgan aze That wasn’t all “They also found a T-shirt with blood on it in his hamper”

“No”

The an?”

Turning toward hier, Bud Zabrowski Bud is Nick’s dad”

“This can’t be right,” Bud said “Nick could never hurt anyone For one, he can’t stand the sight of blood Pukes every time He could never do” Bud clearly couldn’t vocalize the cri “That to anyone, let alone Tessa He really liked her”

Bud inhaled a deep and painful-sounding breath “What a to do? I can’t afford a defense attorney”

“The court will appoint a lawyer if you can’t afford one,” Morgan said

Bud shook his head “Will that be good enough?”

That depended on as assigned his case There were good public defenders and bad ones, but frankly, they were all overworked