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And he was carrying a rifle

A rifle that was pointed directly at Cindy’s chest

He barked, “What do you want?”

She put up her hands with her pal out and said, “Hold on, okay? I’ soround material on a story about the murder Look I have identification”

The guy looked crazy She had opened her bag and started searching for her press pass when she heard the crack of a gunshot Pieces of marble flew from the last stone steps in the pathway, and then with another crack, a sphere exploded at the top of a post

Fear spiked through Cindy She knew that words weren’t going to help with this guy He wasn’t hearing her He didn’t care that she was unarun on the steps below her

But then he raised his gun and fired twice more

Holy shit This could not be happening He was going to kill her, or at least give it his ver

y best try

Cindy knew froun that it’s a lot harder to hit a et than it seems on TV or in the et shot

As she ducked into a crouch and kept backing down the steps, her ankle turned—hard She reached for so, but she lost her balance She rab for another stone post, but it was too late

Gravity inning She fell backward and wasn’t able to break her fall with her hands Her head sla stone tread after tread

And as she co on the ground, the shadow of the crazy man loomed over her

Chapter 24

When Claire answered the phone early that nized the voice on the other end of the line She asked, “Where are you, Joan?”