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“Make the call,” Claire said “Damn it, Joan! Run!”

Claire’sShe obviously couldn’t count on Joan to do what needed to be done, and she didn’t know if she could count on Robert to help her, either Claire was surrounded by eccentrics when she needed an ambulance filled with professionals and a platoon of cops

She went back to Robert and Peter Robert had completely lost his cool As far as Claire could tell, he wasn’t acting Clearly, he cared a lot about the man in his ar consciousness She told Robert, “Joan is calling an ambulance” Honestly, she couldn’t be confident that Joan had listened to her, but she hoped the neould calm Robert down

Claire walked toward the street and looked out over a grassy hillock and the stone staircase that led toward the drive, the gates, and the street

She was completely unprepared to see a wo toward the bottom

Oh, my God Peter had killed someone

Of course She and Joan had heard shots at breakfast, and they had been fatal Claire ran toward the body, and once she got closer, her heart almost stopped

It couldn’t be true, but it was

The woman on the steps had a blond mop of curls and her entire outfit was baby blue It was Cindy

And she was lying round

Please Don’t let her be dead

Chapter 27

Claire knelt down beside her friend There was blood at Cindy’s teentle rise and fall of Cindy’s chest Her friend was still breathing

Claire felt her pulse It was strong Thank you, Lord

“Cindy, can you hear me? It’s me, Claire”