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Marcus was dead on the ground before her

Ghosts

Her fas, for knohen it was going to rain, for a sense of foreboding when there was danger

Her faeneral and turning to see that the deadher shoulder froht of herself as a coward

But she was!

"Liv," Marcus said "LivI’s--I didn’t! And it wasn’t an accident I was killed, Liv It wasscream escaped her lips; she heard that much

Then she keeled over on top of Marcus Danby’s body in a dead faint

1

Theheld at the General Bixby Tavern, just off the I-95 South exit in northern Virginia

Dustin kneell He’d often stopped there when he was a kid and his parents had taken hi historians, they would have lived at the Sht that the tavern’s owners had hired an actor to portray General Bixby Bixby had been kind to hi humiliated and hurt, as only a kid could be, when he’d discovered that there was no actor and his parents were concerned about his invention of iinary friends Then, of course, he’d disturbed theeneral--or a much older person, and an expert on the Civil War--would know

That had led to a number of sessions with a psychiatrist

Dustin had then inary friend That had brought about deep thought on the part of his parents--and it had also brought about his sister His extreht be given to such flights of fancy because he was lonely So they’d set forth to add to their faht He loved his sister

He pulled off the interstate and took an exit that led nowhere except Old Tavern Road Soon he pulled his black SUV into the lot at the tavern and parked For a

What was now the General Bixby Tavern had actually been built during the A the Civil War, it had been renainary friend" who had, while he was alive, braved heavy artillery to save both Union and Confederate soldiers This hen a fire had broken out in the nearby forest While ht have sat atop his horse far froht into the inferno Wounded after dragging at least twenty injured ht to the tavern where he’d died, pleading that the nation settle its differences and find peace

He really was a fine old gentleman Dustin knew that well

He exited the car and headed up the old wooden steps to the broad porch that wrapped around the tavern This many years later, the tavern was still basically in the wilderness--the closest town being Fredericksburg Winter was approaching and there was a little coolness in the air, heightened by the thickness of the woods around thehost hunters," kept it fro into ruin

When Dustin stepped inside the diht He wondered instantly if thehad been planned so he’d have a few seconds of disorientation--a tiht be observed and not observe in return

As his eyes adjusted, he saw General Bixby seated at the bar The general nodded gravely at Dustin, indicating a group across the room

Dustin nodded in return, then moved toward the others He saw David Caswell stand; he’d been sitting at a corner booth Casasn’t alone There were two other men with him One was dark-haired with Native Aht-skinned and light-haired When they, too, stood to meet him, he saw that they were both tall and fit And both earing casual suits Not the usual feds--if that hat they were

"Dustin!" David Caswell said The pleasure of his greeting seereeted David, shaking his hand He glanced at the other two men and waited

"I’d like you to meet Jackson Crow and Malachi Gordon," David turned "Jackson, Malachi, Special Agent Dustin Blake When I first started with the police force in Savannah, Dustin and I were partners He’s the best--and rare in his abilities"

"Thank you for coain They studied him, and he returned their stare