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Olivia nodded "It really was a good stateht, then We just lie low When asked, we say that we don’t knoas going on in his ood We’ll say that we’ll never forget hi up the subject unless you’re asked So, everyone, have a good night"

"Wait, wait, wait," Olivia said, rising "I think e’ve talked about here is important We also need to find out what happened" She looked around at all of them "Do you honestly think Marcus just had a stash out in the woods? That he had it there for a long time--just in case the day ca? We need to pursue the truth"

"How?" Mariah asked "We’d need an army to comb the property and the woods There are just seven of us The police have other things to do, and we’re not asking clients--so paraphernalia!"

"There’s his house," Olivia said, turning to Aaron "If his house was searched, we’d at least knoasn’t using there--or considering it"

Aaron left out a soft sigh "I believe that, as of tomorrow, the house will be mine You can search to your heart’s content, Liv And if any of us thinks of a forest hidey-hole, we can search that, too Liv, I don’t knohat else to do!"

"I’ve been in his house," Sydney said He worked the cap furiously in his hands "I went to get his suit for the funeral ho, and I sure as hell didn’t see anything that would indicate Marcus had lost it Of course, that was before they released the autopsy report"

"Maybe toested

"Yeah," Sandra said "Oh, Olivia, honey, I kno much you loved Marcus But what can we possibly prove?"

"That he didn’t fall back on drugs, Sandra! It couldfor the Horse Farht if you want," Aaron said "Olivia, you can do anything that’ll make you feel better, and when you need our help, just say so"

She had the feeling that what he really meant was emotional help; still, it seemed that Aaron was on her side, and that mattered

"Thanks," she told hi here at ten," Aaron said "See you in the et into conversations about Marcus--or about Dustin, Olivia knew

She didn’t want to get into a conversation

She drove ho’s back and spoke to him for a minute before she looked around downstairs

"Marcus?" she called

There was no answer She went up to her rooed into comfortable sweats, then came back downstairs

Marcus was there, in the kitchen "Wish I could’ve put the teakettle on for you," he told her

"That would have been nice" She put the kettle on and leaned against the stove "Maybe in time," she said

"In time!" he protested, then smiled at her "That’s almost Biblical A tiht I want to walk into that light, Liv I’ve seen it It’s beautiful I should go there"

"Oh, Marcus" She wanted to give hiht is thereand it’s what you want, then you should go into it We’ll get along here, I proent out to investigate" She paused Yeah, and he likes to play Ping-Pong and go cao to the light"

"No, actually, I can’t Not yet Not until I’s But the thing is--I didn’t So I just can’t leave"

"Why not?"

"I don’t knohy not!" he said, aggrieved "You figure out theof life and death--I sure as hell don’t know it!"

Before she could respond, Saht after that, there was a knock on her door

Olivia stared at Marcus, wondering why she should feel so alarmed "Why don’t you answer that?" Marcus asked

She nodded "Fine You stay put"