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"I understand," Olivia told her dully

Accidents happened

Well, they did, but in this case it was a lie

But she gave the sa that the Horse Farm premises and activities were safe She said they were all devastated by Aaron’s accident and that they prayed he’d one, she walked into the office and fell into one of the comfortable chairs, exhausted Sydney followed her in

"Where’s Sa should have been there when she arrived; he should’ve been around, wagging his tail and barking with excite--and I kno much you love hiht, scratched at the door I put hiuess he didn’t want to be left behind Or else"

"Or else?"

"Maybe he sensed soet him for you, butcan you tell me more about Aaron?" His features were tense "I’ve only spoken with Frank Vine and the info line at the hospital Oh, and Sandra They don’t see at all, except that apparently he wasn’t breathing, the fed got hiain andthat’s it"

"You know as much as we know We haven’t had phone service most of the way I spoke with Sandra briefly and she was breathing fire I was hoping you could tell us so," Olivia said

Before he could answer her, Drew, Mason and Mariah trailed in, all looking weary and dejected They perched on various seats about the roo but Deputy Callahan walked in behind her

"Hey, Sydney, do you have coffee going by any chance?" he asked

"I always have coffee going," Sydney retorted "Or so was apparent

He poured the deputy aof coffee and handed it to hi We could all go and sit at the hospital, but hell, Sandra’s already doing that I’ve been calling the hospital’s patient-information line every thirtyexcept ‘the patient is in stable condition’"

"Stable is good," Mariah said

"Yeah," Mason agreed "Much better than"

He didn’t finish his sentence They all knehat he hadn’t said

Dead Stable was much better than dead

"I’ve talked to Sandra a few ti fire"

"Well, of course They’ve been seeing each other for ages--discreetly, or so they believed," Mariah said

"I didn’t know," Olivia ossip"

"Nor, apparently, do I payon around me," Olivia said dryly

"They did tell her this h a bunch of tests--brain scans--hoping he didn’t do any perht now Well, he’s breathing They’re doing all the thingsthat hospitals do" He looked at Olivia "We can’t lose Aaron"

"No, we can’t," she said "We have to go on faith and hope"

Sydney took a cup of coffee himself and sat on one of the sofas across froe House don’t think the boys should come back here, at least for now They’re afraid the parents will pull all the kids out of their prograan, "Marcus started this place with littleHe built it up, creating the wonderful facility that exists today We’ll hang in and wait this out"

"I believe in e’re doing I kid all the ti to be aiswe’ve all still got to live"

"Eating is a good pastis," Drew said "I’m fine, and I’ll stick it out"

"Horses have to eat, too," Sydney re hoht now"

"But I’ so at your own risk," the deputy said

Everyone in the room seemed to freeze

At last Mariah repeated his words weakly "At my own risk?"

"We don’t believe these were accidents anymore," Callahan told her