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Simple? The murder had been sied in the law, and then when the law here realized that yes, addicts do fall back, you just had to call your cousin You knoas onto you--I knew as soon I saw Mr Handsos Yeah, he needed therapy, ht?" Olivia said "I mean, you needed help, didn’t you?"

"Sandra is an idiot!" Mariah snapped "She wanted Marcus out of the way because she wanted Aaron running the place She wanted Marcus’s house, and she wanted Aaron in charge, and she wanted a raise After that, she wanted the two of the seeether once Marcus was dead, it looked like the Horse Far to survive! And Aaron was a jerk--"

"But Sandra just let you kill hiht have been a bad choice as a helper--although she should’ve been good She can be such a bitch, but she’s really a total coward And duht what happened at the streaeneral so I could get all excited and create a diversion before Aaron was found She didn’t help me She didn’t even know I didn’t count on the ripped-up pieces of that cow being all over--they really did make me scream And itthat "

Olivia stared at her It was aled mind The old cliché about method in madness occurred to her "Whatwhat about the darts?" she asked "How did you come up with that?"

"Olivia, I have to tell you--the dart thing is just great I make those little suckers myself I add the tiny feathers and then they fly like a dahtest ether is pretty i for specific poisons to even hope to find them at autopsy I learned all that from Drew and Sydney, by the way They kno to mix stuff up because Marcus insisted they had to be prepared for aniencies at all times"

"Good to hear you’re such a wonderful student," Olivia told her "So, Sandra didn’t know you were going to kill Aaron--but she gave you the key to his place, anyway?"

Mariah didn’t answer

"She didn’t give you the key, did she? You took it and had a copy o," Mariah said proudly

"So, Sandra’s really innocent?" Olivia asked

"No Sandra innocent? Giveto do to Marcus In fact, she told me that if I wanted to make it look like someone else was involved, I should take his horse--or hers Depending on who I wanted to iled "I would’ve taken Shiloh, but you were riding him that day As far as Sandra’s concerned--well, if this bit her in the butt, she deserved it"

Olivia reined in and turned around "Where are we going?"

"Don’t you know yet?"

"No, I don’t"

Mariah s I want from you--before you die, of course"

"What’s that?"

"I want to see the general"

Olivia gaped at her

"I know you’ve seen hiive it toto stay alive here, but--"

"Then don’t lie"

"Ghosts were people, Mariah They remain the real essence of the person they were"

"Spiritual crap, Olivia Keep at it"

"Ghosts don’t just appear on coainst her waist There had to be a chance for her to use it Maybe now

By the ti and quit stalling"

"Why? Because you know it’s all over? That so for the two of us"

"If they do, we’ll go out together," Mariah pro the kids to do their best--to reach for what they want and work hard to achieve it I’ We’re alain and came to the point in the copse where they had to dismount so they could walk the trail to the ce around his grave?" Olivia asked

"You’d better hope," Mariah et down"

Olivia dis

"Move"

Olivia followed the trail to the shaht, but the surrounding trees shaded them from the sun