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She glanced down at the cellphone photo, certain she’d done right by the girl “Don’t you worry, Kendall We got him”

Her attention glued to her prize, Claire turned the corner into the kitchen and tripped Her knees pounded against the floor Pain erupted in her kneecaps as violently as an egg exploding in the microwave

“Shit!”

Dragging in a ragged breath, she looked over her shoulder to see what she’d stumbled over

Jake lay unnaturally still in the threshold

The earth stopped spinning as anguish squeezed out the rest of the world Had he tripped and fallen against the dish rack? That would explain the earlier noise

Ignoring her aching knees, she crawled over to him “Jake!”

His eyes remained shut He didn’t move, not even to flinch at her panicked cry

The right side of his face appeared red and swollen A deep gash above his right eye dripped blood onto the floor She dabbed at the blood, relieved to see him jerk back when she touched his injury

“Thank God, with all that’s happened you scared me there Jake, are you okay? Talk to rabbed his shoulders and shook him

He groaned and blinked, s her chest eased a bit She caressed his cheek and he lifted himself to his elbows Her heart traveled back froain

“What happened?” His words slipped out in a woozy tone Confusion danced across his face for a rabbed her wrist in a tight squeeze

“Claire, get out Get out now” His words were a hard whisper

“Wha—”

A throat cleared behind her and an intense and immediate dark haze of terror thickened around her She jumped up and spun around