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“Only one way to find out what’s in it” Joe ripped open the envelope

“Joe!” Julia rushed to his side “There could have been so You should have been more careful”

Joe was insanely pleased that she orried about his safety It showed progress And considering she’d barely looked at hi, he could do with soht before, but ere his options? If he let things progress at Julia’s pace, theybetween them was real Baby steps, he told himself He still had to take baby steps

Baby steps suc

ked

He upended the envelope over the table, and a cheap prepaid cell phone dropped out

“Guess you’re about to get a call, Patricia” Joe shared a worried look with Ed They had no time to set up a call trace, or even to check out the phone

The phone buzzed,everyone in the rooh ready to run and answer it Joe held up a hand to stop her

“It’s a text” He hit the button and read the e “It’s an IP address”

“What does that mean?” Patricia said

“It’s an internet destination They want you to go there” Julia pulled out her iPad, then rooted around in herShe came out with a cable “I’ll connect the iPad to the TV That e can all watch what Gran sees when she goes online We could crowd around the screen on ood idea to let everyone knoe’re with her—just in case they want her to enable the camera Plus, the screen is a little small”

“If this is a tay connection,” Joe said, “it’s best if the other end only see Patricia”

Julia rushed over to the large TV and connected it to her iPad Ed was shaking his head at the mystery that was Julia, while Patricia looked on proudly

“We’ll be with you every step of the way,” Joe told Patricia “If they expect you to co without consulting me first I want to keep you safe, and I need your help to do that”

Patricia nodded as Julia sat beside her at the sether, studying the screen while Julia typed in the IP address A few seconds passed before a live feed of a nondescript room appeared on the screen There was the sound of a scuffle, and a woman was pushed into the room