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With great effort he signed I … a he hadn’t misspelled the last word and told her he was a fiend

She seemed puzzled but her eyes were hopeful On the chance he’dshe would have to understand: N … U … M … A …

Her eyes greide and he held a finger to his lips again

He nodded toward the guard, pulled the pistol from his pocket and cocked it The man’s eyes opened at the sound

“Don’t move,” Kurt said

He held the pistol with his right hand and grabbed the uy didn’t flinch

Kurt pointed toward the back of the plane When the guard looked that way, Kurt whauard dropped like a sack of flour, but he didn’t go out A second blow did the trick

By the tied and tied to the floorboards of one of the boats near the tail end of the aircraft

As Kurt finished tying him down, Leilani spoke “Who are you?” she asked

Kurt slad I am that you don’t know”

Of course she had no idea what he was talking about, but Kurt wasa mental note that from now on he’d be suspicious of anyone who kneho he was before he’d introduced himself

“My name’s Kurt Austin,” he said “I knew your brother I’ure out what happened to him”

“Did you find him?”

Kurt shook his head “No,” he said “I’m sorry”

She gulped back a wave of emotion and took a slow, deep breath “I didn’t think anyone would,” she said quietly “I could alone”