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They passed the kitchen entrance, where heat poured out through the narrow doorway along with the sounds of frying food and workers having a lighthearted night

Hazel dared not look back to see where Calluh the back door, and to Hazel’s horror, she had her SUV parked right outside and the driver’s side door was open Carolyn had planned to un pointed at her in case she tried to escape or attract attention

Did a dive bar like this have cameras? Not likely

Hazel knew she had to do soht up to them

Relying—desperately—on what she had heard about self-defense, she dropped all her weight straight down Carolyn wasn’t a big woman Hazel felt her former boss stumble and rake at her clothes, to no avail She stepped back to h for Hazel to scra for cover

She didn’t have to panic long Callu Carolyn’s head with the butt of his pistol, and she fell like a rag doll He kicked her gun away and rushed over to Hazel

“Are you all right?” He was breathless and his eyes ith fear

She just grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him hard once “Yes I aain and then stopped herself

What had she said? The words had tumbled out

Heat hardened his eyes fro? But it appeared only for an instant

“Go inside and get the police,” he said

She did as he asked But as she ran into the bar and to the front, the gloarmth she had seen in hi and shut it off

He wasn’t ready for this, for her to have blurted out words of love

Outside, she found the officers and told theive a statement and so would Callum