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She hoped he’d had ti it was less destroyed

As she got closer, she even called out his name “Ari? Ari, are you okay?”

She heard nothing—and as she got to the huge tree branch that stuck out past the crued to look inside

And backed up fast

Ari was thereas left of hi with those branches there, but she did see part of his body What she could make out was covered with blood

She gasped “Ari?” she said again No response No movement Since the as b

roken, she made herself turn and carefully reach inside, her hands still behind her, and ed to touch Ari’s neck No indication of a pulse—and considering what he looked like, she kneas dead

She felt tears streauy, and he clearly had felt no coive a damn about her But no matter who he was, she didn’t wish this on anyone

She htest idea where they were, since she really didn’t know the route from the courthouse to the prison, and this ay off in the middle of nowhere

And even if she wasn’t hit by a falling tree, how long could she survive out here in the elements, after an awful earthquake—and unable to free or use her hands?

Ari had secured her in the back of the van, re to check her handcuffs before they’d left Was there any possibility he’d kept the keys?

Surely so He’d need to unlock the cuffs when they reached the prison Of course there ht be a separate set there, but just in case he had one, shearound the back of the truck since the tree blocked her from the front

As she walked, she listened No more loud sounds like those caused by the quake but there were plenty of calls of ani area No sound of other vehicles—or people—that she could hear

Nothing else suggesting further tremors—or worse At least not at the moment

Reaching the passenger door, she turned around and used her bound hands to try to open it