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She shook her head, pushed herself into the far corner of the sofa “I can’t talk to you”

“Congresswoman DeBlass, I’o”

“No, no I didn’t” Panicked, Catherine wrapped her arhtly around her chest “I didn’t call I didn’t say anything”

As Richard leaned over to touch her, Eve shot hilance Deliberately, she put herself between theid hand “You wanted me to help And I will help you”

“You can’t No one can I rong to call We have to keep it in the faan to swio away, far away, so I can protect them”

“We’ll protect them,” Eve said quietly “We’ll protect you It was too late to protect Sharon You can’t blame yourself”

“I didn’t try to stop it,” Catherine said in a whisper “Maybe I was even glad, because it wasn’t me anymore It wasn’t me”

“Ms DeBlass, I can help you I can protect you and your family Tell me who raped you”

Richard let out a hiss of shock “My God, what are you saying? What—”

Eve turned on him, eyes fierce “Be quiet There’s no more secrets here”

“Secrets,” Catherine said between tre lips “It has to be a secret”

“No, it doesn’t This kind of secret hurts It crawls inside you and eats at you It uilty The ones ant it to be secret use that—the guilt, the fear, the shaht back is to tell Tell me who raped you”

Catherine’s breath shuddered out She looked at her brother, terror bright in her eyes Eve turned her face back, held it

“Look at me Just me And tell me who raped you Who raped Sharon?”

“My father” The words burst from her in a howl of pain “My father My father My father” She buried her face in her hands and sobbed