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“I had the suspect under control when you continued to aim your weapon at me,” I said

“He was starting to shape-shift, Blake You didn’t see Ray’s body I did If I had to choose between that and being shot, I’d take the bullet”

“I wasn’t in danger from Bobby Marchand—only from you, Leduc”

“Well, that’s gratitude for you,” he said, and he was so calm—calmer than he should have been unless he already knew that Anthony would lie for him

“Let’s get your deputy up here Once she backs you up, then this discussion is over,” Livingston said

“Deputy Anthony is with our female suspect,” Duke said

“I’ll have one of our female officers stay with the woman”

“We are wasting time here,” Duke said

“Yeah, it would be a shame to waste time e could just kill the suspect and find out he’s innocent later,” I said I should have saved the sarcasm, but sometimes old habits die hard

“Ipeewee football I’ve known him all his life I don’t want to see hierous to be living beside other people He has forfeited his right to live by killing soht he could spend his life locked up,the law allows for this crime is death If that’s all we can do to punish the crime and protect the rest of the people, then we need to do it The two of you need to do your damn job”

“I didn’t realize you knew Bobby that well,” Newman said in the sudden almost uncomfortable silence

“My son was the sae as Bobby, so I saw a lot of hie”

Leduc spoke of his son in the past tense He also didn’t mention a name, just my son, as if the name was too painful, too real If his son had been a friend of Bobby’s when they were boys, and then the son had died young, seeing Bobby all grown-upBobby be the one who had killed thefor Lila Leduc’ssalt in old wounds No wonder the sheriff was all over the board emotionally If he hadn’t been the only sheriff in town

, I’d have tried to get hi enough to take anyone off the roster

I wasn’t sure e should have said in that suddenly silent room I kneasn’t about to say a da anything in the face of such possible grief A purposeful knock at the double doors ended the aard pause