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“You’re more like her than you want to admit,” he responded quietly Then his voice was suddenly loud and abrasive “I don’t think you understand the kind of pressure I’ave to you”

Lou’s voice was just as loud, despite the tremor that escaped with it She punctuated each word “I Don’t Know What You’re Talking About!”

“Black bag, Lou I as in the black bag Then I’ll walk away and never darken your door again” He smirked at her

“What if I can’t give it to you? What then? What will you do?” Lou sat forward and steeled herself “How ? What would make you happy?”

“Well, well Little Miss High-and-Mighty has some ar

“I have sos Tell et it”

Lou relaxed visibly when he stepped back from the car

“I’ll check with my boss and find out if there’s an amount that would be suitable Then I’ll be in touch”

“How long?”

He appeared to mull it over “I’ll come and see you soon”

He didn’t wait for her response but turned to go back to his own car He tapped the back fender of the Jeep as he walked away

Lou started the Jeep with a tre hand and pulled out into the street She drove hoo and slaravel as she did so

She jumped out of the Jeep, ran to the kitchen door, and walked in Sadie, Jeb, and John were sitting at the kitchen table and were surprised by her entrance She walked over to the table and sat down, looking each of them in the eye in turn Calmly, she s

tated, “We need to talk”

Lou recounted her experience to the only three people in the world who knew her history and where she came fro was going on as he pulled the last correspondence from Wes out of his pocket