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“Good night,” she said Then, with a wide sot into my truck to head home

12

Desiree

The phone was ringing somewhere in the house, but I had no idea where

Lying down for a nap was probably a bad idea, but the adrenaline of the last few days had finally calmed, and after a heavy dinner of pasta and ht would be fifteenthat the sky outside had gone from somewhat dark to pitch-black, and uessed I er than that

Flipping the switch to light up the hallway, I had to squint because the light was too bright As soon as Iroo room la roo my eyes further

The phone stopped ringing just after I got into the roo the cushions for it I found it after a minute or so, stuffed down under a pillow that I had been dozing against before I made the choice that the bed would beit out, I saw that there was a missed call, but before I could see who it was, another call was conized the area code as one fro from the house Her parents still had one of those old house phones bolted to the wall in the kitchen Occasionally, it rang while I was over They never answered it I wondered what the point was

Sliding the button over to answer it, I pressed it against my ear

“Hello?”

Silence on the other end

“Hello?” I repeated

“Hello, Desiree,” ain a way that sent icicles into et ahold of”

“Who is this?” I said, trying not to let my voice tremble “Who are you?”

“You don’t know me,” the voice said “But your father did He knew er, I saw the look of betrayal in his eyes” The voice laughed, and I felt dizzy, ht it would be me The stupid bastard”

“I know nothing about my father’s business,” I said firmly “Leave me alone”

“No,” the h I made a promise to end your family once and for all I can’t do that if there are still Giannottis running around Your bloodline needs to end, piccola ragazza”