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Voices and car doors could be heard, h the walls of the floor, so I craned my head toward the door to listen Brett walked to the front door and opened it, waiting I heard a voice whispering to so of a door, and then two pairs of footsteps climb onto the porch

“Where is Desiree?” a voice said that I instantly recognized

Hope filled my chest, and I beamed as I shouted

“Down here!”

I rapped on the door aboveabove me as the coffee table was moved and voices spoke in low tones as the front door shut Then the door to the little room opened, and Sammi’s dad’s face beamed down at me

“Desiree,” he said, sounding relieved “Thank God”

“Mr DeLuca,” I shouted

Pairs of arms reached down and lifted me effortlessly out of the hole I eht An instant and painful ne It was the same kind my own father had alorn He and Mr DeLuca had been best friends, host, and I felt tears sting the corners of my eyes

“You are safe now”

“I know”

“Not that she wasn’t safe with you two,” he said, pullingto Brett and Aiden as the t stood by the coffee table “Thank you, boys You took care of her against some bad stronzos Which one of you is Aiden?”

Aiden raised his hand, and Mr DeLuca nition and held his hand out to shake Aiden took it, and I pulled away for a moment to move out of the way as the men shut the cellar door

“Mr DeLuca,” Aiden said as he shook his hand

“Call me Al,” he said “My friends call irl, you can call me whatever you want”

“Thank you, sir”