a's discarded perfumes. Boxes were stacked against the walls, labeled "Charity" in B

lock, the kind you could pick wit

stranger. Blonde hair dyed badly, roots showing, skin p

screwed the back of the left one and tapped it into my palm. A receiver,

ear, crisp. "This is Wolf. We hav

pered. I watched t

his core temperature is erratic. Heart rate variability is dangerously low. It's consistent with high-dose

imprisoning him; they were erasing him. "Understood," I

x. The Vances are the least of your worr

loorboards in the hallway were old; they groaned und

it just as the wood of the door frame splinte

bottle of vodka in one hand and a small, silver object i

the door?" she slurred. "

e dresser. "I'm sorry," I said, my voice

behind her. She looked at me, really looked at me,

spat. "Under all that dirt. You think you

I held up my hands. "

" She

a dermaplaning razor, small but sharp enough t

th for ten years-tachypsychia. In the high-stress moment of

la's weight shifted entirely onto her right foot, her balance co

hree places before she blinked.

he trailer park gir

nd threw myself to the side, flai

momentum carried her forward, and s

nd, the razor slashing wil

space between the bed and the bathr

wrist. To her, it would feel like a desperate grab. To me, it was a calcula

going numb. The razor cl

and pivoted my hips. I spun her around and slamme

obe. I pressed her face down toward the water for a fraction of a second-just

she gurgled

the hall. Heavy, an

loor, scrambling backward until my back hit the toilet. I

room. "What the hell

ghing, water dripping from her nose. "She atta

e. I was huddled in the corner, s

dancing... she had the knife... I

. She looked at the razor. She looked at her d

da hissed at Kayl

st!" Kayla wailed

nspected it. "It's not broken, y

walked over and slap

to the side. I let the tears spil

d if you touch my daughter again, I will

so sorry." I kept my head dow

eard them arguing down the hall, Kayla's

wered the towel. My expression was blank. I touched

would help sell t

he mirror again. I wiped t

whispered to t