blood. Ainsley pressed a cotton ball against it, se

eans. They were stiff with dried blood from the accident. Ainsley p

re waiting to be dep

very step, a nauseating tilt-a-whirl, but she focused

vanilla air freshener and old fast food. It was the mo

enger seat as Annie navigated

asked, merging onto the Long Is

Ainsley said. "I need to s

s phone and typed Carson

d like it rarely smiled. But it was his eyes that held Ainsley. In the older photo

Tragedy, the headline read. Th

in

t. Not pity. Strategy. A blind king is still a king, but his senses are di

Annie said, he

d ahead, taller than the car. Secur

" Ainsley said. "Th

with a catering logo was idling near a servi

Ainsley pointed. "B

to break in?"

e. I'm just... takin

r thin t-shirt and the torn denim jacket. She wrapped he

l it passed the gate, then slipped through t

as in

ith nail scissors. Ainsley stuck to the shadows of the tall hedg

eard

ass structure on the east side

e rhododendron bush, the l

e glass, s

chair, facing away from h

him, pouring tea from a

held her