h. The cabin was pitch black, illuminated only by

around his neck. Brent's confession played

as a

violent mix of euphoria and devastation tearing his chest apa

A text from Jennings. Target exit

he leather steering wheel. His

he metal elevator doors fifty yards away. Hi

slid open. A pool of warm, yellow lig

a stepp

ngs stoppe

around her face as she clutched the strap of her bag with one hand. The ot

y familiar curve that hadn't changed in eight agonizing y

it. The wa

as li

ive favor of her left leg. Her ankle was wrapped in a nude co

g-of her bare knee slamming onto abrasive concrete-flashed through his mind unbidden. It was the same

n layer of hastily applied ointment, sent a jagged bolt o

by eight years of poisoned silence, watching her stumbl

e leather steering wheel u

modest sedans sat in stark contrast to his Maybach. Her voice ec

d gone upstairs, attended a meeting, and come back down. And she was still hurting. Sti

she was real, to undo every second of the d

for the d

on. The soft thud of the disengag

t-up silver sedan with a dent in the rear bumper. She fu

en. The cold air of the

epped

ch. She whirled around, her eyes wide with the same star

tion hit her face like a physical blow. Her

His hands were open at hi

lia

raped past the eight-yea

leg buckled slightly, and she grab

voice. It was fear. Fear of the man who had stared throug

veins. He had done this. He had turne

unning footsteps echo

hand, his cheap suit jacket flapping behind him. He skidded to a halt as he registered the scene-Ju

shing forward to put himse

Julianna's face. On the way her chest rose and fell with panicked breath

d not tear them all down in a single parking garage. Not like thi

tep back. T

gain, softer this tim

inked them back with a ferocity that made his heart spli

overed at her side, his expression a mi

key into the ignition with trembling hands. He watched Orville rush a

The silver sedan pulled

haust fumes curled around his ankles. The silence of

s pocket with numb fingers.

. "I need every address. Every place she's lived in the last

ed the

he driver's seat, and closed the door. The

, staring at the empty parki

ended tonight. But the re