ENTLE
ight, revealing a weathered f
ed, my voice shak
s most loyal friend and the head
rus and had kept to himself in the garage,
es locked on the shotgun. The
? This is a family matter!" Cyrus sp
tley, I've known you for thirty years, and I've never seen a fam
look after Eva. Anyone who touches a hair on her head toda
ing Cyrus's hired suits couldn't match. He was a man who had
ustration. "You think you can stop
a sharp, definitive click, he thum
just soared with hope, began to sink again. Gus wa
of a siren cut through the
. Cops? Who ca
of the house, kicking up a cloud of dust. Two more patrol cars pulled up right beh
lk white. His worst f
flew open and my fr
ht, emerged from the driver's side. His expre
ing past Gus's shotgun and Cyrus's thugs, foll
ow!" the lead trooper barked, his h
slowly placed their guns on the floor and kicked them away. Seeing the cavalry had arrived, Gus le
neutralized, the trooper's
y?" he asked, his voice
ded m
handed it to me. "Miss Bentley, this is an emergency summons from Governor Julian Sinclair
rofound relief washed over me. After all these ye
. The name hung in the air, a wea
ed. Brynlee shrank
rror and disbelief. He could never have imagined that I, the daughter he
s his meeting with Miss Bentley, this estate will be under 24-hour surveillance to ensure her safety.
ar, unambigu
isted with fear, and felt a surg
me," she breathed, her eyes bright with adrenaline. "I took it straigh
Gus, and Julian, far away in the capitol. In my
ease," the trooper said,
a grateful squeeze
ncing over at the old mechanic. "I'll keep Gus company and help
hrough the room of my stunned
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