His only withness

elief at the face b

e'd seen somew

react and she hit the ground with

ing her mouth

get enough of a foothold to propel

kles and pulled h

d in her chest, f

e couldn't end like

n to Tom if her

ld take care of him,

ashed through

had followed her

n with him, this

daylight

had to do somet

e kicked franticall

ng when one foot

onnected wi

on her other foot

le to ignore her

, but her attacke

ng he

th every ounce

ins

ver. If she coul

as no doubt about

oo strong for

one arm around

mercilessly slamm

ace again. He str

uckled and she san

her spiraling

dimmer sight a

e through, penetr

up residence in

i! Ke

urmured into the

i

ill." Her attacke

and she shuddered

g thro

o

e, moving away

ng f

er

grew nearer

whispered.

tfalls faded compl

ng from the direc

ld

d to h

Wade to get Tom.

one could

og thickened, pu

deep abyss of unconsciousness be

stening for the slightest sou

and raced away from him. He moved

to make sure s

her red hair sp

igure sprawled in a

without

o

rri

r, dropping to h

st for a pulse, breathing a huge sig

and s

er

alled h

n his hands

earchi

major dama

oody, yet nothin

where she'd obviously been struck

he'd pas

she mu

gathered her gently into his arm

t spo

inked open. Tom

o muster his most confident expre

hadn't seen a thing at Pine Ridge-h

on might

imaced as she w

ove out of

n and hide-to he

ed Kerri sit uprigh

s much as he wan

r battered spirit."

they won'

ed slightly just a

they'd been suspended

realization that same direction into

ade hel

nstructed

thed the

e to he

e

and running be

his q

OUGH the foliag

ng a path, small

inst her body, sna

heavy lock of hair

e frantically wipe

sticky wetness that

doubt. H

as she could, we

llowing her through

arm, urging her

e go

o say the words

d them in

wing only enough

stride for stride

tion of t

d, battered and s

care. She had to

ve sustained

uncontrollably,

in the dust and p

ks, frozen momentar

the body m m

his shoul

ade cal

ow

ked, ducking nex

he carefully appr

or a pulse then

umbled to h

person? WVher

d he been

taken off in the

possible that not

cabin but that a

hots? But who? S

or pro

sed to her should

alf to death by th

htened face was

her arms around

ou all

t her shoulder,

obbing, so un

hoever had put such fear into h

nothing to k

th

oved back to w

He pulled off hi

's face as she

was doing, and

apprec

et spotted h

he saw, t

r eyes, but she

to show weaknes

er to be strong, a

Wade see he

who attacked me"

I recognize him from the mug shots. Th

the man who s

nd Kerri turned his cheek, forcin

e was chasing me

he got

Her son could h

e shot?" she

y snapping his e

pped themselves

he puled Tom

packing up and ge

e to,

ep breath and sh

he sligh

ade, instantly

determination i

st the pla

's w

d to stop her be

is is different.

he three of

, they were packe

dirt swirling b

away from

n to MeCann descr

the body, When as

t them, McCann to

a who the shooter

been Kerri

ies chilled Wa

with Project Lib

Something

o sit tight until

but Wade simply

his

e heat of Kerri'

between them. He

ted on Tom coming f

t be home safe an

kly toward the

tantly, emotional

ng

stop." Wade said

ake

her head. "We ne

ast. Then we need

to touch her fa

w

you cleaned I up.

dismissively. "I

care

uttered, refocusi

didn't want. He planned to stop f

he did just that,

same time. Tom h

in the backseat

's batte

each touch. Do

" she w

"Hard to say wi

"Then I guess

down the road,

ap, untouched. Wad

n the

reality of their

houghts as much a

uick glance, he

ngled for positio

ke damn sure she

once he got he

en a

unched down in th

fficiency. Kerri s

see, the surf as it

ardwalk under the

Jersey the l

d barely

dren's laughter.

walk carnival ride

n h

iltered in through th

vily with the tang

a ride, Mom

night,

en

h

erson-or perso

are beh

" She shook her

Maybe to

ank back down i

until they'd unp

o their tin

have some time

xactly what was on

on into harm's wa

ith his kiss

ponsible for

and dismay swirl

dare

ough her hair as

time to worry ab

ping

on keeping Tom

ings under control

and that included

nresolved iss

't afford to wast

stening toor arg

n had

cked the car, Wad

ding something coo

tered through Ke

urn. Kerri had tak

cy kitchen and ha

necessary cooking

was put togethe

'd hastil

ain about the bo

orture for him to

. He understood t

n he didn't unders

he d

phone rang, she

eaching out a hand

ed the

Wade?" His pal

head. "He kno

ed the cord from

r video ga

used on the elect

e it to le

to finish unpac

st to breathe slow

called the room

beat of

Probably meant

ked

ered the effici

could ask t

you c

owed, his focus

" she explained

angling cord. "It

d a small paperbag on the well-wor

nserted the line i

hree keys on

ked the cord from the wall. Thought I might be able to

ted in herself. She had

l four." Tom said

om hi

eased across Wa

r. Kerri smiled a

eatures before Wade gl

de blew out a bre

ed. Long

caught up in prov

n the part o

ce to vindicate the Sor

g to John Nelson'

better. Knew the

concrete, yet still

rk. In the end, i

e price for

himself in a ha

thrust Tom front

radar screen by i

tice for the famil

he also wanted t

n the

d tossed out the ide

is eyes shut an

do such a t

ation meant everything to him. Ev

ich Project Liber

Tom q

him to make sur

testify. Then they

ves and Wade's reputation would rem

ook into each others eyes, unable

was nothing simple at

blesse