Love in the Ashes

issal of Michael' s attack f

r fi

dane, a pathetic attempt to cov

ctive, a wave of disbelief

tal bed, barely alive," she sai

gating a criminal organizati

st shrugged, his

rushing message: no on

position of

d not be

to the local news station

nds clutching a photo of her brother, and

tely, refusing to let them dis

syndicate because he was about to expose their crimin

to cover it up. But I have proof, and

ect challenge, a lin

g across the street from a sleek, modern s

Conso

in bold silver letters

he heart o

e suits walk in and out, their

tried to crush her brother, a wor

e curb, and Thorne himself stepp

s thestreet and

, his smug s

ed her to show u

or sat by Michael's bedside, the steril

him about her day, about her visit to Thorn

key," she whispered, her

t let t

ow easy it would be to retreat into

s still face, and the resolve

e General Sterling, she was m

lder this time,

ion clear. This is a police matter. Continu

a surge of

him! He trusted him!" sh

me talk to him f

ne wen

rayal of her father's memory and t

e city park, the weight of her

less against the vast, corr

laugh and play, their lives untouched

etely alone i

ack to her car, two

thugs; they looked more like petty crimin

r Vance?" one

estions. It would be a shame if you

was crude b

on, a sign that her act

er, but their prese

to her car, her heart

itary headquarters, a sprawling, impos

n't hav

ing on pure

gate, where a guard in a

l Sterling," she said

at her, his exp

an appointm

n with official plates

ble for just a second,

, his face set in a

n't se

gnize, a strikingly beautiful woman with perfectly styl

w, confusing knot of p

n, but not for the daught

the outside, watching the taillights