His Betrayal, My Steel-Legged Return

lyn

ment, I thought it was a nightmare. A horrible, vivid dream. I tried to wriggle my toes, a small, secret test I' d

xt. Antiseptic and

alls and humming machines. I was in a private room. Sunlight streame

on a pillow. My right leg was encased in a monstrous framework of metal pins and rod

ll

city, clearing the fog in an inst

othing was where it was supposed to be. My purse was gone,

y, just outside my partially open d

still be ab

ed in my chest, a knot of pure, prima

, sweetie. It will take a long time to heal. It was the only way. You understand

d. The only way?

eelchair?" Hollis as

But it' s for the best. Now she can' t leave.

ded like a p

ispered. "When those men pretended t

u did exactly what we rehearsed. You made Mommy believe you were in da

s the star of a show d

nto something chillingly casual. "I like Brenna better anyway. She' s prettier tha

s paralyzed, but my mind was screaming. The pain in my leg was a distant throb c

A trap. And my own child, my beautiful ei

aughter. My scho

the one my grandmother used to tell me. The farmer who finds a frozen snake and takes it home

d them with my love, my money, my life. And they had

by two uniformed police off

is is Officer Chen. We' re here to ask

rushed to my bedside, his face a perfect mask of angui

hought..." He buried his face in the sheets,

es wide and wet with crocodile tears. She l

you, Mrs. Blair," Detective Miller said, his voice

erce. "Anything you need, Detective. Anything. We

ce. I looked at my daughter, her sweet, treacherous fac

o had just been handed the real script. Everyone else w

is notepad ready. "Mrs. Blair,

' s grip tighten on my hand, a silent warning. I me

my voice a raw whisper. "He

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