ed inches fro

med a fist against the horn. Victoria grabbed Lena's coat and

Victoria landed on top of her, her

ond, neit

ved her away.

e under

m n

oot slipped, and she dropped back wit

e. You mig

don't t

someone to call an ambulance. Cars piled up behind

oked at Lena's face, searching for blood,

your toes?"

hed. "Stop prete

linched. "

id you brea

n't me

bbed me.

losed around Lena's sleeve. She had wanted to keep her f

side them. "Ambulance is c

aking hand to her

ot," Vict

ell me w

e traffic noise. The paramedics checked Lena's leg and back, then

ambulance before anyone co

ned her

rough the double doors. Victoria foll

u a rel

r best

to Victoria's wet clothes and sc

locked between her thighs. She could still hear the b

hone

e. Meeting ran over

niel had met Lena at the hotel. Here, he was still at work-or said

ad saved he

only delayed

e are you now?

ankle, but no fractures or internal injuries. She would be

Victoria so hard she

I see

ded. "Briefly.

ack strapped to her ankle. She stared

y," Victo

tened. "You kee

t want y

wanted me

chair. "I didn't want

hy

morrow he

ooked at Lena's bruised ankle and the

what he was d

r head. "What

w he's not goin

still. "He told

what you wa

know what

swer that wouldn't

sheet. "I wanted to hear him sa

meet him a

couldn't t

chest. She had stopped the meeting, but not because she had

htly. "You could have called me. You

n't kn

broke

break it o

You still ma

rose too quickly, knocking the chair b

fli

ur things,"

already cal

walk on t

l ma

plead, to grab Lena and make her stay where she could keep he

he said. "If you chang

osed he

oria

in the kitchen, standing beside the sink

calls?" he asked, droppi

ce him. "I was a

n sharpened.

N

happ

a fe

e all

kept for o

incing that Victoria nearly believed it. H

see her?"

know she w

an to meet

drew toget

he ho

e. Tin

shook his

ach tightened.

what i

for the man she had seen with Le

er sai

u d

n to worry. "You've had a frightenin

shoulder. She sla

t tou

al seconds, they stared at e

upstairs,

, the kitch

Daniel lay on his side beside the table, one arm folded b

shattered ne

ped to her kn

was warm. She shook him, sobbing, and

lled agains

beside the table, its

is