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Back Less than Dead Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. TITLE PAGE
  3. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  4. DEDICATION
  5. CONTENTS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“You’re already involved. The guy who killed Marge wanted to stop the person responsible for finding those graves—that’s you. As long as he doesn’t know about you, you’re safe—but how long will that last? The only way to keep you safe forever is to find that guy before he finds out about you, and I need your help to do that. This isn’t for Marge, Alena—it’s for you.”

“But if I help you again, somebody is bound to find out.”

“We can work at night, just like before. I’m sorry to have to ask you this, Alena, but I told Gunner I’d try to keep you safe—and this is the only way I know to do it.”

She paused. “Let me think about it.”

“Fair enough—I need to get back to the Patriot Center anyway.” He turned and started off toward his car. A few yards away he turned and looked back. “Hey—can I tell you something without offending you?”

“I doubt it.”

“I like insects better than people.”

She glared at him. “Is that supposed to make me feel better about myself ?”

“No—it’s supposed to make you feel better about me.”

22

22

“You’re late,” Danny said. “The briefing is supposed to be at noon—on the dot.”

Nick pulled out a chair and sat down. “I never do anything ‘on the dot.’”

“I do.”

“Well, there are medications for that.” He nodded a greeting to Kegan.

“It’s not like you to be late for work,” Kegan said. “You’re usually the first one here.”

“I couldn’t tear myself away from Endor,” Nick said. “There’s so much to do.”

“I hear Victoria Braden is visiting there tomorrow.”

“You should see the place—crepe paper everywhere. It looks like a Polish wedding.”

“I’m sure I don’t need to mention this,” Danny said, “but you will not be visiting with Mrs. Braden tomorrow. Correct?”

“I’ve decided to break things off,” Nick said. “She was getting too clingy.”

Kegan grinned. “You wish.”

Nick turned to Danny. “Are we going to do this briefing, or are we going to keep discussing my attendance record? I’ve got things to do.”

Kegan held up a manila envelope. “We got the first DNA reports back from the lab this morning.”

Nick reached for the envelope, but Kegan held it back.

“Have you reviewed the results yet?” Danny asked.

“Yes, I have.” She glanced at Nick. “All of them.”

“And?”