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Back Point Last Seen
Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“Not that I ever saw, and we were together constantly.” Clarice took a quivering breath. “More than once I heard her speak on the phone to, I believe, Penderghast, and she constantly urged him to stay in the hospital, to recover. She sounded as if she feared for his life. Maybe he is dead.”

Elle gestured up the road and said to Adam, “The immediate threat to me just left for the prison wing in the hospital. You don’t want strangers messing around in your shop. You and me, we’re no longer strangers—”

Adam started to pull her in for another hug, then at the outcry of protests about his armor, her hair and the lateness of the mock battle, he refrained.

“I will get your sword.” She pushed Adam toward Rune. “I’ll be swift. I’ll be careful. I’ll bring it to you. Go on, go with Rune.”

Adam kissed her again, twice, then he got in Rune’s ATV and waved a farewell, and Rune drove like a bat out of hell up the road toward the festival.

Elle bade a swift, affectionate goodbye to Clarice, ran to Adam’s ATV, leaped into the driver’s seat and drove down the hill. A pickup drove up the hill toward her, and that surprised her. Who would be coming up the road now?

She looked into the cab. This guy looked like a janitor. He grinned genially and waved.

Sure. This guy went to the beach and realized he was missing the sword demo.

As she neared the shop, she realized the garage doors, the house doors, everything was open. She braked, backed up onto the road facing town and called Adam.

Inside the shop, his phone rang.

She half laughed. In Adam’s hurry to get to her, he’d also forgotten his phone.

She called Rune.

When Rune answered, in the background Elle could the roar of the crowd. “We just got here,” Rune said. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I don’t think.” Because if Adam had forgotten his phone, he’d probably forgotten to close up. As she sat there, she perused the area. “Ask Adam if he left everything open.” She heard Rune consult Adam.

Adam must have taken the phone, because he spoke next. “Yes. Never mind the sword. I’m not wearing my watch. I can’t verify the place is secure.”