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Back Strangers She Knows Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover Text
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  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. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. BPA
  61. Author Bio

“If we can’t take you, can I tell my daddy—” Rae stumbled over the word “—my father about you.”

“You haven’t told them? Really?”

Rae looked shocked. “No. I promised I wouldn’t.”

“You must have thought about it.”

Rae’s gaze dropped. “Yes,” she said faintly. “I don’t like to keep secrets.”

“That’s really honorable of you.” Sarcasm oozed from Mara’s tones.

Tears welled in Rae’s eyes.

Don’t frighten her. Don’t upset her. Not now, Mara.

Rae took a few steps back. “I’ve got to go. If I don’t, I won’t get back in time.”

Mara had to do this. She regretted it, but she’d make it up to the kid later. She hoped. “Listen, I want to give you something.” Opening her backpack, she dug through, found the bottle of pills and shook one out in her palm. “Here. Take this. It’ll make you feel good.”

Rae froze and stared at the pill. “I don’t take drugs.”

“What?” Mara hadn’t imagined that twist. Everybody she knew took drugs. Guys she slept with, girls she slept with, prisoners, smugglers, antiquity experts, museum directors, rich assholes with illegal collections, street people. They liked drugs. Everyone except her. She didn’t like them. They made her sane. And rational.

Now Rae didn’t like drugs, either.

That made the kid seem even more like…like her own kid.

“It’s not a drug. It’s a pill so you won’t be worried about telling your folks that I’m here.” Mara was making it up on the fly.

“So I can tell them?” Rae asked eagerly.

“After you take the pill.”

“No, thank you. I don’t take drugs.”

The kid was polite, Mara had that to say about her.

“How about you take half and I take half?” Mara simply wouldn’t swallow her half. “That way you know it’s safe.”

“No, thank you.” Rae edged toward the path that led up the cliffs. She didn’t look so trusting now.

Mara didn’t want to jump her and shove it down her throat. She would, but she didn’t want to. “There has to be something of mine you’d like before you go.”

“You don’t have to give me anything. I… I like you anyway.”

Mara thought hard. “I know. I’ll go up the cliff with you. At my campsite, I’ve got this cupcake I’ve been saving. It’s special. Would you like that?”

Rae surrendered. “Okay, but hurry. I’m late!” Now she ran up the path, all gangly legs and arms.