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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

“Penicillin then. I remember when it came out.” Old Angel trembled as she shook out two white pills. “A miracle drug.”

Kellen took them with more water, then placed her right hand on the dresser and braced herself, prepared to rise.

Old Angel read her mind. “I’m sure you need to use the facilities. I’m not very steady on my own, but between Luna and me, we can get you there.”

They guided Kellen across the bedroom and into the bathroom, and stepped out to allow her privacy.

The toilet. The hair brush. The mirror and—Kellen shrieked.

Old Angel opened the door at once. “Have you fallen?”

“Look at me!” Kellen shuddered. “I have to shower.”

She knew how bad she must smell and look when Old Angel said only, “We need to protect your hand.”

They used the plastic trash bags from under the sink, taped around Kellen’s wrist, and in a half hour Kellen was clean, dressed in her clothes for the following day, and falling into bed. Old Angel tucked her in and smoothed her damp hair off her forehead. “You’re intelligent. You’re strong. You can defeat her. Sleep, and while you sleep, the way will be made clear.”

An angel’s promise of guidance.

Kellen slept.

44

Kellen woke to the blast of a shotgun, and at the sound, went instantly from prone and asleep to on her feet and battle ready. She stared toward her door, smoking and shattered, and at Mara standing holding a sawed-off single barrel weapon.

Mara’s eyes were molten, her mouth was twisted, her color high. She was seething about something. Which something it was, Kellen didn’t know. Mara seethed a lot.

Kellen’s eyes were so wide they hurt. “Hi.”

“How did you do it? How did you free yourself?” Mara shoved the door all the way open with her foot and stalked into the room, pointing the shotgun at Kellen’s belly. “Where did you put my rifle? Where did you put my Taser? Where did you put my pistol?”

“Um…” The sun shone in the window as if the storm had never been. Kellen shaded her eyes with her bandaged hand, then slowly removed it and squinted into the light. “Actually, it was Max’s pistol.”

Mara steadied the barrel at her.

Careful. This morning, Mara’s mental screw had twisted itself almost loose. “I don’t know anything about where it is, or about your rifle and Taser.”

“Liar!”

“An angel helped me get free.” That last part was not true… Was it?