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Contents (63)
  1. ALSO BY CAROL HIGGINS CLARK
  2. Acknowledgments
  3. ZAPPED
  4. July 14th, 9 P.M.
  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. July 15th, 9 P.M.
  62. 57
  63. Contents

“Oh, Natalie. He loves you so much. He’s always talking about how good you are to him.”

“He is?”

“Yes. Don’t worry, he’ll be okay.”

“I don’t know who this girl is,” Natalie said vehemently, “but if I ever get my hands on her…”

“How about this?” Phil asked, trying to lighten the tone of the conversation. “When we catch her, I’ll personally arrange a meeting between you. We’ll put you in the ring together. She won’t stand a chance.”

“You’re damned right she won’t stand a chance. I won’t need any knockout drops. One punch is all it’ll take!”

“That’s the spirit. I’ll call you back soon.” When he hung up the phone, his face crumbled. He grabbed Dodie’s hand. “We’ve got to walk faster. I’ve got the feeling we’re running out of time…”

45

G eorgina decided to smoke one last cigarette before she got to work. She tapped Chip on the shoulder. He didn’t move. Out cold and down for the count, she thought. Well, that’s good. I don’t need for him to wake up, screaming in pain. Her thoughts drifted. She was oblivious to the sound of the cars on the highway above. Fifteen years. Fifteen years since some stupid driver got distracted by the sight of a cruise ship and lost control of his car. The vehicle jumped the divider and slammed into Nana’s cab. She was on her way to Newark airport. We were going to have such a wonderful vacation together. Georgina glanced up at that very highway with tears in her eyes.

So many things happen by chance, Georgina thought bitterly as she lit her cigarette. She inhaled, then sat up. Huck only got to know her roommate because he spent so much time hanging around their dorm room. At first, he’d told Georgina he “didn’t take to that girl.” So if she hadn’t been Georgina’s roommate, then he never would have realized that in fact, he did “take to that girl” quite a bit. And here I am for the first time in the sacred place that he promised to visit with me. He had promised to be by my side and comfort me when I finally stood at the spot where Nana left this earth. Where was he now? Georgina wondered. Where was her roommate now? Georgina ran her fingers through the grass. Did Nana’s blood spill right here? If it did, it’s all been washed away. Like every chance I had of living a normal happy life. She finished her cigarette, stubbed it out on the ground, then angrily threw the butt as far as she could.

“Well, Chip, it’s time for your initiation into Georgina’s club of cheating losers. I know you were just pretending to like me, like all the others. It always ends up the same way.” She picked up the branding iron. Her hands were shaking.

46

H uck Darling and his bride, Isabelle, had been out with friends near his office on Wall Street when the blackout hit. They’d ended up having a great time. It turned into a big party at the restaurant where they were having dinner, and the owner gave them dessert for free. All the melting ice cream you could eat.