v

chair in the foyer, a rui

collar that had been gripped too tight. His h

up when I

ope flickered

s pat

up. "Thank God. Tell them. Te

jerky step

ance, Jennings stepped in betw

," Jenning

my wife!" Michael shou

," I sai

ched as if I

.. Leo. He means nothi

u kept in an apartment paid

protect

cutting through his lies. "You kept

nt. He knew I saw

. My job. My money. My reputa

my stomach, h

emption. I can be a

was

to twist

hand on m

tone, draining every ounce

no baby,

oze.

steady. "The fall in the dining

a monst

, and monsters didn'

lor draining from his face

my voice hollow. "Y

fell to

't cry

ower. He cried for the loss of

obbed into his hands.

d this,

d at Je

out of

the collar and hauled him

as limp.

taking me?" M

ort," Jen

ked at me o

es wer

d you,"

ction of yourself in

nd and walked

't loo

e heavy front door slam s

id I let ou

my stomach, prot

thought. He wil

hae

tened, slick wi

ne. No wallet. Just t

d me toward th

. My voice sounded foreign

Island," Je

w the

. A place for ghosts. People who were

hey just kill

leaned

sper, but it carried the w

baby

d snap

ha

his lips. "The heir lives. But you will never see him. You will

ticket int

changes his mind and put

stairs of the plan

as a

n was

er seat as the eng

at the city lights fadin

ost eve

had a

, secrets were the only