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She's.... He looked up but not at her. The dark copper eyes had an inward-
turning look. I guess if I had to pick one word I'd say fearless. Never been afraid
of anything, that girl. He gave a soft laugh. You know, one time when she was
around seven I took her to the Y--was gonna teach her how to swim. Nana Gertie
always says anybody who lives as close to the ocean as we do oughta be able to
take care of themselves in case they fall overboard or something. 'Course, she can't
swim a lick herself. He laughed again, his dark eyes still distant. Anyway, I took
Kyra with me and I was showin' her some dives. Well, really, I was showin' off for
the pretty life guard, you know? He winked at her.
Laura smiled and nodded, enjoying the animation on his dark face as he
remembered.
Vince sighed and took a sip of wine. So, here I am doin' all these fancy moves
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and I told Kyra to just stay put and watch 'cause she couldn't swim. I had just done
a double gainer from the high board and was coming up when I heard a splash
beside me. He grinned, the expression lighting his whole face. You know, that
girl had jumped right in the deep end? I drug her out half-drowned and gave her
hell for it but she wouldn't back down. Said she figured if I could do it, she could
do it too. Always been like that--just fearless.
She sounds like quite a girl--quite a woman, Laura said softly.
Vince nodded. She is. Kyra's tough. Growing up I never wanted to admit it.
There's twelve years between us, you know, so I was more like an uncle or a father
to her than a brother, I guess. She was always gettin' onto me for treating her like a
kid. God... He squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.
Hey, we'll find her, Vince. The weary sorrow Laura felt coming from him was
like a dull ache in her lower back. She wished she could comfort him somehow.
Her hand rose and hovered over his before withdrawing. I'm sure we'll find her,
she repeated instead, taking another drink of wine.
He smiled tiredly. Hey, now you sound like my Nana Gertie. She said the same
thi....
A muted beeping from the living room interrupted him and very faintly Laura
could hear the automated voice of the Message Buddy saying, Program
complete.
Come on. She was out of her chair and back on the couch in a heartbeat and
Vince was right beside her.
Well?
She could feel his excitement churning the inside of her stomach--the same feeling
you get at the top of the first really high hill on a roller coaster. It made her glad
she hadn't eaten too much.
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Hang on. She tapped with the stylus, turning on the audio mode and hit play.
Suddenly Gerald's dry, slightly nasal tone, sounding eerily close and alive, filled
the silence.
Laura, if you're reading or hearing this message, please don't shut it off until you
hear me out. I'm in a fairly desperate situation and whether you like it or not it
may involve you as well.
Briefly, I was at MacDill about a week ago and I learned some things I wasn't
supposed to know about. Classified information, I guess. There was a dry,
barking laugh she knew so well before he continued. Unfortunately, someone,
and I'm not going to mention names here for fear of endangering you further, but
someone found out what I'd heard.
Laura, you're not going to believe this but it seems a deal had been made that's
just ... Well, it's unbelievable. I'm not even sure how or why but they've been
taking girls for....
With a small click, the audio stopped.
What? What? Vince's dark face was tense, his emotions roiled between them in
gut-churning turmoil. Was that it? Who was taking the girls? Where were they
taking them? Who made the deal and who did they make it with?
I don't know--hang on. Laura started the audio again and they listened intently
but there was nothing more to be gained from the message.
Vince slammed a fist against his thigh in frustration. Dammit! I can't believe
this.
Laura fiddled with the Buddy but couldn't get anything else. Sorry, I guess that's
it.
He sighed deeply, broad shoulders slumping. Well, TAMI did say the
transmission was interrupted. At least we know for sure that the two cases are
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connected.
Yeah. Laura sat silently nibbling her bottom lip for a moment. I guess we'll
have to go to MacDill tomorrow and see if we can turn anything up.
Can you get us in? I thought nobody without clearance.... Vince trailed off and
she became aware that he was watching her intently. Hey, you okay?
Yeah. It's just ... MacDill is so ... It's a lot of people in a small space. I'm pretty
sure I can get us in though. She tried to make her face stiff and unexpressive but
from the way Vince was watching her she wasn't succeeding too well. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
She's.... He looked up but not at her. The dark copper eyes had an inward-
turning look. I guess if I had to pick one word I'd say fearless. Never been afraid
of anything, that girl. He gave a soft laugh. You know, one time when she was
around seven I took her to the Y--was gonna teach her how to swim. Nana Gertie
always says anybody who lives as close to the ocean as we do oughta be able to
take care of themselves in case they fall overboard or something. 'Course, she can't
swim a lick herself. He laughed again, his dark eyes still distant. Anyway, I took
Kyra with me and I was showin' her some dives. Well, really, I was showin' off for
the pretty life guard, you know? He winked at her.
Laura smiled and nodded, enjoying the animation on his dark face as he
remembered.
Vince sighed and took a sip of wine. So, here I am doin' all these fancy moves
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/custo...%20Scales%20Evangeline%20Anderson%20NCP.htm (146 of 266) [8/28/2005 6:29:40 PM]
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/customer/My%20Documents/eb...P%20E-Books/Butterfly%20Scales%20Evangeline%20Anderson%20NCP.htm
and I told Kyra to just stay put and watch 'cause she couldn't swim. I had just done
a double gainer from the high board and was coming up when I heard a splash
beside me. He grinned, the expression lighting his whole face. You know, that
girl had jumped right in the deep end? I drug her out half-drowned and gave her
hell for it but she wouldn't back down. Said she figured if I could do it, she could
do it too. Always been like that--just fearless.
She sounds like quite a girl--quite a woman, Laura said softly.
Vince nodded. She is. Kyra's tough. Growing up I never wanted to admit it.
There's twelve years between us, you know, so I was more like an uncle or a father
to her than a brother, I guess. She was always gettin' onto me for treating her like a
kid. God... He squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.
Hey, we'll find her, Vince. The weary sorrow Laura felt coming from him was
like a dull ache in her lower back. She wished she could comfort him somehow.
Her hand rose and hovered over his before withdrawing. I'm sure we'll find her,
she repeated instead, taking another drink of wine.
He smiled tiredly. Hey, now you sound like my Nana Gertie. She said the same
thi....
A muted beeping from the living room interrupted him and very faintly Laura
could hear the automated voice of the Message Buddy saying, Program
complete.
Come on. She was out of her chair and back on the couch in a heartbeat and
Vince was right beside her.
Well?
She could feel his excitement churning the inside of her stomach--the same feeling
you get at the top of the first really high hill on a roller coaster. It made her glad
she hadn't eaten too much.
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/custo...%20Scales%20Evangeline%20Anderson%20NCP.htm (147 of 266) [8/28/2005 6:29:40 PM]
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/customer/My%20Documents/eb...P%20E-Books/Butterfly%20Scales%20Evangeline%20Anderson%20NCP.htm
Hang on. She tapped with the stylus, turning on the audio mode and hit play.
Suddenly Gerald's dry, slightly nasal tone, sounding eerily close and alive, filled
the silence.
Laura, if you're reading or hearing this message, please don't shut it off until you
hear me out. I'm in a fairly desperate situation and whether you like it or not it
may involve you as well.
Briefly, I was at MacDill about a week ago and I learned some things I wasn't
supposed to know about. Classified information, I guess. There was a dry,
barking laugh she knew so well before he continued. Unfortunately, someone,
and I'm not going to mention names here for fear of endangering you further, but
someone found out what I'd heard.
Laura, you're not going to believe this but it seems a deal had been made that's
just ... Well, it's unbelievable. I'm not even sure how or why but they've been
taking girls for....
With a small click, the audio stopped.
What? What? Vince's dark face was tense, his emotions roiled between them in
gut-churning turmoil. Was that it? Who was taking the girls? Where were they
taking them? Who made the deal and who did they make it with?
I don't know--hang on. Laura started the audio again and they listened intently
but there was nothing more to be gained from the message.
Vince slammed a fist against his thigh in frustration. Dammit! I can't believe
this.
Laura fiddled with the Buddy but couldn't get anything else. Sorry, I guess that's
it.
He sighed deeply, broad shoulders slumping. Well, TAMI did say the
transmission was interrupted. At least we know for sure that the two cases are
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/custo...%20Scales%20Evangeline%20Anderson%20NCP.htm (148 of 266) [8/28/2005 6:29:40 PM]
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/customer/My%20Documents/eb...P%20E-Books/Butterfly%20Scales%20Evangeline%20Anderson%20NCP.htm
connected.
Yeah. Laura sat silently nibbling her bottom lip for a moment. I guess we'll
have to go to MacDill tomorrow and see if we can turn anything up.
Can you get us in? I thought nobody without clearance.... Vince trailed off and
she became aware that he was watching her intently. Hey, you okay?
Yeah. It's just ... MacDill is so ... It's a lot of people in a small space. I'm pretty
sure I can get us in though. She tried to make her face stiff and unexpressive but
from the way Vince was watching her she wasn't succeeding too well. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]