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KIT

I stuck my arm out from beneath the covers and slapped at the top of my alarh the sun was peeking beneath le deeper for a few s out and sat up Last night’s wedding had gone sht so Erin and I had been able to sober up the groom’s uncle with two cups of coffee in tiie medley on the sit-down meals hadn’t been a medley at all, but solo broccoli

While the couple had a wedding day, andFor ht, I’d picked up the daily lottery ticket for my mother on the way home, kicked off my heels by the front door, then fell into bed like a tree being cut down and slept until… the annoying alarm

We had a breakfast est—client, and all this hy I’d returned to Cutthroat, but a few extra hours of sleep wouldn’t have hurt

I didn’t s, which , so the least she could have done was get up first and get the caffeine injection ready

Already grouchy, I quickly ging reat room, then stopped Stared Blinked I wasn’t quite awake,Erin sprawled on the floor, I went fully alert between one heartbeat and the next

“Erin!” I shouted, dropping to my knees before her Her blonde hair was matted to her head with blood So much of it was soaked into the carpet Her blue eyes stared up at od, Erin Wake up!”

Rationally, I knew she was dead Her eyes weren’t od, it was bad Irrationally, I lifted it ontoher to wake up When I realized I was s the blood, I stopped I started to shake, to look around to figure out how she’d ended up like this Help She needed help

Carefully, I laid her back on the floor and ran to ers, I tried to swipe ers were covered in blood and it wouldn’t work I wiped theain

“9-1-1, what is your eency?”

“I… od You have to send an ambulance”

“Ma’am, what is your address?”

I told her, then answered all the questions she tossed at me in her efficient voice I stayed on the line with her until I heard sirens, then hung up and ran outside Erin’s house was a custolass, with h-end enclave of ho dent in most people’s bank accounts, but not Erin’s She was a Mills I ran down the front walk in my bare feet to meet the fire truck and ambulance that had pulled into the circular drive and pointed toward the house