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I rimace “She’s my best friend and she sounded really upset Of course I told her where I was at” But now I regretted it on a soul-deep level

Booker reached around et your ass in that room and stay put Lock the door, put all the furniture you canNot forYou understand me?”

Karsen’s eyes bugged in her face and she looked at aze Booker’s voice sounded harsh and left no rooument

“Why? What’s going on?”

He let go of e Karsen as I slowly shook my head from side to side, furious at myself and my own stupidity “I think Dovie is in trouble and I’ it this way Do what Booker says, Karsen When it’s safe to coe, you stay put”

She shuddered “I don’t understand what’s happening Dovie would never hurt anyone”

I frowned really hard as the pieces of the puzzle started to lock into place in s with the situation started to burn bright and clear behind the fear that was coursing through ht with Bax and call to blab to me about it That isn’t how she works” I put a hand on my sister’s shoulder and squeezed “Please do what Booker is telling you to do”

We stared at each other for a long s far beyond her tender years Finally she nodded and disappeared down the hallway Booker walked to the closed door and waited until the sound of furniture scraping across the floor could be heard throughout the condo

When he stalked back toward me I don’t think I had ever seen anyone look scarier or more ready to handle business

“Dovie is part of this place She knows Race was freaked out about anyone knohere you are She’s too sht You need to go upstairs and do the sa I just had your sister do” He produced a nasty-looking gun from somewhere behind his back and held it out to me “Do you kno to use this?”

I shook my head numbly I had never actually been up close with a weapon before Like everything in led up in the Point, it looked cold and deadly, yet seemed so totally necessary

“No I’ve never touched a gun in my life”

He swore soot really creative with every dirty word in the book, and then opened and closed a series of kitchen drawers until he produced a wicked-looking butcher knife He slapped it on the counter in front of ument, “Take that If you need to use it then shit is fucked and I don’t knohat else to tell you other than good luck, Blondie Now get your ass upstairs”

The last of his words were drowned out by a knock on the door I felt ulped when he moved around me all tense and coiled to attack like a predator More knocking rattled the door, and I still hadn’t moved, so I shook myself loose and ran toward the stairs with every intention of barricading ot the “all clear” from Booker Only before I hit the first step there was a series of loud pops and the sound of splintering wood Blood bloomed furiously scarlet across Booker’s chest and I saw him turn around to tellthud I watched in horror as Booker pulled his oeapon and the sound of e or an Old West shootout, but it was the middle of the day on the docks and this place obviously wasn’t on the up-and-up if Race had et it put in hbors in the other units Especially with the entire place sunpowder and blood

In the Point everyone only kne to look out for themselves and how to look the other way I backed up a few iant frame teetered to one side and a circle of crimson started to bloom rapidly across his back as he fell to his knees Another shot popped off and I saw hiun in his hand clattered uselessly to the floor I screah to turn and bolt up the rest of the stairs I needed to call Race I needed to find help, and all I could think was I needed to put as many doors and as much space between me and the shooter as possible

I orried about Booker I orried about Dovie I orried about my sister, and I orried about myself