Page 135 of Ranger's Wildflower

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One of the last.

“Yeah.”

“They’re locking everything down,” the voice says. “County, state. Your name’s everywhere.”

“Of course it is.”

“You need to leave the state.”

“No.”

A pause.

“That’s not smart.”

“What’s not smart,” I say, calm, even, “is running.”

I look out toward the horizon.

Toward Eagle River.

Toward her.

“They’ve got a witness now,” the voice continues. “That deputy. He’s talking.”

“I know.”

“You still think you can control this?”

I almost smile.

“Control isn’t the objective anymore.”

Silence.

“Then what is?”

I grip the wheel.

Tight.

“Correction.”

I hang up before they can respond.

Because they wouldn’t understand.

People like that never do.

This isn’t about clearing my name.

This is about balance.

She took something from me the moment she decided to break the agreement she had with Cathy. The moment she chose noise over resolution.

Now—

I take something back.

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