Page 174 of Dead Man's List

“She will be,” Kit said. “Eventually.”We hope.“Shoemaker was…brutal with her.”

“God,” Connor breathed. “I’m glad we killed him.”

Susan exhaled carefully. “Me too.”

“Same,” Kit said. “Because there were…more. More bodies.”

Sam leaned his shoulder into Kit’s, a show of support. “Daniella said he bragged about how many girls he’d taken and showed her where she’d end up,” he said. “There are a lot of graves behind that cabin.”

Connor sagged back into the pillow, closing his eyes. “And he was an assistant principal. Working with children.”

“I know,” Kit said. “But he’s not anymore.”

“Good,” Susan said fiercely. “That poor girl. What will happen to her?”

“She’s only thirteen,” Kit said. “A runaway. No father, mother is an addict.” It was, unfortunately, all too common a story. “She’ll go into the system.”

Susan’s jaw tightened. She said nothing, but Kit could see the woman’s mental wheels turning.

“Talk to my father if you’re interested in fostering,” Kit said. “Mom and Pop have been doing it for years. They’d take Daniella, but they’re truly filled up. Six is the state limit.”

Connor had been looking at his mother, but now turned back to Kit. “Six? I thought they only had Rita, Tiffany, and Emma.”

“Now they have Dawn, Amy, and Stephie,” Sam said, a true smile curving his lips. “They were the girls who were living on the street with Daniella. Her not returning after getting into Shoemaker’s Suburban was what prompted them to seek shelter at New Horizons. Emma championed them to Harlan, and he and Betsy couldn’t say no.”

“Not that they ever would,” Kit said fondly. “I found Pop cleaning out a storage room last night. He said he had to havesomewhere for his ‘grown-up kids’ to stay when they came home. That’s me and Akiko, mainly, but others come home to visit from time to time.”

“Those girls will need things,” Susan said. “Clothes and school supplies.”

“The state gives foster parents a stipend, and Mom and Pop have money set aside. A lot of us former fosters give them cash every month for the new kids, and that helps. But if you also want to help, by all means let them know.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Susan promised. “About many things.”

Kit smiled at her. “Thank you.”

“How’s Rita?” Connor asked. “Is she okay now that Christopher Drummond is going to be charged with her assault?”

Sam’s smile grew bigger. “I think she’s watched that video I took of Kit knocking Drummond on his ass about sixty million times.”

“Sam is her knight in shining armor,” Kit said, only half teasing.

“And you are her idol,” Sam added. “I’m always stunned that you can take down men twice your weight.”

“You are nowhere close to twice my weight,” Kit said, remembering taking Sam to the floor of his condo the night they’d met. “Connor, on the other hand, weighs a freaking metric ton, even if hesayshe’s only one eighty-five.”

“I’m dense,” Connor said, then grimaced when Kit started laughing. “You’re not allowed to laugh. I’m hurt. Isavedyourlife.”

“Yeah, well. I thanked you for saving my life. I’m not going to do that again.”

But she would, and Connor’s little smile told her that he knew that, too.

“Did you get confirmation about what Drummond wanted to trade for a deal?” Connor asked. “Was it the country club blackmail scheme or did he know something more?”

Kit shrugged. “His attorney told Joel that they had nothing more to offer, so we’re assuming it was the blackmail. Drummond has finally shut his damn mouth.”

Connor’s scowl was impressive. “We wanted to shut it for him permanently after he ambushed you in the parking lot, but that would have meant paperwork. What about Munro’s money? Did you ever find his stash?”

Kit rolled her eyes at that question. “Yeah, we did.”

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