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girl.” Cooper nodded. “Keep Ashley safe, okay Return the favor.” “With my life,” Nathan said. “I owe you.” “Don’t hurt him!” Ashley wailed. “Please!” I leaned down to kiss his cheek, and then stood up, aimed my rifle at his temple, and pulled the trigger.
Chapter Twenty-Four Miranda WE GATHERED UNDER THE TREE at sunset, next to the place my father and Leah were buried. This time, around a new mound of dirt. Ashley had made the cross herself, tying it together at the intersection of wood with twine, working wild flowers into the binding. She worked on it for hours, carving decoration and Stanley Leonard Cooper II into the wood. The only time she spoke to anyone was to tell them she would not allow a funeral until his cross was finished. We never had time to bury Jill, and Scarlet had buried my dad before we got here, so it was our first funeral. I just couldn’t believe it was for Cooper. He was the strongest and the kindest of us, it didn’t seem right that he was gone. Skeeter, Nathan, and Bryce were filthy from digging, and then carrying Cooper’s body in from the field. I’d been inside consoling my nearly inconsolable sister. Once she finished the cross and the boys began digging Cooper’s grave, it all hit her at once, and she’d been hysterical for the better part of the day. Now that I’d coaxed her outside, she was silent. We all were. Finally, Nathan cleared his throat. “Stanley Cooper was the best of us. We should strive every day to be as hard working, kind, and loving as he was. He was a good friend, and brother . . .” “And husband,” Ashley whispered. Her face crumpled, and her body shook with quiet sobs. “And husband,” Nathan repeated, his voice breaking. “He was a hero. He saved a life. And we should all strive to live the way he did so we can see him again in heaven. “Cooper told me once about his little sister Savannah, how close they were, how much he loved her, and he also told me he worried daily if she and his mother were alive. If they’re not, he’s with them again. Maybe we can take comfort in that.” Bryce smiled. “I remember the first time I met Coop. It was in class, and he was staring at Ashley. Of course, I was dating the sister, so as soon as he heard that, he was automatically my best friend. Except, he didn’t fake it just to be my friend, ya know He was a good best friend. The best.” He cleared his throat. “I’m going to miss him. The world isn’t as good without him in it, but heaven is better off.” Scarlet smiled. “That was nice.” “Don’t speak,” Ashley said. “Don’t talk here, Scarlet.” Nathan took a step toward Ashley, but she pulled away. “This isn’t her fault, Ashley. She had to, you know that.” “It’s okay,” Scarlet said, motioning to Nathan. “She gets to be angry.” “Don’t be nice to me,” Ashley said, her emotional state quickly going downhill. “Don’t fucking be
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Thank you for downloading this Atri
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Prologue Scarlet THE WARNING WAS SH
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epidemic in Europe. Looking back, e
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“He’s twenty-seven, and don’t
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“I’ll take a few X-rays of your
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“She hasn’t traveled recently,
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Chapter Two Scarlet BY LUNCH, DANA
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ut a large area was saturated with
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and she would feel like her old sel
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need to run.” I didn’t wait for
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Chapter Three Scarlet “BIT OFF”
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intercom. “Code Blue, ER Three. C
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Shiny silver keys lay fanned out on
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News reports about a viral outbreak
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Mile after mile of farmland passed,
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outside of their cars and trucks, b
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waving around as it fishtailed with
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“I used to be.” Tobin nodded.
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crossing. A train was visible a lit
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sweet pea! Are you okay” Zoe dipp
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Jill squirmed. “I don’t want to
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in our terror, and passing all of t
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“Okay. But, uh . . . how am I goi
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was so still, as if moving would me
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Chapter Eight Nathan I LOWERED MY C
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light-brown hair. She’d kept the
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mouth and tightening his grip on th
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“Jesus Christ!” Bryce yelled.
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“Christ almighty, that’s Annabe
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Doris shook her head. “I’m not
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An army Humvee turned the corner, a
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I bolted from the house and let the
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door and reached back to grab Zoe.
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A woman was running down the street
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Skeeter nodded. “I’ve hunted ov
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weren’t cracked open, and none of
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Nathan “ZOE, TRY TO SLOW YOUR bre
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herd and make it back onto 123 with
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had stopped, and Bryce was awake, s
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Chapter Thirteen Scarlet THE BACKGR
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The sun had just peaked over the ho
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I shook off the thought, refusing t
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Chapter Fourteen Scarlet THE FRIDGE
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Nathan “DADDY!” ZOE SAID, HALF
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else isn’t sick. Maybe everything
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“All right,” he said quietly.
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I’m going.” Skeeter opened the
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THE NEXT DAY WE WALKED the distance
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line. “Of course,” Ashley said.
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“I don’t think we should try. W
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I nodded and smiled. “Impressive.
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Chapter Sixteen Nathan “KIDS” I
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THE BLONDE SAT ON THE bottom step o
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agreed to drive him home from schoo
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“About what” I asked, noting th
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“Oh.” “Do you wonder about yo
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I turned and pushed myself off the
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quick walk to Walter’s house, I w
Page 120 and 121: Walter’s lips turned into a hard
Page 122 and 123: Cooper touched my shoulder. “I kn
Page 124 and 125: ose slowly, high above the tree lin
Page 126 and 127: see my daughters unbearable. Anothe
Page 128 and 129: Scarlet sighed, and then scratched
Page 130 and 131: school.” Her eyes glistened. “H
Page 132 and 133: Sometimes I catch glimpses of shuff
Page 134 and 135: summers there, and the stupid predi
Page 136 and 137: “Is it electric” Joey asked.
Page 138 and 139: “I can,” she said as she walked
Page 140 and 141: Chapter Twenty Nathan ZOE HAD BEEN
Page 142 and 143: cute little girl there.” I nodded
Page 144 and 145: world went to hell. It had its good
Page 146 and 147: “That was . . . I’ve never seen
Page 148 and 149: “No. Zoe’s in there.” “So
Page 150 and 151: and sneaking around to spend time w
Page 152 and 153: over my shoulder, seeing Ashley at
Page 154 and 155: my arms and legs. “Yep. We came a
Page 156 and 157: Chapter Twenty-Two Miranda IT WAS S
Page 158 and 159: know whom I would be attracted to b
Page 160 and 161: happy, when they were probably hudd
Page 162 and 163: Shallot would be work, but I was fo
Page 164 and 165: “But if we needed to turn them on
Page 166 and 167: • • • THE NEXT DAY WAS HOTTER
Page 168 and 169: Zoe tugged on his hand, and he went
Page 172 and 173: nice, Scarlet. Just don’t talk. I
Page 174 and 175: “HEADS UP!” SKEETER YELLED. We
Page 176 and 177: I shook my head. “It’s hard to
Page 178 and 179: “Hey, Skeeter,” I called, looki
Page 180 and 181: ecause you’ve shot before.” “
Page 182 and 183: Chapter Twenty-Six Nathan “NEED M
Page 184 and 185: “You’re doing this so I can see
Page 186 and 187: I pulled my chin away from my rifle
Page 188 and 189: struggle to survive, even in her sl
Page 190 and 191: kissed Halle’s cheek. “I’ll w
Page 192 and 193: can off the shelf and looked up at
Page 194 and 195: were to see them. The helicopter’
Page 196 and 197: was that the end only led to one th
Page 198 and 199: Click Here to Order
Page 200 and 201: I want to thank my assistant, Colto
Page 202 and 203: © TRISHA JOHNSON JAMIE McGUIRE is
Page 204 and 205: We hope you enjoyed reading this At
Page 206: Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Ch
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