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           "YoumustknowenoughaboutusbynowtorealizehowquicklyIwouldknowifyoutriedtobringanyonealongwithyou.AndhowlittletimeIwouldneedtodealwithyourmotherifthatwasthecase.Doyouunderstand?Answeryesorno."

           "Yes."Myvoicebroke.

           "Verygood,Bella.Nowthisiswhatyouhavetodo.Iwantyoutogotoyourmother’shouse.Nexttothephonetherewillbeanumber.Callit,andI’lltellyouwheretogofromthere."IalreadyknewwhereIwouldgo,andwherethiswouldend.ButIwouldfollowhisinstructionsexactly."Canyoudothat?Answeryesorno."

           "Yes."

           "Beforenoon,please,Bella.Ihaven’tgotallday,"hesaidpolitely.

           "Where’sPhil?"Iaskedtersely.

           "Ah,becarefulnow,Bella.WaituntilIaskyoutospeak,please."

           Iwaited.

           "It’simportant,now,thatyoudon’tmakeyourfriendssuspiciouswhenyougobacktothem.Tellthemthatyourmothercalled,andthatyoutalkedheroutofcominghomeforthetimebeing.Nowrepeatafterme,’Thankyou,Mom.’Sayitnow."

           "Thankyou,Mom."Thetearswerecoming.Itriedtofightthemback.

           "Say,’Iloveyou,Mom,I’llseeyousoon.’Sayitnow."

           "Iloveyou,Mom."Myvoicewasthick."I’llseeyousoon,"Ipromised.

           "Goodbye,Bella.Ilookforwardtoseeingyouagain."Hehungup.

           Iheldthephonetomyear.Myjointswerefrozenwithterror-Icouldn’tunbendmyfingerstodropit.

           IknewIhadtothink,butmyheadwasfilledwiththesoundofmymother’spanic.SecondstickedbywhileIfoughtforcontrol.