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escape. Based on the evidence, whoever did this waited a little before chopping him to pieces…slowly. The bullet injury appears to have severed only the nerves from the waist down. If that’s true, then he felt every skin puncture and tear from the blade used to hack him up.”
    “ That sucks…bad.”
    “ Yeah, to be him, anyway,” said Freddie, grimacing. “It probably wasn’t much fun for his assistant to find him this morning.”
    That would be Lori Lee Jones, who has her own small claim to fame, in that she is George’s third cousin…or so the assertion goes.
    “ I imagine not.”
    Suddenly, I thought about ghosts. New ones. Fresh souls recently acquired by the other side. Sort of a reunion tour between Candi and her boss, along with Johnny and Brenda…such fun for everyone.
    Completely inappropriate, it made me feel a tad guilty and stirred my longing for Fiona. I couldn’t begin to picture life without her. She and our boys.
    I heard a click from behind us, and saw the boom from a microphone disappear behind a nearby media van. Before I could trace the equipment to its owner, Freddie nudged my arm to reclaim my attention.
    “ It looks like they’re done, man,” he said, pointing to Fiona and Ed, who had just emerged through the twin French doors that marked the building’s main entrance.
    At first she didn’t see me, since the crowd had grown significantly after she and Ed disappeared inside. When she did detect my presence, she smiled and lightly waved—which told me I needed to come to her instead of waiting for her to wade through paparazzi camera flashes as they sought to capture this mysterious, beautiful woman leaving the scene of wanton bloodshed. Her large dark sunglasses made her look like some notable songstress…a country maven.
    She moved down the main walkway while I worked my way through the media throng. Ed nodded to a nearby reporter before jogging over to his car.
    “ How was it in there?” I asked, thinking about the gruesome details from what Freddie told me. “That had to be tough, babe.”
    “ It was,” she agreed. She took a deep breath and shuddered, motioning for me to walk her to our car. “Whoever did this is carrying so much rage and anger inside them. They’ve got a mean streak I only caught a glimpse of last night.”
    Her voice was so soft, hovering barely above a whisper.
    “ Hmmm,” I replied, thoughtful. It didn’t seem like a good idea to prod her for more info, especially with so many open ears surrounding us. “What do you say we get the hell out of here? You hungry?”
    “ Yeah, a little,” she said, a wan smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
    I wanted to ravish those lips, but not here. Rocker yes, exhibitionist no.
    Freddie reached us after wading through the media mosh pit.
    “ Hey, Fi,” he said, giving her a light peck on her cheek. “Sorry for the loss of a good friend. Dickey was always one of my favorites for getting the juiciest inside scoop around here.”
    “ Thanks,” she replied, and I could tell she felt touched by his comment.
    His sincerity made me feel a tad guilty for not taking the same approach earlier when she called me at work with the news. It’s always been kind of hard to be there in the moment while dealing with the routine call center B.S. It takes me about an hour to become fully human again each night
    “ Not to be rude, bro, but I think we’re ready to shed this place, man,” I told him. I looked over at her…well at least I was ready to get the hell out of here. Fiona kept glancing back toward the office. Maybe she sensed something, some forlorn energy, perhaps?
    “ Yeah, I’m ready to blow this place, too,” Freddie agreed, snickering while he watched Ed Silver’s cruiser head down the least congested side of Division Street. “There goes your buddy.”
    “ I heard he’d rather suck you off,” I retorted.
    A mirthful moment followed, though quickly tempered by Fiona’s pained expression. Ed’s