“Jesus ***** Christ!” Dana sat down on the porch step, too shaky to stand.

“Who in God’s name would do something like this?” Tonya asked, face somber. “I mean, this is.”

“Cruel.” Dana felt cold hard anger seeping into her chest.

“Exactly.”

“And for what purpose?” Dana asked softly, she thought about it for a
moment as she remembered something from her past. “Revenge.” Dana stood
up, fists clenched at her side. “And there’s only one woman I know
capable of that kind of crueltySusan Birch.”

“Who? You mean Lara’s ex-lover?” Tonya asked, wide eyed. She knew OF
Susan, but had never had the balls to meet her face to face.

“Yes!” Dana hissed.

“But why? You haven’t seen Lara since.”

“I know. But Susan can carry a grudge a long time.” Dana explained, moving to the door and unlocking it.

“I don’t understand. Why would she go after you now? What for?”

“I don’t know,” Dana looked at Tonya with eyes that were frighteningly dark and hard, “but I intend to find out.”

~*~*~*~*~*

Tina and Shane sat in Jo’s office when the tomboy walked in, Shane was
kneeling at Tina’s feet, holding onto the ring Jo’d put around her
neck. Jo stopped short at the sight of Shane’s hand at the one thing
she had left of her.

Amy.

The thought clung to her, her eyes darted around the room, and Tina
stood up, handing Jo the weekly books, and Jo put them on the desk.
Something clung to her, the glimmer of a shadow.

“Did something weird just happen?” Jo asked, her eyes confused as Shane threw a look to Tina, who shook her head.

“No, why do you ask?”

Jo stammered, she grabbed the phone, dialing the number and getting a
message that the phone number wasn’t in service. Jo grit her teeth,
moving behind the desk and Tina could feel how frantic Jo was.

“Astin Astin” Jo muttered, coming up empty. Amy’s parents were gone,
not in the phone book. “She erased her.” Jo said softly, and Tina
stood, grabbing Shane’s hand. Jo began to laugh, and Tina was sure
she’d lost her mind.

“Non, I haven’t lost my mind, but someone might lose a life” Jo stated. Shane stood moving between Tina and Jo.

“No worries la petite, c’est pas Tina If you lovely ladies will excuse
me” Jo asked, moving to the door quickly and Tina took Shane into her
arms, spinning her around.