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ONE HUNDRED TWENTY

GNAT’S LANDING

Ellie studied Barbara’s reaction, seeing shock and confusion. “I… don’t understand. Jeb… we called him Nate. I… remember him,” Barbara whispered. “He was so little and shy, but I tried to be friendly to him. We were a family for such a short time I didn’t think he’d even remember me.” She ran a shaky hand through her hair. “I don’t understand why he’d hurt me. Or… why he didn’t tell me who he was when he took the job at the school.”

Because he was stalking her. “When was the last time you saw him?” Ellie asked.

Pain wrenched Barbara’s face as if the memories were bombarding her. “The day our parents were killed. The… social worker came to the hospital and… she took him away. I… can still remember him sobbing.”

“So Jeb—Nate—was traumatized by the death of his father.”

The color drained from Barbara’s face. “We both were… I was in shock. I was with them when they had the accident and was trapped in the car.” Her breathing turned choppy. “I heard my mother screaming. Watched her take her last breath. I’ve had nightmares for years about it.”

“Then what happened?”

“They said Nate had an uncle who’d raise him but he didn’t want a teenager he didn’t even know. I thought Nate had it good. That he had a family while I was sent to a group home.”

Sympathy for Barbara suffused Ellie. “I’m sorry that happened to both of you. But right now we have to find him. Do you have any idea where he’d take the girls?”

Barbara shook her head, tears welling in her eyes.