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done. Dee moved to go with them in the ambulance, Arthur would follow
in the car. Cassie followed until they got loaded in and drove away.
As she returned to the yard, Shane looked to her, amazement on his
face. Matt wore an identical look.
She held up a hand. I need a drink. The story is long and I can t tell
it with everyone here.
Polly had already begun to shoo people out of the yard and Edward
put a tumbler filled with an amber liquid into her hand. One handed, he
pressed her into a chair in the shade.
When everyone but the Chases, Penny and Liv had gone, Cassie took
a deep breath, and the smoky scent of good scotch filled her nose. Two
swallows and it was gone. The heat spread through her, warring with the
adrenaline crash.
My name is not Cassie Gambol. It s Carly Sunderland. Or rather, it
used to be Carly Sunderland, it s been changed legally. A long time ago in
a galaxy far away, I was a successful vascular surgeon at a private
hospital in Orange County. You all know the story of my ex-husband.
I divorced him. He wasn t happy. He harassed me and my family.
Showed up at my job until they had to bar him from the hospital and he
lost his position and ability to practice there and his own practice group
tossed him out. I kept quiet and was careful when I went home so he
couldn t follow me. I thought I d been successful. But I wasn t. Eight
months later he found me. Broke into my condo while I was sleeping. I
woke up with him on my chest and a hammer coming toward my face. I
threw him off but I tripped leaving my bedroom and he landed on my
back. He held me down while he used the hammer to shatter the bones
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140 Lauren Dane
in two of the fingers in my right hand. I tried to get free but he s a big
man.
Blood was everywhere, I was slipping in it as I tried to struggle. I ll
never forget the smell. It wasn t like I d never smelled blood before but it
was different because I knew it was mine. I knew I was losing too much.
He d hit me so hard the handle of the hammer began to splinter, and
it broke completely when he hit me on the back of the head with it. I
worked to stay conscious as he began to stab me with the shattered
handle. Repeatedly. In the back and neck. He left me for dead as I lay in
a pool of my own blood. But I managed to reach my phone just as I
passed out. Luckily 911 sends someone out when there s no response.
I was in a coma for three weeks and then in the hospital for nearly
another month. It s all more complicated than I want to dwell on but
after that they found him and arrested him. Put him on trial.
At first they thought he d paralyzed me. The wounds really messed
up some of my nerves in my right arm. But with physical therapy, and
my good luck at having one of my colleagues work on me, they saved
most of my movement and by the time the trial was midway through I
could walk through the door on my own power.
I testified. They convicted him. He was supposed to be remanded
immediately, awaiting sentencing. But there was some sort of paperwork
error and they let him go. By the time they realized their error he d
skipped town.
She held up her hand to silence Shane, as Edward handed her
another drink. Penny pressed some crackers into her other hand, which
she ate to stave off the nausea.
He called and taunted me. Said he d be back to finish the job. It
wasn t like I could be a surgeon ever again. I don t have the fine motor
skills in my hand to do it. I had a wonderful victim s advocate the court
hooked me up with. She got me enrolled in a program to change my
name and social security number. He d tracked me to my new apartment
with my social security information.
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Taking Chase 141
My brother drove through Petal a few years ago on his way to
Atlanta and he liked it here. I chose an apartment I saw online and Carly
went away and Cassie moved to Petal.
Jesus God. Maggie looked up at Cassie.
Cassie swallowed and turned to look at Shane, wincing as she saw
him. I m sorry I lied. I m a little messed up right now, but I ll go home
and clear out of town as soon as I can. You must all hate me.
A deep, tortured sound came from Shane as he fell to his knees and
pulled her into his arms. How you survived that and had the courage to
come here and start your life over I ll never know. Cassie, you re amazing
and I love you so much it hurts.
Cassie blinked several times, trying to figure out if she d heard him
right. What?
Shane pulled back and kissed her and kissed her again for good
measure. I. Love. You. Cassie, you re so damned strong. I don t hate
you. How could you think I d hate you for not wanting to share that
horrible fucking story?
I lied about my name.
So what? Cassie Gambol is your legal name now isn t it? Honey, you
must think I m a grade-A prick if you think I d be angry at you for having
to give up everything to move here to protect yourself from a homicidal
freak.
She put her face in her hands. I don t know what I thought! You
don t& you re all& shit. I don t know. I m sorry.
He laughed. You re sorry? Honey, let s get you to my house, okay?
Get you tucked into bed for a rest. You just saved Michael s life and told
us one hell of a story. That s got to take a lot out of a girl.
I ve got lake water all over me.
Why don t I go to your place and get you some clothes? I ll bring
them by Shane s. Penny squeezed Cassie s hand. Honey, I knew you
were good people the minute you walked into my shop and not a damned
thing you ve done has made me doubt that.
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142 Lauren Dane
I lied to you all!
Not about anything important. Your actions speak the truth, Cassie.
You were in charge and strong out there on that dock today. Even
though it exposed you, you did it. You saved Michael s life without even a
thought. You ve been a good friend to us and you ve, well, you ve saved
Shane too. Maggie fought tears.
Cassie couldn t deal much longer. She needed to be away from them
all before she lost it. She also knew she couldn t be alone in her
apartment. My keys are in my purse. It s in the front closet.
Marc jogged inside and brought her purse back out and Penny took
her keys and handed the purse to Shane, who took one look at Cassie
and picked her up. We re going to go to my house. I ll talk to you all
later.
He started toward the car and Cassie laid her head on his chest and
closed her eyes.
As the car pulled out of the driveway, everyone else stood on the front
porch watching Shane take her to his house just three doors down.
Holy hell. Matt leaned back against the front porch rail.
I m going to go to Cassie s and get her clothes. Penny moved to her
car.
I ll stay here until you get back. Polly sat in the porch swing and
Edward joined her.
Penny waved and left.
I can t even imagine. I knew it was bad. When she told us about the
abuse I was horrified. I thought there was some big incident but she
didn t say. I just had no idea it would be this. Maggie leaned back
against Kyle.
Polly sighed. I knew it would be a strong woman who d finally
captured Shane s heart. But she s braver than any woman I ve ever met
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