back at

The wind was picking up, blowing

o soldiers in dress blues got o

the pavem

man ste

ter. He had a bandage around his head and his ar

as J

man the world s

She stopped three feet away

Her voice was devoid of matern

at the pavement. "

ined by his injuries. It lacked the smooth polish of Jarret's public voice,

was making her crazy. It w

oyce. She threw her

sobbed. She buried

. The hug lasted fi

led away from her, his

tairs. He stopped

"I... I was with

t's watch. The glass was cracked. He held it out, his ga

e metal was cold

They were Jarret's eyes. But they were als

Elise asked. He

d softly. "I

driveway. "Get inside. We have

dining room. Dinner

ir at the head of the

ed her silv

ret's chair,

econd, a flicker of annoyance crossed his face. It wasn't the lo

ning a wince of pain, an

ld the "beta" twin feel en

She kept touching his arm. "Are

ain. She pushed her plate away. The smell o

, Elise. You look gaunt. It

hungry,"

Joyce c

er alone

through the ro

-was staring at Joyce. His ton

d shocked.

ster, but the edge remained. "Let her be. The press would have a fi

ng at his plate, gripping his for

Jarret never defended he

in the room felt charged, lik