Broken Girl (Book I of Anita Blake Adoptive Mother Series)

Chapter III

~ Anita's Point of View ~

We arrived at the crime scene. It was heartbreaking because it was a family of three. A father, mother, and daughter. As Dolph was gathering the information that had so far been gathered I took a look.

Part of what I found disturbing was that the daughter was Brittany's age. The other part of what I found disturbing was that there was a strange thing that I feeling that I couldn't currently identify.

I couldn't help but stare at the daughter who was dead now. I thought, *She looks so similar to Brittany.* As I had that thought I started to have a growing sense of dread. And it only seemed to get worse as Dolph walked towards me.

"What did you find out?" I asked standing as he got to me.

"The man's name is Hesperian Laran Silvers and is 58, the woman's wife is Kasnira Hesperia Silver and she is 56, they have professions in healing, and their daughters name is Araceli Sephora Silvers she is 16 and actually in college studying triple majors and is apparently a genius." Dolph said while getting a troubled look on his face which made my feeling of dread steadily get worse.

"You are getting a bad feeling about this like I am aren't you Dolph?" I asked.

"Yes I am. Something doesn't feel right about this." He said frowning. To which I nodded in agreement.

"I think so too. Because Araceli look too much like..." I started to say.

"Like Brittany." Dolph finished and we looked at each other, before Dolph said what I was thinking, "The killers of this family are either connected to the people that held Brittany captive and were abusing her, or are the people who held her captive and were abusing her."

"Which means that they meant to take Araceli alive." I said finishing for him this time.

"Yes. Now we just need to figure out why. And see if anyone else has been targeted, are being targeted..." Dolph said.

"Or worse. And if they are going to come after Brittany." I finished immediately getting my cellphone out to call Richard to warn him and have him warn Jean-Claude and Asher. While Dolph was making calls of his own. I knew we both had the same I don't like this look on our faces. Before I started talking to Richard I said to Dolph, "I'm going to the find out where Jean-Claude, Asher, and Richard are with Brittany and then I'm going to them. Let me know if anything happens or has happened."

Dolph nodded in understanding while looking concerned as well as starting to look furious.

As I was driving I opened up the marks to allow Jean-Claude and Richard to feel my concern and find out why I was concerned.

^Ma Petite is everything all right?^

^What's wrong Anita?^

^I'm coming from a crime scene...Where are you at and is Brittany safe with you?^ I let them know what I saw and what Dolph and I just started figuring out as I drove.

^We are at the Circus. And Brittany is with us. She had just won three stuffed animals.^ Richard said and I felt him immediately get on high alert and tell his bodyguards and Jason the same.

^We are on Alert Ma Petite and are about to leave the Circus to the underground part.^ Jean-Claude said and I saw him see Brittany get very tense and scared all of the sudden. She stood frozen as if she was seeing someone or something. We could sense something very bad was about to happen. And Jean-Claude said quickly, ^Get here as soon as you can Ma Petite.^ As the people around them at the Circus started to panic and were starting to run and make everything there chaotic.

Jean-Claude shut the marks enough so that I could drive as fast as I could without getting distracted. Inside I prayed I would get there in time to help protect Brittany. Even though I haven't met her fully yet I felt protective of her just as I felt Jean-Claude, Richard, and the others felt the same.

I also opened up my link to Nathaniel to let him know what was happening and so he could tell Micah and also alerted Damien. And then concentrated on getting to where they were. Praying that I would get there in time and that Brittany would be safe and not end up in the hands of these monsters. While I was at it I also alerted Rafael.