Liliana
The first thing I felt was cold. Bone-deep, penetrating cold that seemed to seep through my clothes and into my very soul. The second thing I felt was pain, a throbbing in my head that made my vision swim when I tried to open my eyes.
Then, I realized I was lying on something soft, like leaves, as my fingers brushed against the damp floor. The smell of earth and decomposing vegetation filled my nostrils, and I could hear the distant sound of traffic somewhere beyond the trees.
What happened?
The memories came back in fragments. The motel room. Anastasia's hurt eyes when she realized I'd investigated her. The sound of glass breaking. Men in masks bursting through the door.
"Take anything valuable," one of them had said. "Check the woman's purse."
"What about them?" another voi
