“Star,” she says quickly.
“Star Brandon and her daughter Camille.” Walt gives her a friendly nod, and as if by magic, pulls a sucker out of his pocket. The little girl takes it and smiles. Her brown eyes are bright, and a little dimple is in her cheek.
“She’s a cutie,” Walt says, giving her arm a light tap.
Touching his shoulder, I pull him aside and lower my voice. “Star is one of our clients. She’s gotten some threats. No one is to come near these two.”
He’s immediately serious. “I’ll alert the other doormen. We’ll be on the lookout against any new delivery guys, postmen...”
I give his shoulder a squeeze, and the level of appreciation I feel for him at this moment is indescribable. “You’re a good man, Walt. I confess, I miss you.”
“Ahh, you traded up, Mr. A.” He laughs in his warm, scratchy voice. “How’s Miss Jones and your little look-alike?”
I can’t help the wince of pain at his question, and he seems to notice. “I’m sorry, sir. I hope everything’s okay.”
Patting his shoulder I nod and swallow back the thickness in my throat. “Everything will be fine, Walt.” It will be fine.
* * *
Mariska is at Stuart’s place, and the minute she hears us arrive, she’s at my door. As usual, she’s wearing some filmy, red handkerchief-print dress, but she’s pulled an oversized, drab-grey fisherman’s sweater on top of it. It falls off one shoulder, and with her loose, brown waves pulled in a high ponytail, I don’t know how she does it. She actually makes her bag-lady outfit look sexy. Stuart’s fucking happier than I’ve seen him in my life.
“Drop off your stuff and come across the hall!” Mariska says, giving Star a huge hug.
“Okay!” Star’s tension seems to melt slightly.
“Do you think Cammie will come with me?” Mariska holds out her hands to the little girl, who’s sucking a pacifier now and still clutching her limp bunny.
Star and her daughter share those huge doe-eyes. “I don’t know.” Her mother’s voice is hesitant as she studies the little girl on her hip.
“Let’s see.” Mariska holds out her hands with cheerful confidence. “Cammie! Come here, baby! Come with Aunt Mare Mare!”
Mariska’s slim hands are covered in rings of all shapes and colors. The little girl looks up at her smiling face and instantly smiles back, leaning forward. Mariska gives her a twirl, and the baby laughs, losing the pacifier Star had shoved in her mouth on our way up even though she wasn’t even crying.
“Oh!” Star jumps forward and grabs it. Mariska doesn’t pause. The two of them are out the door and headed to Stuart’s place before we even have a chance to respond. All we hear are Maris
ka’s sing-songy coos trailing behind them.
Star looks at me in wonder. “She’s really good with kids.”
“Kids, animals... stubborn jackasses,” I say under my breath, heading to my room. “Make yourself at home. After tonight, you can have the master bedroom if you want it.”
I stop just inside my old room and drop my duffel on the floor. The photo of Melissa and Dex at the beach is on my dresser, and it hits me like a sucker-punch to the gut. Leaning heavily on my hand, I pick up the mahogany frame and look at my beautiful family as several painful moments pass.
“Melissa,” I whisper, touching her face. “What are you thinking?”
“Hey, you okay?”
Straightening, I put the frame back on the dresser. “Yeah. You need something?”
Star’s eyes narrow and flicker from mine to the frame and back. “I wasn’t expecting you to meet me here. I wanted to say thanks.”
“No worries. Patrick suggested I drive up. It made sense.”
“Shouldn’t you be with your family?” She’s watching me, and I remember what I observed the last time we worked with this girl. She’s smart. She should be so much more than a fucking part-time hooker. She should be in college, which is what she was doing until some asshole thought he’d start blackmailing her.
“I’m not going to let an opportunistic thug steal your future. Especially not to get to me. They understand.”
Her voice softens. “I don’t know if I’d understand. If I was your family, I mean.”