Mister Parker's Office
"Take a seat, Honey, right here." He drug a chair over by the side of his office desk. "We have got a problem and I am trying to save face. I'm no Jarod though."
"I understand, Daddy." She took the seat and looked into his eyes. He was troubled. She knew he'd never agree to the outlandish idea of her being in there long term.
"There are secrets, Honey. Secrets about the family. About The Centre. About yourself," he said. "Unfortunately, by dragging up guarding in front of Zane, Jarod triggered something. An idea blossomed and I couldn't stop it." He placed his hand over hers. "You know I love you, right, Honey?"
"Of course, Daddy." She could feel his warmth on her hand.
"I would do anything in the world for you. I've been here for you all of your life. You're everything I care about."
Oh, his sweet words. He cared so much. He was finally expressing how much he loved her. She'd been waiting for that level of love and affection for a good thirty years. "I love you too, Daddy."
"Then I need to tell you something." He patted her hand. "I don't want you to hate your mother after this, and I hope you don't hate me. These things happen." He patted her hand again. "I'm not your biological father, Angel."
What? Her face just fell into shock and she almost lost feeling in the hand he was holding. "What?"
"Yes," he confessed. "I was married to your mother though, and I've always thought of you as my daughter," he said. "You are my daughter. I raised you from birth."
"Uh? Of course, Daddy." Whoah. "Then that means . . ."
"I'm afraid so," he said slowly. Hurt. "Your mother was sleeping around. I wasn't good enough for her."
"Mother cheated?" On him? She cheated on him?! "I don't care about biological, Daddy. You're my father, not some one night stand."
"I was always working. A woman gets lonely. She sought some men to fill that hole." He smiled at her. "It's good to hear you say that though. I've been so scared for so long that you would reject me for that."
"Never, Daddy. Never. You should have been my biological father, if mom hadn't screwed around." How could she? And there. And there, on her grave. I was on her grave and Jarod on that damn stallion, I should have tried to shoot the ****er anyhow! Her mother wasn't good. She was weak. She had flesh of other men on her mind, that were not her father! Was it any kind of real love? Was it anything? "Do you know who it is?"
"She was secretive," he said. "There are suspects that could be it. Honey, I always worked. You already know how hard it is to see you. She got through it by welcoming other men into her life. Of course, it still hurt. It took some time to forgive her after that, but she was good. Most of the time afterward."
Until later when they started to fight. Then she gave it all up. Weak. So weak. She'd find out which fling was her biological father later. Broots or the Corn Freak could go do it, and then she wouldn't have to question her father and make him feel bad. Ever. She noticed him squeezing her hand again.
"Now. Only some know the truth," Daddy said slowly. "Most don't. I've always kept you on the right track to be the rightful ruler to take over The Centre. That kept them off my back. Centre runs on Parker blood. If it doesn't flow through you?"
"Then The Centre isn't my legacy." The Centre wasn't hers. She shouldn't even be there. Her life without The Centre?
"But you worked hard for it. You worked harder than anyone else. Its secrets are your secrets, Angel," he said. "You even know about SL-27. Yeah? You have everything, I've kept nothing from you. However? Zane knew about this and he was bitter about losing his chance to gain The Centre. When Jarod made his brag that he could get out and we couldn't find someone, I already knew we were in trouble. He's been waiting for the right moment to expose the truth, to get what he wants!"
"Bastard," she whispered. He was still trying to take The Centre from Daddy, even though Jarod was captured. "You could have told me anytime, Daddy. I would have understood."
"No, Pumpkin. Now things get complicated." Her Daddy sighed. "Honey, you've got a gene in you that your biological father must have had. It's a gene like Jarod. Makes you different."
"How so?"
"Well? It shows that you could be a potential Pretender," he admitted. "It doesn't mean you are, it just meant you had the potential. I didn't groom you that way though, I love you."
"My biological father had the genes for being a Pretender?" Oh. She knew how her mother got away with affairs now. "She had an affair in The Centre itself, didn't she?" Daddy started talking about genetics and anomalies and recessives and . . . and he eventually hit it to a point she understood. "Momma had the rare anomaly, you didn't. Since I had it, you knew I wasn't yours." Oh, what a way to find out.
"Yeah. I should have suspected something. It's easy to get away with things with the right kind of clearance. Even you figured that out pretty young. I'm sorry, Honey. I didn't want you to ever know this. Your mother loved you very much, and she just wanted the best for you."
The best? Having sex around The Centre when she was married was what was best? "I know, Daddy. You try so hard."
"Now? Because of this gene in you? Because of Zane's connections to the Triumvirate? There is an obvious problem," he said. "Zane will be watching you very closely. I know him."
Daddy would never do that. Daddy would never put her in a dome like that. "I'm not a Pretender, Daddy. You know that." She couldn't go walk up to a monkey wrench and suddenly become a plumber.
"Yeah. Zane knows that too. That's why it was pointless even mentioning it yet," her father muttered. "His eyes lit up when Jarod was indicating a guard that could be good enough to hold him. He put ideas together, that should never have been together. He called the Triumvirate, ready to make the move. The time, and the research, and the setting are right for him. Now we have a situation. A bad one."
"You lose The Centre." Damn him.
"No, Honey, you lose your freedom because of Jarod," he said. "He's the best Pretender around. The top dog, the numero uno. His abilities are unparalleled! And you've got a pretender gene too. Increases the chances."
"Chances of what?" She folded her legs.
"A man and a woman, stuck in the same place, for months on end?" He sighed. "We just went through how mommy and daddy both need these special genes. Pumpkin, don't make me say it."
Ew! "I'd rather eat up rotting hair from a shower drain than ever touch him." She swallowed. "I think I just threw up a little."
"I know, I know." Her father swallowed. "They know now. Contrary to what you believe, the ruler of The Centre doesn't get to have the final say in everything. The Triumvirate helps keep the balance. You know that. And um."
"Daddy, please. Just tell me what you are wanting me to do?" She asked. "Is it to kill Jarod? I can do that. I can snap his neck, I don't even need a gun." She doubted it was the case, but she wanted it to be.
"No, appreciated but no." He pulled his hand away from hers. "He needs to stay alive." He folded his hands together and twiddled his thumbs. "Honey, I'm going to need you to be strong. I'm pretty sure I know how this is going to go. I'm doing the best I can for it. Now. It's not just about blood, it's about strength. It's about bonds," he said. "The Triumvirate knows now that you are not a natural Parker, but you are still Parker in name. Okay? Even though Zane is putting this notion in their head about you naturally getting together-"
"Never going to happen." Never. "You have no idea the things he's done to torture me! He?" Daddy trusted in her. He confided in her so much now. He had to know. "He made me hear the sounds of mom's suicide, from right by her grave. He lured me up there with a diorama, and he rode off on a stallion after babbling something about truth and freedom and making me watch on his own frankensteinish animated . . . etch a sketch."
"What?!"
Oh, of course he was mad she didn't say anything. She didn't want to talk about it. Especially since she heard the extra shots afterward. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I had too much to drink, I couldn't aim and . . ." She held her fist tight. "I just recalled that anger to capture him later."
"It's okay. No, it's okay," he assured her. "I forgive you. After all. I'm going to have to ask you for something too." She stayed perfectly still. "You're going to have to deal with Jarod's bull for 48 hours in that dome. I mean it. Zane already stated you'd be in there," he declared. "If you don't take it, now it looks like you weren't loyal. I added a 48 hour stopping point for them."
"Observe Jarod 48 hours." Heard and received.
"Jarod wants you to say no. He is trying to turn you against me, he always is. He always has! Let the hours roll by and stay strong. The stronger the Triumvirate see you are against him, determined to stay there and help? The better you will look to The Centre. The better you will look as to performing your duty." He smiled. "You have my permission though to make it as homey as you possibly can. Take your music. Take anything that can't be turned into a weapon or is violation. Guard that door with your very life, Angel. Because your life is counting on it."
Life? "My life, Daddy?"
"Yes. If The Triumvirate senses weakness, senses you don't want to do your duty, they'll be the dogs attacking the meat. Do you understand what I'm saying? You're either a dog or the meat."
"My genetics make me look like meat." Oh crap. They had everything on their old pretenders, everything. Even Jarod. Not to mention, she was the princess of The Centre. She had to cooperate. There was no choice. It was The Centre. But-
"Now. If it does look like you messed up? You didn't guard Jarod, didn't take your role seriously enough?"
"I won't mess up, Daddy." She didn't want to hear it. Zane was striking fire while The Centre was at its weakest point. "It won't happen. I'll guard him."
"Yes, yes. I trust you. Other than that? Feel free to be yourself," he said. "You're a Parker! Don't worry about those cameras. Oh, and uh? They'll be off in the middle area. Have to give my Angel some privacy. If Jarod notices it, I don't care. He'll probably try and hang out there more. Not much room and he hates cameras. So? Counting on you to fully watch that door. The more responsibility you take on, the better you look. And Honey? You can't hurt him physically, but you do with him as you see fit. You'll get a few hours a day of freedom. We'll put uh, the computer man Broots or someone in there with him while you have that freedom." He patted her hand once more. "Don't worry, 48 hours, and everything will go back to normal for you and him."
Ooh. She wanted Broots for her own purposes. "Cornelius. Make Cornelius guard him." Let Jarod deal with the likes of him after putting her through this. "You know, Cornman could do the military sims while he's in there, Daddy." She saw that surprised look. "Maybe when Jarod starts seeing him f-f-screw it up, he'll start taking over." Damn. She was so disturbed she almost cursed in front of her father. Get it together, this is The Centre. Rulers don't cave.
"Yes. Good idea. That's fine, just make sure you take those free hours," he insisted. "If anything goes wrong?"
"I will make sure he never gets away, Daddy. I work for The Centre. I'm not inside of it."
"That's my girl!" he said proudly. "That's my Angel. Now? We'll take Jarod out to a secure room being watched and guarded a few hours while we make things more comfortable for you. Oh, and um?" He waved his hand. "Men and women do get lonely. If something happens naturally or unnaturally, it doesn't matter."
"I'd rather use a dead rat," she said. Besides, it was only 48 hours. "I won't mess up. I won't Daddy, I promise. He will never get out." Still. "It won't happen. I will win." Still. "Absolutely. I will win."
"Only the heads know. Not everyone. Hell? You'd be surprised what's in the gene pool around here." He moved off the chair and gave her a brief hug. "Let's go back and make you comfy in your new home. The longer Jarod thinks you are there to stay. The more he'll start to give up. It'll be alright, Angel. Just, stay the course."
"I'll stay the course." She would really stay the course. Starting now. "Daddy? Since this is so big? Can I ask for some fodder?" Jarod would pay dearly for the hell he just put her through. "I need to feed a Centre animal."
Jarod had been taken from the dome to a security area for hours now. He just waited. Sydney was also there. He just waited. The other two hunters were on the other side, although the computer guy Broots had to take off. He had a daughter to take care of. It was nearly supper time. The computer girl Daphne also left after getting a text. Finally, he was escorted back to Sydney's lab. As they approached the door though, loud music was already hitting his ears.
"I'm a Slut Like You!" Rang out in the air.
Sydney stayed right beside him. "I think this will be a tough one."
Jarod thought they were close though, even her colleagues were cheering her on to say no. So close. If she could just say no. He saw her in the dome. Okay. The transparent plexiglass walls were covered in large expensive freestanding curtains with only the front area being able to be seen. There was a small table with some saucer chairs, a bed (probably not hers considering the trip), a huge rug in the center, a dresser, a small sofa and the desk with the books. She really did move in. Following Mister Parker's orders down to the letter. As he moved closer to her, he also saw a manila envelope in her hand. With a lighter?
"So? Daddy and I had a discussion," she said. "A helpful discussion." She struck her finger on the lighter. "It is my full responsibility to make sure you never get out before the Centre is checked out for any way possible to escape. No matter how long it takes. Weeks. Months. Doesn't matter. Oh, and by the way?" She gestured to the locking clearance. "How fast can Sydney unlock the security clearance before I burn your family history to cinders?" She placed the envelope over the flame.
"No!" Jarod reached the door, trying to get through as Sydney tried to open. It took three key card strokes and a password, it wasn't easy! "Parker, don't do it! That's mine!"
The flame was licking, eating up everything. "Sydney, Sydney, Sydney!" Finally, the door opened. As he got in, she dropped the envelope to the floor. He tried to smother the fire to see what was left.
He recognized the bottom of his mother's picture Sydney had got him. There was a bottom to another picture. Looked like a soldier maybe, part of a medal seemed there along with a pretty dress outline beside it. Edges of a blue shirt.
She bent down toward him. "Now? Maybe if you're nice to me? I'll tell you what I saw in there before I torched it. Someday." She twisted his own words he said in the past to her against him. "By the way? Welcome home." She stood up. "Comfy, isn't it?"
Jarod stood up and the door was closed behind them. Everything. Lost. He raised his eyes at her in a glare. "Bad move, Parker."
"No!" She thrusted her finger at him. "You have no idea what you've done, you dumb ass mother ****er! I am going to make your life a living hell now. You wanted your demands? Well now you got it. Daddy's granting everything, all your bogus requests, plus you have your live in guard. Ain't it grand?"
"Parker!" Sydney shouted his disagreement at him. "You can't be serious."
"Serious as a hernia, Old Man, I'll stay in here months if that's what it takes to keep the Chameleon in his ****ing cage, where his ass belongs." She folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not allowed to hurt you. Physically. I wouldn't push me any extra, Pretender. My blondie bombshell has more than one envelope." She snapped her fingers at Daphne. Daphne pulled them out from behind her back and brought them closer. "One on each family member. Your mom's just got toasted. You have your dad, your sister, and your brother."
"I have a sister and a brother too?" He never even thought about siblings. He had a whole family? She knew about it. And the computer girl had all the information he needed in her little hands! He approached the plexiglass closest to Daphne. "Do the smart thing," he said to Daphne. "Show me those envelopes."
Daphne took a step back and noticed Sydney too. "Miss Parker said to keep them safe. That is what I am doing."
Broots was coming back to the dome after a break for supper and to see his daughter. This was a big night, catching Jarod, and he knew he'd catch it if he stayed away too long. Apparently, he was already missing things. Jarod and Miss P were there in the dome. Miss P apparently moved into the middle, the way Mister Parker told her to. Jarod was shouting at Daphne, and Sydney was against her too. Miss P looked smug about something.
It wasn't the first time he walked in on a WWIII in The Centre. As he moved closer though, Sydney noticed him first. He knew because he just received a text from him.
ENVELOPES
Ooh. Sydney wanted him to get them from Daphne? Clear line cutter. Uh oh. Out of each person he worked with, he was closest to Sydney. It was The Centre, you had to know who to side with there. Sydney or Daphne? Sorry, Daphne. Broots didn't creep up slow, he just didn't react like he'd do anything. Daphne was holding the envelopes away from Sydney, more toward him.
He reached out, snagged them and instantly saw from Daphne? He needed to run.
"Miss Parker wants those envelopes!" He heard Daphne after him. Neither of them were perfectly trained sweepers. They were just two computer people playing a keep away game, and Broots still didn't know what for. He turned a corner and checked his phone as he got another text from Sydney.
Snap the results to my phone, Broots.
As he checked though, Daphne had gained on him. They were both tugging at the envelopes. "Shoot!" She got the other two, but he still had one. He kept running. He heard his text go off again though. He looked.
Jarod's family, Broots. He's already caught. Let him know.
Broots ducked into an office, beneath a desk to open the envelope. It held two pictures inside of it. He held his phone up and took a picture of the first one, and then the second. The Centre phones provided for them usually had decent cameras to get the fastest pictures under all sorts of conditions. He moved again when he saw her going the other way. He had a few seconds for just the smallest of text. The actual words on the picture.
Kyle
"You did the right thing, Broots."
Jarod heard Sydney's words. He was stuck in the dome, unable to get the envelopes, but Miss Parker also couldn't stop anything either. He watched Daphne run back into the room.
"Well?!" Miss Parker yelled at her.
"I got two back, he got one, Miss Parker," she apologized. "I will guard them with my life next time."
Then, Jarod watched as Sydney held up his phone to him through the dome. He saw a picture of someone. Not a happy picture, but a picture. Sydney pushed on the picture and it moved to another one. The same man, only younger.
"Broots said the name Kyle was on it," Sydney said.
Miss Parker rattled off to the blonde, but Jarod just absorbed the photo as he could. He had a brother named Kyle, and now his pictures were in his memory banks. He finally had something new. He watched Broots come back into the room, and then Daphne went over to him and seized the envelope.
"Miss Parker's upset with you! I would not want to be in your shoes." She tucked the envelope back with the others.
"You're the one who held them out," Broots said. "I didn't know what was going on, just that you started chasing me. I just followed Sydney's texts."
Good excuse. Jarod just smiled smugly at the completely upset Miss Parker. "Thanks for the welcoming home present. I like what you did with the place." He felt on top of the situation again. Clearly her father just added in extra factors, variables he didn't know about. He moved to the other side of the room and sat in a saucer chair. It was comfortable. She probably had to pick only the barest of things from her penthouse to make it feel more cozy. The saucer was a good choice.
"The **** are my Pall Mall's?"
Jarod looked outside and saw Sydney holding her cigarettes she was patting herself down for.
"Although Mister Parker is granting you many privileges," Sydney said as he held her precious cigarettes, "safety rules were established for that dome. You'll have to submit written requests and clear out the entire area of anything flammable before you can place a flame in there. There is a reason the room was sterile, Miss Parker. Is there anything you need before I go home for the day?" He waited. "Okay. Goodnight, Miss Parker. Goodnight, Jarod." He nodded toward Broots. "Goodnight, Broots." He looked toward Daphne and simply gave a small nod.
"You? Sure?" Broots questioned her. "This is a little overboard, Miss P. Can't you just tell him no?" No answer. He eventually walked off.
She sat down on the other saucer chair. Arms crossed. Not a word as she flipped the music off and then him.
"Missed you too," Jarod replied back. He'd gather information, but he was going to try to 'get that strike' again too. "This situation won't change," he warned her. "Nothing changes. You live here miserably with me until you get the backbone to tell your father no."
"No." That simple.
"You're supposed to say that to your father." He sat back. "You can't do this for months. No one wants this. Tell him to set guards around me 24/7 if that's what it takes." Nothing said. Cursing. Boiling. Anger. Hatred. Overall, nothing said. Not even that much cursing compared to what he expected.
"Dinnertime, Angel!"
Jarod watched as Mister Parker himself came with the platter. Miss Parker immediately left her chair and she went straight to the door, like he was still the greatest person in the world. He's trapped her in here for what could be months to her, and she runs to him with open arms.
"Hi, Daddy," she greeted him at the door. "How are you?"
"Ah, Angel. I'm fine. We're fine." He cleared his throat. "It, uh? Turned out how I told you it would."
"Okay."
Jarod noticed a little bit of a shake in her voice. He also noticed she swallowed a little. Nerves.
"Fine, Daddy, I approve. Anything for The Centre. I'd lay my life down for it." She looked at the food. "I don't eat that."
"Eat a sandwich, at least a whole one. Daddy's orders. You need to keep up your strength, gonna need more than shakes if things go bad," he said.
Why would he say that? Jarod rubbed his jaw as he watched her.
"Things won't go bad," she said with a lot of determination shoved into her voice. "I'll make The Centre proud, Daddy. That's all I want."
That's not what you want, you want freedom. Meanwhile the food looked good. His condition to make sure he and Parker both share it was a good addition to the plan. He watched Mister Parker open up the door with his clearance.
"Here you go. Have a nice dinner." He handed her the platter. "I'll get the plates in a second."
Jarod watched him leave, but noticed she stood right by the door. He also noticed that she was leaning on her stiletto heel. Not in a manner for walking. If he took the initiative right now in that short amount of time her father was getting plates, she would take her heel, probably while turning the platter, and use it as a weapon. It wouldn't kill him, but it'd hurt and hold him back long enough for the door to be sealed. At least it would have if he hadn't already improved his fighting skills significantly. Her dad handed her the plates and then gestured toward him. A stern little 'play nice' warning while he placed the paper plates on the small table.
She placed the platter on the small table too. Jarod had already picked a place that would be within easy distance of the table. Just in case she got her serving and decided to drop the platter. He was getting real food. He deserved real food. He scooted his saucer chair back slightly enough to grab his paper plate. Sandwiches with cucumbers. No wonder she wasn't happy. She never touched carbs. "Looks yummy."
No response. She just grabbed some cucumbers, picked up a sandwich, put it on a plate and walked off to the front of the door, leaning against it and eating.
Jarod ate his food in silence. He was quite used to it, did it almost all his life. In the meantime, he tried to take in the surroundings along with Miss Parker. He noted her clothes, her shoes, how she stood and leaned against the door. The way she ate, not comfortable, but for necessity. She moved slightly when he did, like she was still ready for him to leave. It wasn't too late and the door was of course locked. Yet? She couldn't let it go. "You know, I had a pet rat before. His name was Oscar." No response. "I liked him better than the guard dog ***** I have now." Still nothing. Not even an angry response. She just ate. When her eyes looked toward him though, the hatred. It was like he was the one forcing her to stay against her will. After she finished her last bite, he watched Daphne coming toward her.
She was fixing her skirt, like she had rushed there too quickly. "I did it, Miss Parker," she said proudly. "They are all safely in deposit boxes." She looked at the last bit of sandwich Miss Parker popped in her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry." She reached in her purse. "I got some gum for you. This one shows the best statistics of working. Regular gum too. Sugarless of course. I'll just leave it all right by the door for you. For the morning. Oh, and I did call the number for you? He seemed confused, but I think he got it was from you. He'll meet you tomorrow at three." She twitched slightly. "Sorry you don't get to have your phone." She twitched again and in a lower voice. "Couldn't? Couldn't you just say no to Mister Parker? You're his daughter."
"No!" Miss Parker finally responded. "Dismissed." She left in a hurry.
"She's loyal," Jarod said to her. "She has a good point. Everyone agrees, even her." He tried to match her eyes to his, but she wasn't looking again. "I'm not doing this to you. It's him. Tell him no." Nothing. "The Centre Indoctrination you got at the academy. It was like everyone else, except for one major part. You were taught to worship The Centre, and to obey the leader, but the leader was your father. You have affection and obedience both meaning the same thing in your head. You can't see the truth until you can say no."
"I see the truth perfectly," she responded.
"No, you don't, Little Miss."
Ah, that triggered her. Not the same way as it did last time. Her eyes didn't get soft. "Don't call me that."
"Your mom never would have wanted to see you this way," he tried again. "At The Centre, psychologically unable to say no to your father, or having . . . suicidal tendencies?"
She moved slightly. Uncomfortably. "Don't be ridiculous, I'm a survivor. Nothing and no one takes me down." She bravely showed her wrists. "Never."
"Not yet, Little Miss."
She banged the door behind her. "Can't you go and do something else besides bother me?" He wasn't budging. "This ***** is nailed to the door so you might as well forget it."
"Your father doesn't love you the same way he should. I'm not here to argue. I'm here to help you." Although getting his hands on those other envelopes would be a clear bonus too. "I told you once, that your mother tried to help me escape. That wasn't a lie. She was a wonderful woman."
"She was a *****!"
Ooh! That wasn't right. She said weak for her mother last time, she never used that kind of language for her mother or so sharp. What did her dad tell her now? "Did your dad tell you that? He's lying." Tightening her stance.
Jarod closed his eyes. Trying to imagine how she felt right now. To figure out how to reach her. The Centre is family, The Centre is home, anything it does, it does for a greater purpose. Daddy loves me, he has trouble showing it, but he does and I will always do anything and everything for him. I don't have any real friends because I refuse to get close. I barely tolerate people I work with. I'll never make a close connection to anyone, let people in and you get hurt. If no one cares about my hurt, I don't have to care about others hurt. That leaves me for myself, I'm on top, always. I'll do whatever I want, whenever I want, and I don't give a damn about the consequences as long as The Centre isn't involved. He looked back at her eyes. They were sure her mother wasn't a good woman. She knew it to be true. Catherine was good to her growing up, she loved her. Her father just saying that shouldn't be enough, there had to be proof to combat all those- "You aren't his daughter."
Bingo. He pulled the trigger on it faster than she could cover up the reaction. Her hands slammed against the door. "Stop using your skills on me!"
Ah. There it had been. "Your mom loved someone else." She didn't respond, but he had it. "You're not a Parker then." She slammed on the door now with the back of her fists and a leg.
"Shut up, I did not tell you that!" She looked around anxiously around the curtains. "Daddy turned the cameras all off, right? Audio? Visual?"
Tripping out. "Calm down, Little Miss. Not being a Parker is a good thing." Oof. "I figure things out. It's what I do. I don't care about cameras or audio." But she did. Apparently. Why? Were they threatening her? Threatening to take The Centre? No, that was fear in her eyes. Fear for life. No. Fear for freedom.
"Shut up." She lifted a finger to him. "Leave it," she whispered, "and I'll let you have an envelope tomorrow."
An envelope? "Not the same one with Kyle." She nodded. Well. It looks like he could get his hands on those envelopes after all. Either his dad or his sister. He'd have pictures of them tomorrow. "Coming back turned out better than I expected." Okay. He wouldn't try to figure her out then. Yet. "I'm taking a shower and heading to bed. See you in the morning."
