-"I can't believe you watched it without me," Julian pouted.
-"What did you expect? You can leave…go to the zoo, walk the docks, stalk former lovers…"
-"I don't stalk"
-"Sorry, big brother. 'Ensure her safety' Do you feel better?" The long silence provided Ava with her answer.
-"So." He finally spoke. "How far ahead are you?"
-"I'm on episode seven"
-"SEVEN? Why did you insist we watch this together? I'm still on TWO"
-"Because I'm here ALL DAY, Julian. I finished 'Veronica Mars' yesterday, and I had nothing to do."
-"What about the book you were reading? That one about the missing wife?"
-"Ugh. I put it down. I saw the twist from a mile away. If you asked me, there were far cleverer ways to do it." She paused and added a tone of apology to her voice. Her brother was particularly mopey lately. A self-pitying Julian was her least favorite Julian, mostly because of the careful handling required. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't realize 'Terriers' was that addictive. I mean NO ONE watched it."
-"OK. Just don't tell me anything. At all."
-"Well, we can't watch it now. I mean, I've already seen them."
-"So what's left, Ava? You're going to do this with everything aren't you?" Julian's tone shifted from frustration to compromise. "Why don't we try this. What show are you DYING to watch?"
-"Six Feet Under. I always heard it was good, but never saw it."
-"OK. So you watch that one when you're in the apartment alone. And then when we're both here…I don't know. Have you seen 'Deadwood'?"
-"No. And no real interest. That's perfect. Let's try and share that one."
-"Fine." Julian gave his sister the bowl of ziti he made, and searched for the first episode on his HBO GO. The knock followed by a wide open door interrupted his search.
One of "Luke's" men strode in. "Excuse me. You all have a visitor." Ava looked at Julian, who offered a slight shrug; he wasn't expecting anyone either. The mystery was short-lived as a tiny thing stomped around the bodyguard and stared daggers at her mother through a tear-stained face.
-"Kiki?"
-"Was it you, Mom?"
Ava stared at her daughter as her brother took in the scene. Normally, one or the other would have asked him to leave. But Kiki's anger obliterated everything in the room except for her mother. And Ava was clearly focused on formulating a response. Julian decided the best course of action was to get comfortable, because a show was about to start.
-"Sweetheart, I don't know what you're talking about. Was *what* me?" Ava questioned, buying time as she mentally inventoried which of her lies her daughter may have uncovered.
-"Dad. Nina. Was it you?"
Ava paused, lost. "Kiki…did something happen to Silas?"
-"He's dead," she sobbed, opening up a new fountain of waterworks.
Julian sat straighter at this new information, sharply looking at his sister as she crossed the room to embrace the girl whose tears were rapidly devolving into hysterics.
-"Oh baby," Ava cooed. "Kiki, he's dead? I'm so sorry, baby. What happened?'
Kiki clutched her mother more tightly, burying her face into her mother's shoulder. "They're both dead. Silas and Nina."
Julian's temporary shock at his sister's maternal instinct quickly evaporated at the news that both Silas AND his wife were dead. One could be an accident. Two were foul play. Silas's wife was certainly batshit enough to take out her husband before ending her own life, but something about how Kiki questioned her mother made him doubt that was the case.
Ava took her daughter's blubbering face in her hands and stared into her daughter's eyes, "Baby. I loved your Dad. But more importantly, *you* love your Dad. I would never, *never* do anything to hurt you like that." She pulled her daughter back to her chest.
Julian felt a rising tide of panic as he looked at Ava. He didn't know if he entirely bought that Ava would never hurt Kiki, but he definitely believed she hadn't killed Silas. He cleared his throat and spoke for the first time since his niece entered the room.
-"Kiki," he started gently, "why do you think someone killed Silas and Nina?"
Kiki raised her head and threw him a look. "Because the coroner was removing their bodies. Because the Commissioner wants me to meet her at the PCPD later to answer questions about my father and who may have wanted him dead."
-"Shit," Julian whispered. He looked at his sister, whose look changed from questioning to understanding. "Kiki, I'm sorry about your Dad. I'll give you and your mother some privacy."
-"You don't need to leave," Kiki offered, suddenly ashamed of her harsh tone. Her uncle was just trying to help.
-"Yes. I kind of do." Julian grabbed his keys, as he rushed out the door.
Lauren turned back to her mother. "What did he mean by 'I kind of do'?"
Ava looked at her daughter wondering not for the first time if she had sheltered her too much-if overprotection left her daughter without the survival instincts she'd need to make it on her own. "Sweetheart, you just came in and told us your father and his wife were murdered."
-"Wait, did Julian DO it?" Lauren's eyes widened.
Ava sighed, "No. He didn't do it. We've been here bickering for the last two hours. But think, sweetie. Where do you think he'd go?" she prodded gently as she tucked a lock of hair behind her daughter's ear.
Lauren struggled trying to piece together the puzzle her mother put in front of her. And then her eyes lit up with the pride of having solved it. "Sam. He'd want to tell Sam. She loved Silas so, she'll be so upset. Wow, Mom. I guess Julian really does feel something for her. He wants to make sure she doesn't hear about it on the news."
-"Yes, I'm surprised by his fatherly instincts, too." And Ava would have been surprised if that's why Julian rushed to Sam's. But she and her brother knew immediately what would probably take Lauren another three weeks to figure out: Sam was the mistress. Sam was the woman scorned. And that meant Sam was the number one suspect. Julian hadn't gone to break the news to his daughter; he'd gone to make sure she was lawyered up before the cops arrived.