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12
The call took longer to come than she thought.
She was just serving cakes at her tea party. They had a special guest today. Mr. Prude had decided to come to tea.
“You have to be on your best behavior, Missy and Angelique,” she told them as she settled Mr. Prude into his seat. He was called that because of the pinched look on his face. But when she’d seen him in the store, she’d known she had to have him.
After leaving the library, Brick had driven them to the station to give statements. Then he’d brought her straight home. She’d run up to her rooms, locking herself in and ignoring Brick’s demands.
After settling Mr. Prude, she picked up her ringing phone. The sound of wolves howling filled the room.
“Hey, Big Bad Wolf,” she said cheerfully, knowing that if she showed any hint of her true feelings, he’d lose his mind.
He peered up at her through the screen. “You’ve done your make-up.”
“You like it?” It was a pre-emptive strike. The make-up hid the dark marks under her eyes, and hopefully, her pale skin. The puffiness of her eyes was harder to mask.
It was silly to cry over a job she hadn’t liked. But it was more like a release. There was so much going on and it was getting harder and harder for her to deal. Her coping mechanisms were pretty poor on a good day. She’d had a series of bad days. She just didn’t know how much more she could take.
But right now, she had to act like everything was fine.
“I did Missy and Angelique’s too. Don’t they look pretty?” They didn’t. They looked like clowns. She looked like a clown. The only one who wasn’t a clown was Mr. Prune.
“Mr. Prude is having tea with you?” Reuben asked.
“Uh-huh.”
“Angelique done anything to get a spanking yet?”
“Not yet. Although I think she’s close. Mr. Prude isn’t too happy with her uppity attitude. And you know how he likes to spank her. Truthfully, I think he has the hots for her.”
Reuben raised his eyebrows. “You could be right. Mini, we need to have a serious talk.”
The lead in her stomach grew heavier.
“We really don’t, Big Bad Wolf.”
“We really do, Mini,” he replied gently. But she heard the note of exhaustion in his voice, and she took a good look at him.
Shoot. He looked so tired. And drawn. “Are you eating, Reuben? Sleeping?”
“Are you?”
“I’m worried about you.”
“Ditto, kid.” She rolled her eyes at him. He was only four years older than her. But then, he’d never been a typical kid or teenager. She guessed growing up with the mother he had, he’d had to mature fast.
“I’m fine,” she said brightly. “I’m having a tea party.”
“Mini, what happened today?”
“Um, which part are we talking about?” she asked cautiously. She wasn’t entirely sure who he’d been talking to. If it was Brick, then she was screwed. But she’d hoped that Brick wouldn’t immediately go tattling to Reuben.
But who knew what Brick would do? Especially now he hated her.
“Why don’t you just tell me all of it,” Reuben said silkily.
“How about I don’t, and you go back to worrying about the bad guy trying to hurt you and let me worry about what’s going on here,” she told him brightly.
