“That’s a good one,” Kendall said, appearing in the door. She swam in the clothing but looked comfortable. “I grabbed one of those things that ties the curtains back and used that,” she said, lifting the sweatshirt to show him the shiny gold rope edged with fringe circling her waist.
“Whatever you need.”
“After what you said about your dad, I didn’t want anything of his anywhere near me.”
He chuckled at that. “Can’t say I blame you.” He started the small oven and set the twelve little spring rolls on a pan. He’d sauté the dumplings, then heat the chicken skewers over the gas flame.
“You found the food?” he asked.
She hesitated, then nodded. He sensed her apprehension more than saw it. “Good,” he replied. “Where are you sleeping?”
Again, she hesitated. “Third floor, north room.”
“The one close to the fire escape?” She nodded. “Smart girl,” he said. It killed him that she needed to think about having an escape, but he was glad she was smart enough to do it.
He finished preparing her meal in silence. Once he plated everything, he gestured her to the tasting room. “I’ll make a fire, and you can eat there.”
She followed him out, taking the plate from him when he handed it to her.
“Do you want me to help find your mom?” he asked. Well aware that the question might raise a mix of emotions, including helplessness and vulnerability, he kept his back to her, giving her space to experience them without feeling under the microscope.
Setting a log in the fireplace, he waited. He set another before checking the kindling underneath. He was reaching for the matches when she answered.
“Can you do that?”
“I have friends who can.”
“No.” Her answer came so swiftly that he turned. “They’ll get the police involved. That’s a one-way ticket to foster care, and that’s a ride I’m not going to take.”
He studied her, then turned back to the fire. Once the flames grabbed hold, he rose and took a seat on the same sofa he’d slept on the past few nights.
“Are you in school? Don’t you think they might have already reported you missing?” he asked.
“I do online school. My computer’s upstairs and the internet security here is shit. The password is taped to the inside of a desk drawer in one of the offices. I found it years ago.”
Ignoring the fact that she’d obviously been to the castle before, he frowned. “Online school. That’s a thing?”
The look she shot him was pure tweenager. “You’re notthatold, dude. Yeah, kids can learn online.”
He rolled his eyes. “I know there’s online learning. I didn’t know it extended to what, fifth graders? I don’t exactly spend a lot of time with kids.”
“Sixth grade,” she corrected. “But I work at the eleventh-grade level. I’ll be ready for my GED next year.”
“You’re a savant.”
“I’m someone who spends a lot of time alone with my computer. May as well learn while I’m at it. Beats the shit out of reading about whatever scandal the newest pop star is getting into or who cheated on who in Hollywood.”
“I agree. And I know a few geniuses, so no need to get defensive. My comment was an observation, not a challenge.”
A glint of interest came into her eye. “What kind?”
“What kind of what?”
“Geniuses? There’re all kinds. Painters, mathematicians, chemists…”
“They may be more than one thing, but I know them for their cybersecurity skills.” Ah, that piqued her interest. He bit back a smile and lured her in. If he got her interested in Leo and Sabina, maybe she’d let them help find her mother. Leo was probably already working on it, but he’d rather Kendall agree to the help than feel as though he went behind her back.
“Sabina runs the cyber team at a private security company called HICC. Leo is on her team. Ava also works there, but she’s on family leave now. Gave birth to twins recently. The last person on the team is another Collin, but he works mostly on developing new technology hardware rather than the hacking-type stuff Leo and Ava do.”
