The docs had put him as a newborn and her age at eight. Thirty months ago, she’d been found wandering the outskirts of Houston, wearing black robes and speaking “gibberish.” She’d clutched Thaddie in her arms, hissing at anyone who tried to take him from her. Because my baby bro is brilliant!” Two and a half years old, and he was a boy genius.Īt least, that’s how old she thought he was. “He hasn’t reached his full potential of potty. Now he has a potty mouth because of you.” He grinned at the woman, his adorable face dimpling, then yelled, “Fuggoff fuggoff fuggoff!” “What do we say to MizB when she lectures us?” “Uh-oh, Thaddie, it looks like we’re about to get a lecture.” Jo winked at him. “We need to talk, Jo.” She sat, but didn’t unload the basket. The woman had offered to do laundry for them, as if Jo and Thaddie had a wardrobe of other stuff to change into while they waited. MizB sighed at Jo’s outfit: ratty jeans, a stained T-shirt, and a black hoodie.
“Guess we could eat.” She propped her combat boots on the table. “Whatever.” Jo freed Thaddie from the pack, then took a seat, adjusting him in her lap. As usual, she wore some lame pantsuit.ĭon’t look too eager for chicken. Her eyes were light brown behind her boxy glasses. “Hope you two are hungry.” Her dark-brown shoulder-length hair had a touch of gray. The woman was in the lounge, already setting up the high chair. Brayden, part-time librarian/full-time busybody, a.k.a.
She eyed their surroundings one last time, then slipped through the library’s back door, left open for her by Mrs. She and Thaddie needed to get scarce, maybe head to Florida, making a new start in Key West. “Loss ’em!” He waved his single toy, his Spider-Man doll, to celebrate. She craned her head around to ask Thaddie, “What do you think?” His little body was secured in the Thadpack-the stolen backpack she’d modified, cutting out holes for his legs. She was a plucky superhero, carrying her trusty sidekick on her back. The streets of this hood were a maze, the Monte Carlo a dragon. She thought she heard its newly replaced engine rumbling a couple of blocks over. Slowly images of the day began to surface.Ĭlosing in on the library, Jo scanned the streets for the gang lord’s Monte Carlo.
THINK! What’s the last thing you remember? Where was he? Why couldn’t she remember what happened? Which meant she’d be breaking him out yet again. That’d mean she and Thaddie were back in the foster system and off the streets. Where am I? Her vision was blurry, the light dim. What the hell are those?Ĭlutching her aching head, she gazed around, wrinkling her nose at the antiseptic smell. She bolted upright, and spat two pieces of crumpled metal.
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