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Tanya licked her lips. “Maybe…you could do just a little something this week. Just the tiniest thing. Anything. Please -– my son is so young, and if he’s hurt somewhere maybe the smallest thing could make a difference. I really am begging you to help me.”

He squinted at her behind his thick glasses, sizing her up. She held her breath. If he says no…

“Explain what happened the day your son went missing,” he drawled, leaning back in his chair. His eyes landed on her tits and stayed there.

She knew she had to appear strong and confident. In a controlled voice she said, “My son disappeared on June 15th. I had left him with my Mama–”

“What’s your mother’s name?”

“Cyrie Weaver.”

The P.I wrote this down. “Go on,” he said.

“Mama took Amari to the playground– the one by the preschool on Central.”

“I know the place.”

“While she was there, she ran into a friend from church. They got to talkin’ for about ten minutes. She wasn’t watching Amari the way she should have been.” Tanya repressed the rage. Of course she wasn’t. I should have known better. I never should have ever left him with her. I trusted her and I knew better.

“Was this typical behavior?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you usually leave your son with your mother?”

“Ah– no. It was the very first time. Mama and I have a tough relationship, sir.”

“Is she a drug addict?”

“No, sir. No drugs or liquor or nothing like that.” Tanya swallowed. “Not that I know of.”

“I see. Continue.”Was this motherfucker licking his lips ?

Folding her arms across her chest Tanya went on, “Mama said Amari must have wandered off. She looked up and he was gone, she said. Amari started walking at eight months old, so he moves real fast. My mother said she looked all over the playground. She and her friend started looking together. They searched high and low and didn’t find him, and that was when she called the police.”

“What was her friend’s name?”

“Um– Miss Amy. They know each other from church. I don’t know Miss Amy’s last name but I could get it for you–”

“What time was this?” the man interrupted.

“About noon, sir, was when Mama and Amari got to the park.”

Another note.

“Where were you at this time, Tonya?”

Tanya’s back teeth clenched. “I was at work up in Florin.”

“The police interviewed your mother?”

“Yes they did.” For like five minutes. But they had me in there two hours.

“What about the friend?”

“Ah– no. Just me and Mama.” She added, “They didn’t even look at the security footage. They did nothing. And that’s why I’m here. I just need to know what happened to my son.”

Mr. Faisal nodded. Expressionless, emotionless, and still staring at her chest. “I see. Well, Tonya, as soon as you get me the rest of the money I can get started on finding out what happened to– ah– Amari ,” he said, checking his little book.

Even if he never finds Amari, he still gets paid, Tanya thought angrily.

“Here’s pictures of my son,” Tanya said, laying the only physical pictures of Amari she owned on the desk. “And all the information you asked me to bring. I got the police report, too.”

Mr. Faisal took the documents without so much as glancing at them.

“I can get you the rest of the money by— by the weekend,” she promised. “It’s just a little hard up for me right now. I’m doing all this by myself but I can assure you I will have the money no matter what it takes.”

Mr. Faisal looked at her again. It was a different kind of look and it made Tanya go hot all over her body.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Twenty,” she said stiffly.

His lips curled in the corners. “If you don’t have the money…maybe we can work something out, Tonya.”

I don’t believe this shit.

Tanya got out of the chair. “I’ll get you the money. Please just find my son.”

“I will do my best, Miss Weaver, but know that the chances your son is still alive are very small.”

“I believe he’s still alive,” said Tanya furiously. “Maybe you should, too, if I’m paying you all this money to find him.”

“You haven’t paid me yet,” he reminded her, smiling.

Tanya had the sinking realization she may have made a big mistake. She opened her mouth to demand her money back, but her eyes fell on a picture of Amari she had laid on the desk. Amari holding up a baby chick at the local petting zoo, smiling so hard. She had taken that picture a week before he went missing.

Her mouth snapped shut and it was only lifelong practice that kept the tears from flowing. He’s my only hope. I don’t have a choice.

“Next week, then,” she said through cold lips.

“Wonderful,” said Faisal, sweeping the files and pictures into a drawer. He glanced at the clock.“I have another client coming in. Be sure to take some candy on your way out, Tonya.”

She gathered her things and turned to leave. She stopped at the door and turned back.

“My name is Tanya ,” she said before slamming out of the airless little room.

Tanya climbed the stairs to her apartment in the late sunset many hours later. She felt extremely tired in body and soul. Every part of her wanted to flop down in bed and lie motionless until sleep overwhelmed her. She hoped she dreamed of Amari because the day had been one of the hardest of her life.

She was grateful to have hitched a ride up the mountain with a nice older lady. Even on the worst days you could still turn a lucky hand. But as she got to the top of the stairs, a gust of loneliness blew out the small flame of gratitude. She reached numbly for her keys.

He’s gone. Amari is gone. He’s never coming back. And I might be pregnant…Oh God.

The STD test would tell her if she had contracted a nasty disease. But the doctor at the clinic told her expressly not to do a pregnancy test with them.

We have to report it , the lady had explained. And then you would be monitored in case the fetus terminates, or…you have an abortion. Which is illegal.

So what are my options?

Deal with it privately , said the lady in some insinuating tone that left Tanya even more frustrated.

Tomorrow is another day , she reminded herself, reaching for the positive mantra that had always kept her going. Another day. Another chance to find Amari. Every moment is a blessing from God…

There was some mail sticking out her mailbox and she collected it before unlocking her door. The lock needed some jimmying, even after she’d fixed it just yesterday.

She stepped into her small apartment and shut the door. Home at last.

Tanya’s apartment took up two rooms in a rickety wooden building that used to double as a brothel back before the war– the civil war. Half the windows wouldn’t close right and she was positive her downstairs neighbor was breeding frogs in his bathroom. But apart from that it was a nice little place, safer than Rowanville, with a beautiful forest behind it she meant to explore with Amari when he was a little older.

She opened the door and fumbled for the light, but when she flicked the switch nothing happened. The streetlights were off when I climbed the hill…paying all this money to live here and they can’t even keep the lights on… Or had she missed a bill? She froze. Then she remembered last week she’d posted the check — that was the day the bathroom almost flooded…

I’m gonna lose it. With the power out she couldn’t heat up any food. Not like she was hungry. These days every bite tasted like ashes.

She set down her purse and worked off her shoes, her light jacket. There was a strange smell in the house. Did she leave something on? No…It smelled like…

That’s strange.

She turned around, skin prickling. What the…

Something huge and dark stepped out of the shadows and pinned her arms, covered her mouth. She screamed with everything she had but the man dragged her back, crushing her in a mighty bear hug.

“Hey, chocolate,” he said into her neck. But she had already known it was him.

The man put her in some kind of hold and began walking her out of the cramped kitchen. She fought him with all her strength, and Tanya was a strong girl, but it would have taken Hercules to get that giant man off her back. She could remember how big he had looked standing over her, his cock mushing up in her tightness…Fucking her in the back seat of his truck. She remembered how small she felt looking up at him, leaning over her, his hair like a wild man’s. And now– Oh God. He’s here to rape me!

The monster dragged her deeper into the apartment, sidestepping the boxes on the floor so easy she knew he’d waited there for her, learning the whole place.

Her bedroom–

“HELP!” Tanya screamed, leaping for the window. “SOMEONE HELP–”

Mister Bailey hauled her back again, and next thing she knew something was being stuffed into her mouth. Her teeth gnashed on clean cotton. She gagged and spat but he held it there with a large hand clamped strongly over her mouth.

“Shhhh,” he said. “Shhh, listen to me.”

What the fuck…

He pushed her to her knees, and sat on the edge of her bed, holding her wrists tight. “Stop hollerin’,” he ordered.

Tanya quieted. She heard herself panting like a trapped rabbit. Her mind raced. What did he want? How could she escape?

Cold metal pricked her throat. Her eyes squeezed shut. Just make it quick, please…

“Answer true,” Mister Bailey said. “Do you work for Hiram? The Green Trees?”

Who the fuck…

“Answer!” He snarled.

No! She shook her head desperately, realizing that he still thought she was working for the men who had jumped him in the parking lot. After she replied (silently) he went quiet; he must have been deciding if he should kill her or not. She didn’t dare open her eyes. Inside she wondered what would happen to Amari, if there really was heaven, if there had ever been a point in her life, apart from Amari’s birth, where she had been happy. But then he took the knife away.

“Had to make sure,” he murmured.

She gagged on the cotton again, and calmly he plucked it from her mouth. All the rage was gone from his voice when he asked, “I hurt you?”

“No,” she whispered, her voice shaking bad. “What do you want? I have nothing here for you.”

“But you do, Tanya.” He pushed her hair off her forehead. “That’s your name, right?”

“Y-yes.”

Tanya had no idea what to do. Should she scream? Run? Grab his knife? Bite his knee?

He said, “I wanted to hurt someone tonight.”

This can’t be happening. This is a dream, right? A terrible dream…

“All them Snatch Hills, Green Trees…they got to pay for what they done. But instead I came here.” His hand was heavy on her head, pushing her head back to stare the long distance up into his face. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

He tugged a curl free from her bun, rolling it between two heavy blunt fingers. “You’re the girl from the paper with the missing son. Amari. I remember your tattoo, and I put it together.” He exhaled, stroking her hair, twisting her curls. “That room over there…that’s his room?”

“Please get out of here, mister. Swear I won’t call the police. I promise we can forget this ever happened. I won’t get you in trouble.”

“I believe you,” he said. “It’s okay, Tanya.” He dropped the knife and kicked it across the room. But she knew he was probably still carrying a gun, so…

He won’t leave. Oh my God, what do I do? My cellphone’s all the way in the kitchen!

“You, ah, want something to eat?” she asked hopefully.

“So you can call the police?”

Shoot! But I knew he wasn’t dumb; I knew that from the beginning.

“Why were you at the Turnkey?” He asked point blank.

She told him the truth. “I needed money. I felt like it was the only way.”

“Don’t you have a job, Tanya?”

“Yes I do. I’ve worked since I was fifteen. I work my butt off,” she said angrily.

“But no money.”

“No money. You wouldn’t know about that.” She glared at him, thinking of his fancy watch and fancy truck. “Why don’t you just leave me alone? We did our business— I don’t want nothing more from you. Amari is my son. I needed the money to pay an investigator.” A frantic idea took hold in her mind. “Do you know something about Amari? Do you know what happened to my son?”

“No. It was chance we met; I saw your ad in the paper after I met you. You had him young? Your son.”

“I was sixteen,” she said. “F-fifteen when I got pregnant.”

“Where’s the daddy?”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” said Tanya sharply. “Not like it’s your damn business.”

Holding her chin, he turned her face into the dimming light coming in through the window. With his back to that light he was an entire shadow to Tanya, but nothing escaped his view. He seemed to be studying her. “You might be the most beautiful girl on this mountain,” he said in something like awe. “I never liked your kind…”

She shoved at him, which was hard because he still had her wrists in a death grip, pinned together with just one of his hands. “You mean Black people? Then why are you up in my house bothering me? Why are you here!? ”

His other hand tightened on her chin. “Why am I here? I still don’t know.”

A chill went up her back at the complete deadness in his voice.

“Please leave me alone. You got what you wanted from me. And I don’t even have your money any more. Just go away and I won’t tell anybody you were in here,” she begged desperately.

He dragged her to her feet, then gently pushed her down into the bed. She struggled, but all he did was stretch out next to her, an arm over her waist, one of his legs pinning her down. He still wore his boots and everything. He smelled real good. Real good. That was the fucked up part of it. His thick dark hair tickled her nose, their faces were so close. The fading light now revealed the deep handsome lines of his face, a face that had been carved from mountain quartz, except for the scarred bubbly side which was now pressed into her pillow. Even his breath smelled like herbal tea.

“You are out of your mind!”

“I just want to talk. I want to understand why you got such a fuckin’ hold over me.”

“How the hell should I know? You’re crazy!”

“Look,” he said. “I can help you find your son. I’m connected up here, and I want to help you.”

“You want to help me? Then give me a thousand dollars.”

“Done,” he said. “Now tell me what happened to your son.”

He was lying; he was crazy. She shoved his chest; beat against him, but he wouldn’t let her free.

“Get off me! Get off me— please. ”

“Just talk to me— Tanya— I won’t hurt you. I won’t, I promise.”

Tanya tried very hard to calm herself down. If I tell him about Amari, he might feel sympathy for me. He might let me go. I know deep down he’s a human being; I should tell him. What do I have to lose?

She told him what she had told the P.I earlier today.

“I left Amari with my mother. It was the first time I ever let them spend time together alone.” She shuddered, wishing for the umpteenth time she had done differently. But the entire reason she’d let Mama watch him was to apply to a job in Rowanville that would pay more.

She didn’t get the job, and she lost Amari forever.

Numbly Tanya continued, “Mama took him to the park. She ran into her friend from church and they got to talking. Mama said Amari wandered off. He was kidnapped. Three years ago there was a little girl that went missing around that place, but the police don’t think it’s connected. They didn’t help me at all. That’s all I know.”

To her surprise he listened carefully, and just held her close, stroking her gently to give her comfort. All he asked was, “Is your mother on drugs?”

That was everybody’s first assumption.

“No,” said Tanya. “I know for a fact she doesn't mess with that stuff.”

“You don’t like her,” Saverin said, reading her tone.

“She was a bad mother to me,” Tanya admitted bitterly. “But when Amari was born she started trying to make back. We went to church and talked to her pastor together. I thought we had mended fences. Daycare was so expensive and it always made Amari sick — these people kept that place so dirty. Mama told me she could help me, and she wanted to spend time with her grandbaby. I thought I could forgive her. For Amari’s sake. You know sometimes people treat grandkids different from their own kids. It was a mistake.”

Tanya swallowed hard. “Lord, it was the worst mistake. And when he disappeared? She said it was my fault!” Out of breath, she hid her eyes behind a shaking hand. I won’t cry again. “It was my fault for trusting her with my son. It’s all my fault.”

Saverin’s deep voice rumbled in her ear. “Did she take him, you think?”

“Take who? Amari? That makes no sense,” Tanya snapped. The very idea!

“Why not? If your mother was the last person to see the kid alive –-”

“He’s still alive! My son is still alive! Get off me! ” She began to struggle wildly. “Easy,” he said, holding her wrists. “Hey, hey, take it easy.”

“He’s still alive!” she shrieked. “Don’t say my son is dead! It’s not true!”

He held her close now; both arms around her, and he’d let go his death grip on her hands, which tingled as the blood returned. But Tanya wasn’t minding that. Despair, fear and frustration had blacked out her mind.

“I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry, darlin’.”

He could be so kind…her head was spinning.

“Why is this happening to me?” she moaned. “I just wanted to come home and sleep.”

“I know honey, I know.”

“Why did God take away my baby?”

The man just held her, saying nothing. He stroked her back until she calmed down, going from terrifying to gentle in the blink of an eye.

He’s got a soft side.

She remembered how when he’d thrust inside her that first time, and she flinched, he had stopped and waited for her to adjust. What is this? Why do I feel this way? He’s a monster, he’s going to hurt me…He just put a knife on my neck! But this feels nice…it feels nice to have him here.

“You good?” he grunted.

“Go away,” she replied blearily. She felt so confused and tired, afraid, angry… I just want to sleep. But she couldn’t; not while a man was keeping her prisoner in her own room, trapping her in her bed with one knee pinned between her spread legs. His thigh was pressing slightly on her pussy. Was it deliberate?

Why did it feel good?

She whispered, “You need to get out of my house.”

“I will,” he said. “I promise. I never wanted to hurt you— that wasn’t my intention.”

She shuddered. Something metal and shiny glinted in the light: his watch.

“Is that real?” she blurted.

“Is what real?”

“That ice on your wrist.”

“That was my father’s.”

The intrusive thought slipped out. “I should have just robbed you.”

He laughed softly and pushed the hair off her neck. He was obsessed with touching her hair, tugging on it, wrapping it around his thick fingers. Her skin tingled as he rubbed his thumb over a sensitive spot under her ear. “So pretty…” His voice was a murmur, hardly audible.

“What happened to you?” Tanya asked.

“What makes you think something happened to me?”

She touched his burned face. He shifted his weight off her a little, which was a relief, and said quietly, “I’d give the other half of it just to turn back time.”

She felt that way, too. She’d give anything just to go back to the day she brought Amari down to her Mama. What had she been thinking, leaving her son alone with that woman? It was the worst thing she’d ever done.

Tanya’s hands came up and slowly threaded into his thick black hair. Oh Lord… Something deep and primal had started knocking inside her.

“I can help you with the money,” he said. “Whatever you need.”

“Oh…” He was sucking her neck again.

Am I really doing this after he said that shit to me?

“And I’m sorry for hurting you before.”

She had never heard a man apologize for anything. But that didn’t make her any more willing to recreate what had happened two nights ago. Right? She was definitely not aroused by the pressure of his body on top of hers, his thigh digging between her legs, rubbing on her pussy.

“Is that all you want?” She whispered. “Just— laying here like this?”

He slowly pushed her thighs apart. Even through layers of denim she could feel his manhood, and it was hard and heavy as before… thick, insistent. She remembered it pushing inside her. How scared she had been when she realized he was hung like a horse, when he pumped it inside her slowly, getting her prepped for a deep hammering fuck that obliterated her senses. Sex with this man was like standing on top of a train with the wind and the world rushing past her. Exhilarating. Dangerous.

Suddenly she craved it.

And maybe he sensed that, because he grew bolder. He squeezed her titties, rolled them between his big rough hands. Her own hands fell from his shoulders, abandoning their useless mission of pushing him away. She slid deeper into the bed, her legs falling open. He laid heavily on her, squashing and mashed her breasts in hypnotizing circles. “Darlin’…”

Pleasure rocketed through her body as he greedily played with her…But no! She wanted to fight him, she should fight him! Why did it feel so good to just lay there?

He pushed up her shirt. “You’re so beautiful I can’t stand it,” he murmured, stroking over her navel with a large thumb.

Yes!

He pulled away suddenly, and she could sense a sudden sideways shift in his energy, as if something had just occurred to him. “Did you go back to that place? Were there others?”

“What?”

His voice cut through her confusion with a dangerous edge. “Other men. Did you sell yourself to anyone else?” His hand tensed on her stomach, a hard reminder of his strength.

“No,” she hissed. “I’m never going back there. Not like it’s your business!”

“If I’m having you, you can’t take other men.”

How dare he? She wasn’t planning to take another man, ever , but his high-handed tone pissed her off. Who did he think he was?

“I’m serious. Swear to me right now.”

“I don’t want anybody else anyway. All men bring to me is trouble. You’re all selfish and twisted in the mind.”

“All of us?”

“All of you!”

Casually he unpopped her bra, and made a low noise when her titties fell out, large and heavy, the nipples thrusting towards him.

He rolled onto his back, taking her with him, and lapped at her pointy nipples until her legs splayed open, her pussy rubbing herself hard on his dick. Then he slowly, hungrily suckled on her tits.

For hours.

Well, it felt like hours. It might have been twenty minutes. Or twenty thousand. Time unraveled just like her resistance.

It wasn’t fucking, but it was a sin. On top of this stranger, legs spread, while he sucked her bare titties like they were full of chocolate milk. Sensations of pleasure and lust melted her bones. She groaned and leaned forward, pushing her titties into his face. His tongue flicked over her nipples, first the left, then the right. Her eyes fluttered shut. So good…gooood…

Her breasts had always been sensitive. He went slow, taking his time on her. His strong muscled arms held her in position, his hands tight on her waist, feeling up her ass, while he took his pleasure from her breasts. Taking her nipples between his teeth, caressing with his lips, pressing them with his tongue, sucking and licking and biting. Her breasts went tight and heavy, stimulated to unbearable heights now. “Please,” she begged, and he reached up and squeezed them both at once, directing her nipple again into his mouth. He was breathing hard. “Yeah, fuck, fuck,” he gritted.

Pressure built between Tanya’s legs, frustrated by the lack of stimulation there. She ground down on his dick like she was dancing. In answer, he thrust his hips into hers.

Dangerous ideas now, coming hot and fast. What if we went the whole way right now? Would that be so bad?

A day of disappointment and high emotions made her crave even the smallest jolt of ecstasy, and it sizzled into her everywhere the man touched. If it felt this good just to have her titties sucked, she wanted everything. She reached down and squeezed his dick through his Wrangler jeans. He pulled away in happy surprise. “You want it?”

“Yes,” she panted.

“Come here — fuck— come here, darlin’, and— ”

TWEEDEEDEEDEEEEEE…

Both of them froze.

“My phone!”

Tanya instinctively moved to get off the bed, but the man’s grip on her waist tightened like a trap. She stared down at him incredulously, meeting a pair of flinty eyes.

“W-what are you doing?” she said bravely.

“Leave it,” he growled.

“Let me go! It could be about my son!”

He let her go. She stumbled to the kitchen, pulling her purse out. TWEEDEEDEEDEEE….

“It’s Bee!” she exclaimed, as if he would know what that meant. She quickly hit ANSWER. The man followed her into the kitchen, adjusting himself.

“ Tanya ?”

“Bee, are you okay? You had me worried!”

“Tanya, I’m fine,” said Bee, sounding out of breath. “I just ran into Colton, your ex!”

“ What ?”

“I was at the gas station with Durk and he pulled up. He recognized me and came over. He said was looking for you.”

“Looking for me? Why?” Tanya glanced at Mister Bailey, who glared back. “What did he say, Bee? Did he ask about Amari?” urged Tanya.

“I don’t think he knows Amari’s missing. You didn’t tell him?” Bee asked, hushed.

“No. Did you ?”

“He has a right to know, Tanya,” Bee said disapprovingly. Tanya checked a sharp reply about who had a right to what.

“Did you tell him anything?” Tanya repeated.

“Of course not. He was very rude. He kept trying to find out where you stayed.”

“Hell no. I hope you didn’t tell him.”

“I didn’t say a word. But he said he wants to talk,” Bee said dubiously.

“I have nothing to say to Colton. He didn’t know Amari was missing, right? Durk didn’t tell him?” Tanya pressed.

“No,” replied her best friend. “My husband got wrapped up talking with somebody inside, and I got rid of Colton before he came out of the gas station – thank God. I don’t know how Durk would have taken it. He hates when I talk to other men.”

“Right.”

“But Colton kept saying he needed to talk to you. He drove all the way up from Rowanville, Tanya.”

“There is nothing Colton has to say to me, understand? Nothing. ”

“Shoot! I have to go. Durk is coming back,” Bee gasped.

Click.

“Who is Colton?” Tanya’s unwelcome visitor demanded as soon as she hung up the phone.

“Nobody.”

“Your son’s father?”

Mister Bailey was quick. She tried not to look at him leaning all in her doorway like a gangster. He wore a dark flannel shirt, loose and open at the collar to show his muscled neck and the beginning of broad pectorals. His black mane of hair tumbled to a wide pair of shoulders. Why did he have to be good looking? Even with that scar.

He looked imposing and cruel as he stared down his nose, reading volumes in her expression. She turned away from him and started stacking her dishes. Like this was all perfectly normal, to wash dishes when a psychopath had just been humping her in the bed and was standing there now like it didn’t matter.

“I haven’t talked to Colton since before Amari was born,” Tanya said. “I left him when I was pregnant.”

“Why? He didn’t want the kid?”

“He was a pimp,” she said shortly.

Saverin stared at her. She rubbed her eyes. It occurred to her mid-rub that her phone was in reach. She could call the police now.

Yeah, and tell them to arrest the stranger she had been dry-humping just a minute ago.The stranger from one of the richest families in town.

Her treacherous body cried out for the oblivion of pleasure again, but she stayed put.

“So where is he now?”

“I don’t know,” Tanya snapped.

“Is he going to be a problem?” the man drawled, leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom.

“He can try,” said Tanya grimly. “I’ll show him a problem.”

“Let’s go back, chocolate. I wasn’t done with you.”

Tanya shook her head. “No. You need to leave.”

He stepped towards her and she automatically shrank away from him. Even though a second ago she’d been twerking on his dick. But now the spell was broken and they were once again in strange waters.

“You never need to be scared of me,” he said, halting in front of her.The scarred side of his face looked like the ridges of the mountains. She saw the kindness in his eyes, but it was buried deep and she didn’t need more trouble.

“You need to go,” she repeated. “Please just leave.”

He reached past her, picking up a pen and paper on the messy kitchen counter. He wrote something down, needing no light. She heard the sound of a paper tearing. He tacked the scrap to her fridge with a magnet.

Then he left, going through the front door. She heard the steps creaking under his heavy tread. She heard a truck start in the apartment parking lot. She stood, frozen, until she heard the vehicle pull off onto the road and rumble away into the distance.

She was alone again.

The darkness felt suffocating. Though it wasn’t working, she still jiggled the power switch. Bright light seared her eyes; the power had magically returned.

And now she saw there was a number tacked to her fridge, and under that number was his name:

SAVERIN.

Only later did Tanya find the money under her pillow, but when and how he’d put it there she had no idea.