Jenny wasted no time hightailing it out of the smelly room.
Not caring how chilly it had grown outside, Miranda flung open what windows she could budge. She sucked in great gasps of fresh air and wondered how anyone could live this way.
She returned to the sink and began emptying it of unwashed dishes when she heard heavy footsteps coming closer, followed by a partially muffled, Good Lord!
Miranda couldnt help laughing. My sentiments exactly.
This kitchens a pigsty. No wonder your dogs out by the door hiding his head. I thought the bedrooms were bad. Theyre the Ritz compared to this. Linc made a slow circuit of the room. The boys are bagging rubble from the four bedrooms. God only knows what condition the sleeping bags are in. I unearthed them from a back closet. Linc felt his burgeoning headache begin to pound in earnest.
At least we have hot water, Miranda said brightly. Steam rose from the sink shed plugged, but her attempt to find dish soap in the cabinet below met with no luck. After searching several more places, she puffed out a breath. I cant find any soap. I guess they ran out. Maybe thats why they stopped washing dishes.
A kitchen in a home for kids and no dishwasher? Thats idiotic. Shoot, heck and damn. The minute I set eyes on this unholy mess, I figured itd be midnight or later before we could reach a point where cooking was possible. But without soap and disinfectant, I doubt itll happen at all.
So, well, uh, tighten our belts again tonight. Miranda knew her friends had hoped to have a decent meal. But it wouldnt be the first night theyd gone to bed hungry. At least well be sleeping out of the cold. Thats something.
Known in the world of finance for making quick decisions, Linc made one now. Look, Randithat is your name, right? At her nod, he continued. I dont see that we have a choice but to load everyone in my Excursion and go in search of a restaurant. And if theres a motel with vacancies anywhere in town, two rooms should do us, I think. Tomorrow, before we head back, Ill buy supplies. Id appreciate it if youd make a list of whats needed for this kitchen to be operational.
A shovel? Her smile brought out a dimple in one cheek.
Once again Linc felt a tug that was almost physical. Frowning, he said, Put a case of jumbo trash bags and a new set of cookware on the list. He took a giant backward step toward the door. While you work on that, Ill round up the others. Ill see if the little squirts have nightclothes and clean clothes for morning. If I ever saw kids in need of a good scrubbing, its them.
As he turned to go out, Linc almost fell over the gum-chewing girl whod purportedly been friends with his sister. Given the circumstances, it was all he could do to mutter a civil, Excuse me.
Jenny, whod overheard part of his and Randis discussion, blocked Lincs exit. You really intend for us to eat at a restaurant and then go to a motel?
I see no other choice. Help put those pans in to soak, please. By tomorrow, steel wool might get some of them clean. Right after heat for the bunkhouses, Im adding an industrial-size dishwasher to my list.
Linc made a second attempt to leave the kitchen, but something in the way Randi studied him through narrowed eyes gave him pause. If youve got a problem with my solution, spit it out. From what I saw of the towns I went through on the way here, theyre liable to be the type that roll up their sidewalks at nine oclock. To keep from reaching out and giving her arm a reassuring squeeze, he glanced at his watch.
I think Jenny means moneys an issue, Randi blurted. We may be able to pool our pennies and buy burgers. Butwell, we cant begin to cover the cost of a motel.
Miranda still had her diamond earrings, but since throwing in her lot with Jenny and the boys, shed found no opportunity to visit a pawnshop. And she dared not risk the kinds of questions that would crop up if any of her new friends got a glimpse of the rocks she had sewn in the lining of her jacket.
You think Id expect you kids to pay? Linc exploded. Like any of this is your fault. He swept an arm to encompass the mess. Its a damned good thing Im not within reach of my buddy who negotiated for me on this place. All I can think is that John Montoya never set foot inside the house, or else hes blind and missing his sense of smell.
Linc wrung a low laugh from Randi. A husky sound that slid up his spine the way her voice did. Her voice made him think of a piano bar and mellow scotch.
Suddenly Linc found himself wondering why, if she hung out with Felicitys starstruck groupies, some producer hadnt seen her potential? True, her skin tone and unusual eye coloring were at odds with hacked-off, too-black hair. But a hairdresser and color could remedy that. It flitted through Lincs mind that black wasnt Randis natural shade. Probably a phase she was in. A few years back Felicity had dyed her rich brown curls a dull black, too. Shed also worn black lipstick and nail polish. She described the style as goth and refused to speak to him for weeks when hed objected to her appearance.
Though he couldnt say why, Linc was glad that Randi saw fit to leave her lips and nails bare. Of course, she and Jenny wore too many sets of earrings. And like his sister, Jenny sported tattoos. If Randi had any, they werent visible.
He didnt even want to recall the argument hed had with Felicity the evening hed come home from a road trip and discovered her first tattoo. Had his failure to understand her need to look bizarre been the beginning of their estrangement? He erased that thought from his mind and returned to his evaluation of Randi. Why had she landed on his doorstep, instead of on her way to being a new soap or big-screen movie star?
Because she was short? About five-three. Otherwise she had that look producers liked. And she walked as if she owned the world. Linc would bet his bottom dollar that before Randi whatever-the-hell-her-last-name-was ended up living on the street, shed known a better life, too.
Are you changing your mind about going to town, Mr. Parker?
Jerked back from his meandering thoughts, Linc all but snapped at Jenny. No, I havent changed my mind. And, Randi, start writing that damned list, okay? Here, take my pen, he said roughly, extending one he yanked from his shirt pocket. Tear a piece of paper off one of the hundreds of grocery sacks piled around here. Jeez, add all this junk to what we found in the bedrooms and its a miracle the place didnt burn down. Come to think of it, I want a lot of answers from Oasis.
Miranda, who had no idea what shed said or done to bring a return of Parkers bad humor, immediately set about starting a list.
And this time Linc lost no time in stomping out.
He shouldve guessed Wolfie would be next to object to his proposal.
Hana and me aint goin nowhere, the boy declared flatly, not caring that the older kids were already moving toward the door.
Mind telling me why? Linc inquired mildly.
Cause youll make all nice, and then take off and leave us there. You think Im stupid, mister?
Good grief. You have a wild imagination. I already explained that youll have a home here until I can get in touch with the areas new social worker. Not only that, I intend to grill her about a system that leaves children living in squalor.