“That’s what we figured,” said Ashley. “But they held us and said we’d still have to go to court. Finally we reached Mommy and she called Fellinger and he got us out of there and fixed it so we don’t have to go to court. But Laura still does, only her dad finally mellowed out and hired a lawyer who keeps postponing it. That’s what we figured you guys were here for, like to convince us to rat Laura out.”

She sucked in air. Hung her head. “Now I wish that was the reason.”

The girls gripped each other again, rocked and scrunched their eyes shut and went silent.

Milo got on his cell. “Mr. Corey? Lieutenant Sturgis. Your daughters need you. Good, I’ll tell them.”

Ashley opened her eyes. Marissa did the same seconds later.

“Your dad’s on his way.”

“Okay,” said Ashley. Her voice had gone flat. Her eyes were dull.

I said, “So you dorm at the U., and Marissa, you live here?”

“Um, not really,” said Marissa.

“We share an apartment,” said Ashley, blushing behind her ears.

“Are you in school?”

Hesitation. Slow head shake. “I dropped out. Could’ve studied but it was a total waste. I want to do business like my parents.”

“Import–export?”

“No, by myself, maybe in fashion.” She twisted a foot-long strand of blond hair. “I’m figuring it out.”

“Me, too,” said Marissa.

“So you guys are here today because—”

“Sydney and Jasper need us. We come like three, four times a week to groom and feed them and do a little exercise. Otherwise their muscles go flabby and they get unhealthy.”

“And the other days?”

“Mom does it … oh, God!”

Marissa said, “What’s going to happen to Sydney and Jasper?”

I walked to a cavernous kitchen, found ice water in one of two fridges, and poured glasses for the girls. They began by sipping, ended up slurping.

Milo said, “Thanks for your time, girls. Anything else you want to tell us?”

Fluttering lids. Dual drowsy head shakes.

“We’re happy to stay until your dad gets here.”

Dual “Uh-uhs.”

“You’re sure?”

Ashley said, “We really want to be by ourselves.”

Marissa nodded.

Milo said, “I understand,” and we stood. “Take care of yourselves, girls—oh, by the way, who’s Phyllis?”

Ashley said, “Phyllis Tranh. She was Mommy’s friend and then Daddy dated her.”

“He dated her after the divorce.”

“Of course, after,” said Marissa. “Daddy’s not a cheater.”

“But not for long,” said Ashley. “Maybe it got awkward.”

“Phyllis Tranh,” said Milo. “That’s a Vietnamese name.”

“Yeah, she is. Mommy knows her from business, Phyllis retails.”

Marissa said, “Her and Mommy used to get their nails done together. When Mommy went to Beverly Hills.”

“All the nail places in Beverly Hills are Vietnamese,” said Ashley.

“Everywhere,” said Marissa.

“Phyllis like goes in and talks to them in their language and she and Mommy get vipped.”