It was a rare day—and a rarer night—when Duke Goodson showed up to do his own dirty work. But sometimes it was necessary. Like when your own people failed you, and you were forced to supervise so that nothing else would go wrong.

He would handle that unfortunate situation later. Right now, all he was interested in were these three children. A rather unremarkable lot, in his opinion. A shaggy boy in desperate need of a haircut, a girl who resembled her brother a lot less than she did a disgruntled owl, and another, larger boy also in need of a haircut. Didn’t parents groom their children anymore?

“Candi. Toni. Zozi. Please take that item from the children and bring it here.”

“No,” said one of the children. The girl. Duke did not care for mouthy girls.

“No?” he said. “How do you plan on stopping me?”

“Who are you?” This from the big boy.

“That’s not important,” said Duke. “What’s important is that trunk, or what’s in it.”

“It’s not yours,” said the other boy.

“True,” Duke said. “It belongs to my client, who paid an absurd amount of money for anything you three should find. Did I say an absurd amount of money? I meant a truly ridiculous amount of money.”

Candi, Toni, and Zozi went to retrieve the trunk from the children. When the girl saw Candi, she only gripped the trunk tighter.

“You!” the girl said through a fence of gritted teeth.

“Me,” said Candi, her tone mild.

“You lying piece of—”

“Now, now,” Candi said, easily tearing the trunk from the girl’s grip. “No need to get hysterical.” Candi glared at Toni and Zozi and carried the trunk back to Duke herself. Not that this would make up for anything, but Duke decided he would let Candi have her moment.

“Nine didn’t bite you. How could you lie like that?” said the mouthy girl.

“Everyone lies when it suits them,” said Candi.

“I don’t!”

“Really? Where do your parents think you are right now?

The girl glowered impressively. “Where’s my cat?”

Candi dropped the trunk at Duke’s feet. She made her eyes wide, the very picture of innocence. “How should I know where your cat is? Didn’t your own mother take her away?”

The girl actually hurled herself at Candi, but the two boys held her back. If the girl weren’t so owlish, Duke would consider hiring her once she was grown. Spunk like that was useful. But she’d look terrible with blond hair, the poor thing. She should have arranged to be born into a more attractive family.

Speaking of family. “Where do your parents think you are?” Duke asked.

The girl said, “My parents think we’re sleeping at Jaime’s house. Jaime’s grandmother thinks he’s sleeping at ours.”

“But you don’t lie,” said Candi.