Page 8 of A Little Naughty

“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “I’m not smart enough for politics.”

“You don’t have to be smart to keep up with what’s going on.” She frowns, studying me. “The wire reports say refugees are coming across the border from everywhere.”

“Her English is really good.” I hope that earns her bonus points. “It might be better than mine, and she reads everything.”

“That’s a plus at least.” She takes another step then lifts her hands and drops them at her sides. “Whatever. We’ve got to come up with a story. She’s obviously not yours.”

“I’ve been trying to think of something, but nothing adds up to me.”

“Can’t you say she’s a friend’s kid?”

“A friend I don’t know how to reach? Who never calls or texts?” I count off the neglect on my fingers. “What if people start asking her questions, and her answers don’t match mine?”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.” Nikki walks down the stairs slowly, and we turn to face her.

I go to where she’s standing on the bottom step and take her hand. “I’m sorry. You’re right. You should be a part of this conversation. What do you want us to do?”

She shrugs, stepping off the stairs but still holding my hand. “I can say I’m staying with you until my mom comes back. It’s what she told me when she left.”

“Do you have any idea where she went?” Piper’s voice is gentle, and I remember her son Ryan is also nine.

Nikki’s eyes are round, and she shakes her head no. “We ran out of money, and then we ran out of food. She said she was going to try and find a job before things got worse.”

A knot is in my throat when I think of the nights I went to bed hungry, then I remember Bill’s proposition to me in the park. I hope Nikki’s mom didn’t get into prostitution, although if she did, wouldn’t she still be in Branson?

“If you think of anything or remember anything, tell us, okay?” I put my hand on her shoulder. “In the meantime, you’ll like it here. The people are nice, and I’ll take you to get some clothes and stuff to decorate your room. Run upstairs and make a list of everything you need. Don’t leave out anything.”

Nikki blinks from me to Piper, who gives her a warm smile, and back to me. “Okay.”

We wait as she climbs the stairs to her room again, then Piper moves in close, lowering her voice. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. This guy Bill sounds scary, and I don’t know if you could be charged with kidnapping.”

“Kidnapping!” My voice is a whisper-shriek, and a noise at the front door makes us jump apart.

It slowly opens wider. “Hello?” Raif Jones smiles curiously, then his eyes land on mine.

My stomach flips. “Raif…”

The last time I saw him, Piper had asked me to interview him about a new business he was starting. Then Monay showed up saying Nikki was in jeopardy, and I left that night.

We had only just started talking, but he was really thoughtful and interesting. He’s got a total James Dean vibe, and the way he glances up at me from under his dark brow does crazy things to my stomach.

“Hey, Jemima.” A dimple appears beside his mouth when he smiles. “Martha said to come over and see if you needed help moving in.”

He’s wearing jeans and a white tee that shows off his tattoos, and when he shoves his brown hair behind his ear, the muscle in his bicep flexes. It’s seriously too much for my sex-deprived imagination.

“I think we’ve got it covered for now.” Piper’s tone is flat.

His eyes haven’t left mine, and I wonder if he heard us talking about Nikki. His face is impossible to read—as always.

I remember to smile. “Thanks for asking.”

“We can talk more later.” Piper starts for the door, catching his arm as she does. “Did you walk here from Mom’s?”

He nods, glancing away and breaking the spell. “She’s got me doing some work around her house.”

I follow as they’re walking away, and when they pause, I notice what looks like soil around his fingernails. “Have you been planting something?”

He gives me a little half-smile. “What’s that?”

---