Page 81 of Hey, Daddy

She did, however, have a red horse.

So the next time, when Desi asked Brecken if she had a red horse, a devious smile landed on Vivi’s cherubic face.

“Your kid already has your shrewd brain,” Milena murmured under her breath to our brother.

Shasha’s grin was proud when he said, “Taught her everything I know.”

Expensive, difficult, and talks back.

—Nastya to Haze

HAZE

The man named Lev was, indeed, a computer genius.

With my camera, the audio equipment that was still in my apartment, as well John’s text and cell phone records, we were able to piece together everything that happened.

On the tapes, you could see Daniil and Nastya head inside.

He had her wait in the kitchen, the farthest away from the door, while he disappeared into the bedroom to check out the rest of the apartment before gesturing for her to follow him.

He told her to get herself packed, and as they were passing each other in the hallway, that’s when there was a knock at the door.

It happened exactly as Nastya remembered it from there.

All the way up until she ran into the bedroom and screamed.

The one man that was wearing a black face mask, the one dressed in normal clothes, smiled.

The police officer shook his head, said that he was leaving now, and went.

Daniil pulled out his gun and aimed it at the masked man in the living room.

That’s when his brain exploded from behind and he collapsed.

John stepped out into the light and then aimed the gun at the masked intruder.

The masked intruder’s smile slipped and he said, “So this is how it’s going to go?”

“This is how it’s going to go,” John confirmed.

Then, as if they were in an old west shootout, the masked man lifted his gun, aimed, and fired.

I would never forget the way John’s head snapped backward as he took two stumbling steps.

I assumed how I found him was directly as he fell, but without the camera in the bedroom, I’d never know.

The masked man put his gun up expertly, letting me know he had plenty of gun handling experience.

He also walked like he was trained, as well as saw every little thing.

Even the camera.

Only after he drug Daniil’s body into the room did he say, “Looks like I’m not the only stalker.”

He left after that.

His boots leaving wet, red stains on the white linoleum as he disappeared.

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