Page 19 of A Little Christmas Wish

Ink sighed.

Christ. He was going to have a full head of gray hair by the new year.

“What are you worried about?” Royal sat forward. “Wait. Are you worried about Zippy?”

“Shit!” Baron shot up, looking more alert. “You think he’s coming after her?”

Ink sighed and sat, facing them. “I’ve got no evidence of that. Could be that he’s done a runner for some other reason. His wife was spotted leaving and her stuff is gone. Maybe she’s run from him and he’s gone after her.”

“Poor woman, hope she gets away,” Royal said with a frown.

Yes. Although what had she actually done to protect Zippy?

Well, it was hard to know since Zippy didn’t really want to tell them.

“But even though you don’t know where this guy has gone, you’re worried he could be coming for Zippy,” Royal said. “You’ve had someone keeping an eye on him?”

Ink nodded. “I have. And he’ll continue keeping an eye out. I’m probably being over-cautious, but . . .”

“Better that than be taken by surprise,” Royal said.

“What are you going to do?” Baron asked. “Keep Zippy and Ma under lock and key?”

“Zippy’s only seven. I know she seems older, but she’s still a child and I don’t want to worry her,” Ink told them.

The twins shared a look.

“Don’t know if that’s a good idea, Pops,” Baron warned.

Ink shot him a look. “Stop calling me Pops, I’m not your grandfather.”

Baron gave him a look and Ink groaned.

“No, but you look it. Doesn’t he, brother?” Baron asked.

“He certainly does,” Royal drawled. “Probably due to all those grays.”

“And the wrinkles. Don’t forget the wrinkles,” Baron added.

“His grouchy manner doesn’t help,” Royal said.

“Neither does the pot belly he’s growing.”

Fuck, he’d walked right into that one.

“I do not have a pot-fucking-belly,” he muttered. “We need to get back to this matter. It could be serious.”

Baron and Royal looked at each other and nodded. “All right. We’re in agreement.”

“Agreement about what?” Ink asked suspiciously. You could never be sure with these two.

“We’re going to stay home from now on and watch Ma and Zippy,” Baron said.

“Uh, no, you’re not.” How the hell had they reached that conclusion?

“Of course we are,” Royal said, his eyes narrowing. “We can hardly leave them unprotected now that we know there might be a threat.”

“Nope. Can’t do that,” Baron agreed. “We have to stay and take care of them.”

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