‘Yeah, princess.A mission.A really big one.’
It’s just the two of them.
The sun will set soon, break the heat.
‘But you might get hurt.’
‘Babygirl,’ he says softly, sitting cross-legged in the base of her grand tower.‘Daddy is so tough.’
She rolls her eyes.‘You’re not that tough.’
Lachlan snorts.‘Please, Daddy Bang Bang is thetoughest.And that’s why I need to go, to keep Jewel safe.’
‘I can keep him safe too.’
‘You can, but your father says you can’t come.’
‘He’s so annoying,’ she sighs, seems much older than her handful of years.‘I hate him.’
‘So what do you think?’He wipes her eyes.‘Will you accept this mission?’
‘OK.’
‘The fate of the household rests in your capable hands, young Shadow Sneak Myna.’
‘Can we talk on the radio?’
‘I don’t think it’ll stretch that far, darling, but I’ll send messages once a day.’
‘Eight bells?’
‘Eight bells.You know Bee will take good care of you.’
‘And Danny,’ Mimi adds without prompt, busy making what looks like a nest out of twigs and mud, God she loves mud, this kid.‘Danny’s nice.’
‘Yeah?’
‘He’s like Silly,’ she comments.
‘As in they’re both Russian?’
‘No, Daddy,’ she giggles.‘Same eyes.’
Lachlan frowns slightly.‘I never noticed.’
‘You don’t see things sometimes,’ she says, patting his shoulder.‘It’s OK, though.Shadow Sneak sees everything.’She tries to wink at him but can only manage a doubleblink.
He winks back.‘Nothing gets past my babygirl.’
‘Nope, nothing.’
‘So you’ll protect the Estate while I’m away?’
‘Mission accepted.’
‘Phew,’ he sighs.‘Thank God for that.’
‘Bee says there is no God,’ Mimi whispers, ‘only water.But don’t tell anyone.It’s a secret.’
