Page 43 of Duty

Haven smiled down at the black mane of thick curls bobbing along at her side. Valeria’s daughter kept a tight hold on her hand as she skipped on the sidewalk, and sang the song her mother had taught her the day before.

She figured her friend needed to keep an eye on this kid—Maria didn’t miss a click, no matter what the situation was. She was smart as hell, picked up on just about anything quite fast, and ran with it.

“I don’t think you missed even one see that time,” Haven said.

Maria beamed up at her. “No?”

“Nope—got ‘em all.”

“Yay!” Maria pumped a small fist in the air in triumph, and did a tiny jump at the same time. Still, she didn’t miss a step beside Haven as they continued their walk. “You’ll tell Ma for me, won’t you?”

“You bet I will.”

“Awesome.”

Usually, Valeria would walk Maria to school in the mornings. She tried her hardest not to miss a day, but occasionally when she had to work a long shift at the club the night before—especially if she had to dance—then Haven didn’t mind stepping in to help her friend. Today was one of those mornings.

Maria never complained, either. Haven always suspected that was because Maria did have such a good mom—Valeria was hands on, and never stopped being involved in anything and everything her daughter wanted to do. Even if there wasn’t a father figure in the picture, Maria was getting on just fine with her mom.

Haven stopped in front of the gate to the school where Maria attended—a public school that didn’t require very much documentation, and apparently didn’t ask very many questions. Or, that’s how Valeria explained it. All the school was worried about was that every child that needed to be educated, got their education. Permanent residency or immigrant status be damned.

As it should be, Haven thought.

“Okay,” Haven said, bending down to be at eye level with Maria. The sweet five-year-old beamed in that way of hers, and held on tight to Haven’s hand. “You have a good day, and be nice to everybody.”

Maria nodded firmly. “Even if they’re not nice to me.”

“And why do we do that?”

“Kill ‘em with kindness.”

“That’s right.”

Maria let Haven kiss her on the cheek, and only then did she let go of her hand. Haven stood as Maria darted beyond the safety of the playground gate, and headed for the waiting teachers supervising the incoming children. She didn’t turn around to leave until Maria was safely inside the school, and gone from her view.

It was a twenty-minute walk back to the house, but Haven took her time. She didn’t exactly have anywhere to be until around noon when she needed to go into the club, and do the paperwork she had been leaving to the wayside for longer than she should have.

Well, about two weeks.

That’s how long she’d been distracted.

Ever since—

“No run today?”

That voice.

Haven recognized it even as it traveled over the light early September breeze to carry his words to her. She hadn’t heard him talk in weeks—since that night at the club when she left him standing in his office with his fly still undone and the assurance she would get herself home just fine without his help.

Andino.

Haven looked up from her feet—when she was running, she always looked straight ahead so she didn’t miss a step, or stumble over something she didn’t see coming in plenty of time. But when she walked? She enjoyed looking around, or even staring at the ground.

Clearly, that was a mistake today.

She hadn’t seen Andino coming at all.

Shit.