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“So good to know.” Veronica and Drake kept pot-bellied pigs and a family of bunnies that roamed their house, leaving poop pellets on the floor where their toddlers crawled. But at least they were attentive neighbors. At least they cared. People in Bel Air were strangely private in an ill-mannered way, the doctor thought, and at least the Burnses called and came over after hearing the shots. It made the doctor feel less alone.
“Oh, thank God,” Veronica said. “As long as he doesn’t get rabies or something.”
“Let’s hope not.”
“You have a gun?” Veronica said. “You shot in the air to scare them away, and it worked?”
“No,” lied the doctor. “And yes, I have a gun. I shot right at them. I killed one. It’s awful.”
“Oh,” said Veronica, running her hand through her hair. “Tragic.” And then she sighed. “Poor little pups. It’s our faults, you know. Pushing the wildlife around like we do. All the construction. And then with the Covid, they all came out, and then they had to go straight back in. I’m sure it’s been a confusing year for… you know, wildlife.”
“For everyone,” the doctor agreed.
“Yeah.”
“I hope I didn’t wake the twins,” Dr. Parks said.
“No, you didn’t,” Veronica said. “But Drake was up, and he called the police. He wasn’t sure if it was, you know, a murderer, or a… domestic thing…” Her voice trailed off uncomfortably.
“And you came over? That was brave,” the doctor said.
“Yeah, well, yeah. I live for this shit.”
“Wait, the police are coming?” They would ask about the gun.
In the house, Shev shook his head. The police? On the way? Now?
“Drake called them. Is that okay? Believe me, he knows gunfire when he hears it. He plays a cop on TV, in Chicago. You know. Chicago. But still.”
“Right,” said the doctor, suddenly stricken. She’d never actually asked Masha… if Masha was working legally… or even living in the US legally. The accent was thick, and Masha only took cash, off the books. “Can you watch Bandit for one second?” the doctor said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Uh,” said Veronica, and watched the doctor run through the kitchen and out the back door. “Sure.”
Boris watched from the bushes as Dr. Parks ran out and down the garden path toward the pool.
This was a strangely busy night. Where was Shev?
But Masha and Nikolai were nowhere in sight. They’d gone back inside. The doctor took the pool house steps, and barreled in, startling them all.
“My neighbor called the police,” she announced.
“No,” Masha said, and rose from her chair, suddenly looking much more sober. Dr. Parks didn’t recognize Sophie, who stood there in her bedclothes, looking upset. “The police are coming? Here?”
“They’re on the way. Who are you?” the doctor asked.
“Mrs. Parks, this is my cousin, ” said Masha. “Her name is Sophie. She’s Nikolai’s mother.”
“Hi,” said the doctor. Sophie looked frightened and said hello. But this wasn’t the time for introductions.
“Go down the steps on the side of the house to the basement door. I’ll unlock it from inside. Hide there and don’t come out until I tell you. Turn off the lights here and lock the door. We don’t have a minute to spare.”
CHAPTER 20
THE DOCTOR TURNED to flee the pool house, but stopped on the step and turned back around. “Who has the gun?” she said. “Bring that gun. Don’t leave it here.”
Inside, Masha turned. She grabbed the gun from the kitchen counter as Sophie turned off the lights and grabbed a jacket for her son. They followed the doctor out to the deck.
Back up the path, past the hot tub, the doctor headed straight to the patio door, while Masha veered left, toward the cement steps that led down to a basement door. Sophie and Nikolai followed her.
