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But I wasn’t surprised. Ariel was incredibly smart and soaked information up like a sponge. Something Lenny seemed to have learned from her. He breezed through his schoolwork and was as sharp as a tack.
I wanted to get him into a better school. His potential was wasted going to the public school he was currently attending. But before I spoke to Ariel about it, I needed a game plan. And that was something I was still working on.
Ariel noticed me, and a huge smile overtook her face. “Why are you standing over there? Come here.”
I didn’t have to be told twice, making my way to her side and carefully sitting down. Her leg and wrist had been healing well over the week she’d been staying with us.
She rested her good hand on my thigh, and I took it in mine. I’d never thought that I’d ever be content hanging out at home on a Saturday night. But I was right where I wanted to be.
“I spoke to Mick, and he thinks we need to find something on your mom. Is there anything that would help him? Any friends he could speak to? Other family?”
Her hand tightened on mine. “We have no family left except her parents. And I didn’t even know she was still in touch with them. I’d never met them until the day at the lawyer’s office.”
I leaned forward, wondering why they’d never made contact before now. “Don’t you think that’s weird that they’re suddenly interested?”
She shrugged, glancing at Lenny. “I’ve been wondering if they’re the reason she wants to take guardianship away from me. But I haven’t been able to figure out why.”
Lenny stood up, a triumphant smile on his face. “I’m getting a snack while you figure out your next move.”
Ariel turned to the board, then groaned. “He’s winning again.”
Instead of making her next move, she turned back to me. “Mick could try her old boss. If he has any dirt on her, he’d be more than willing to share.”
“How long did she work there?”
“Only for about a year. She hasn’t been able to hold down a job for more than a few weeks since.”
“How has she been able to afford a house in a nice suburb?”
We’d done our research on Heather Caster, and the guys watching her reported that she didn’t work. Instead, she spent her days shopping and having lunch with friends.
Ariel released my hand, biting her bottom lip, her attention now on her lap. I turned her head back to face me, studying the tight lines around her eyes and the way she held her body. “You need to tell us whatever you know so we can build a case against her.”
Nodding, she took a deep breath, releasing her bottom lip. “I’ve been giving her money every month to keep her away.”
I made a strangled sound, but Ariel shook her head. “I tried taking Lenny more times than I can count. She’d always be happy to let me walk away with him, happy to have her own space back. But with me leaving, she also lost the ability to pay her bills. And once she realized she’d have to work without us there, she’d always find us again and drag me back, threatening to take Lenny if we didn’t go with her.”
Pulling her onto my lap, I put my arms around her. “So you made a deal with her to get out?”
She relaxed against me, fiddling with the drawstring of my hoodie. “Whenever I needed to escape, I went to the shooting range. I’d always had an interest in guns. And it turned out I was a natural and soon hit almost all my targets.”
She glanced at me, almost as if expecting for me to judge her. I lifted her hand, kissing the back of it. “You really are my perfect match.”
A light blush dusted her cheeks. “I noticed a guy watching me one of the days I was in. I had a good run, hit every target. Turned out he was from Gladius. They wanted to recruit me. I was desperate to get away from Mom, and they were my out.”
“You’ve been with them for five years, yet you live in a cheap apartment. How much money are you paying her?”
“Ten grand a month.”
I blinked at her, thinking I misheard. “Excuse me?”
“Mom figured out pretty quickly that I’d do anything for Lenny and used it to her advantage.”
“Ariel—”
“I know I’m stupid. Paying her that much money is crazy. But I was desperate. And I needed to get Lenny out.”
Resting my cheek on her head, I ran a hand up and down her back. “Don’t call yourself stupid again. You’re amazing for what you’ve done for Lenny.”
