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actually
had, and I intended to keep it that way. They might have suspected, and if they
looked up public records they could see a portion of my assets, but I owned a
lot of properties and had other investments that couldn't be traced back to me.
    I helped them out a lot, but Karen and
Paul both had good jobs and earned decent money. I put the down payment on
their house and bought them each new cars every few years, despite Karen's
protests. A college fund was well under way for both of their kids. If anything
serious happened, I'd be right there to take care of it, but I needed to stay
out of their lives when it came to finances.
    Paul liked to play cards. Sometimes he
won, sometimes not. Knowing he had to provide for his wife and kids kept him in
check, but if he found out what I was worth, and that I could bail him out any
time he got on a losing streak… not good. I had a feeling, his gambling would
escalate to a huge problem. The few hundred he asked for now and then, I
figured that's when he lost and needed to make up his paycheck.
    Karen knew about his vice, but she loved
the idiot and other than his gambling, he treated her and the kids well. He could
be into a lot worse, so except for suggesting now and then that he go to
counseling, I left the situation alone and gave him the money when asked.
    In the background, I heard a child's voice
calling.
    "Hold on a second sweetie, daddy's on
the phone. Wait." That last part muffled, like he held a hand over the
phone.
    "So, you think you can help out? I'd really
be grateful. We want to make sure the kids get a few nice presents under the
tree… hey, now stop it. I told you, I'm on the phone."
     A shriek and helpless giggles.
"That's what happens to little girls who don't listen. They get hung
upside down by their feet."
    More giggles, then another child's voice
joining in with the laughter.
    "I got to go. These monsters need to
get to bed."
    A surprising twist of pain squeezed my
heart. Children laughing. The noise often irritated me but tonight, sounded like
fun and home. Like a place I could easily be happy.
    "I'll see what I can do about getting
a check to you. Take care."
    "You too."
    Kids. The only time I paid much attention
to them was with Karen and Paul's crew at the holidays. Now that they were
older, they'd got to be fun. They knew me, ran up to greet me when I arrived,
and would even bring me books to read them at bedtime. Last year, I remember
falling asleep on the couch with his youngest curled up next to me, a blanket
thrown over both of us and a dog on my feet. A nice way to spend Christmas Eve.
    But I wasn't a family kind of guy. I'd be
a lousy father. My business came first, always. I wouldn't be home with the
kids in the evening, like Paul. Wouldn't be there to share dinners and go to
plays at their school. Even with his gambling habit, he always did right by his
family, I knew. My people kept an eye on him.
    I shook off thoughts of kids and holidays.
I needed to concentrate on this project. Had to finish up my visit here with no
more stupid moves on my employee.
    Hoping to hell I hadn't screwed up big
time with Amber, I took my shower, relieved my aching balls, then fell into a
restless sleep.
     
    Tuesday
     
    Wiping the mascara from my fingers, I
tried applying it again. I never got into cosmetics that much. Maybe if I
practiced, I'd get more on my face and less on my hands. Jen always said I
should wear more eye makeup and play up my pretty peepers. She said the eyes
were the windows to the soul, and I kept mine shuttered. Could be. Most of the
time, I didn't want attention drawn to my face.
    Why the heck was I bothering? Last night was
just some kind of weird accident. Nathan didn't mean to kiss me. He probably drank
too much, like I did, and felt a little frisky. I was convenient, on a dark,
star-lit night… how could anyone not get all stirred-up down here? Between the
ocean breeze, the smell of plants and sea, and the general mood of