“Well, for openers, I’d say the little girl under your arm is new,” she said firmly. “I may not be the most observant person, but I’m sure I would have noticed her if she had been around before.”
“Oh. Well, there are a few things I’ve got to debrief you on,” I smiled weakly. “This is one of them. Her name is Markie, and …”
“Later, Skeeve. Right now I’m more curious about what my big brother’s up to. How ‘bout it, Chumley? I’ve seen you slam doors on the way into bedrooms before, but never on the way out.”
“Ummm . . . that is …” the troll mumbled awkwardly, “Actually,” I assisted, “It’s more like . . . you see…”
“Exactly what I had in mind,” Tananda declared, slipping past us and flinging the bedroom door open.
My room was mercifully empty of occupants. Apparently Bunny had retreated through whatever secret panel she had emerged from. Chumley and I exchanged unnoted glances of relief.
“I don’t get it.” Tananda frowned. “You two acted like you were trying to hide a body. There’s nothing here to be so secretive about.”
“I think they didn’t want you to see the girl in my daddy’s bed,” Markie supplied brightly.
I wanted to express my thanks to Markie but decided that I had enough problems without adding murder to the list.
“Well, Skeeve?” Tananda said, her eyebrows almost reaching her hairline.
“Ummm . . . actually, I’m not really her daddy. That’s one of the things I wanted to debrief you about.”
“I meant about the girl in your room!”
“That’s the other thing I wanted to …”
“Cut him some slack! Huh, Tananda? It’s uncivilized to beat up on someone before breakfast.”