“Fine,” I said, heading for the door. “Then I’ll be…”
“Wait a minute! Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“What’s that?”
“Pidge’s marker. Hang on and I’ll get it.”
He disappeared before I could protest, so I leaned against the wall to wait. I had forgotten about the marker, but the Geek was a gambler and adhered more religiously to the unwritten laws of gambling than most folks obeyed civil law. I’d just have to humor him and…
“Here’s the marker, Skeeve,” the Deveel announced. “Markie this is Skeeve.”
I just gaped at him, unable to speak. Actually, I gaped at the little blond-headed moppet he was leading by the hand. That’s right. A girl. Nine or ten years old at the most.
I experienced an all-too-familiar sinking feeling in my stomach that meant I was in trouble… lots of it.
Chapter Two:
“Kids? Who said anything about kids?”
-CONAN
THE little girl looked at me through eyes that glowed with trust and love. She barely stood taller than my waist and had that wholesome, healthy glow that young girls are all supposed to have but so few actually do.
With her little beret and matching jumper, she looked so much like an oversized doll that I wondered if she’d say “Mama” if you turned her upside down, then right-side up again.
She was so adorable that it was obvious that anyone with a drop of paternal instinct would fall in love with her on sight. Fortunately, my partner had trained me well; any instincts I had were of a more monetary nature.
“What’s that?” I demanded.
“It’s a little girl,” the Geek responded. “Haven’t you ever seen one before?”