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They were eating ice creaether on a bus bench

Buena Park’s Park and Ride was a big station, perhaps the biggest in north Orange County, too big for a little girl to be sitting alone

I parked just behind the benches, where I could see Ta on their ice creas I could justnext to her

With the 5 Freeway roaring above, choked with rush hour traffic, and Orangethorpe Avenue opposite, nearly as busy, no one would have noticed a screa yanked into soain

I inhaled slowly, deeply

But there she was, safely eating ice cream with Spinoza as if she knew the ator, and yet, there she was eating ice crea So innocent He could have been anyone Soood intentions He wasn’t dangerous, of course He was a daator But she didn’t know that

Spinoza turned and sawinhis ice crea machine nearby No doubt it had been the source of the frozen dessert

I sat into calm down, and, as I waited, never once did I take ot up and pulled me aside as I approached

"You know the drill," said Spinoza quietly He was only a few inches taller than ht always surprised er

The evening was giving way to dusk, and the lights in the bus stop were turning on Tammy kicked her feetand looked away So far, she hadn’t made eye contact with me She was dressed in jeans and T-shirt She had on a pink belt She was too damn cute to be alone at a bus station

"She thinks you’re going to be mad at her," he said