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We pop into Starbucks on the way, et coffee, but also because I want to introduce Jamie to Monica She’s not there, however, and so we take our lattes and head to rand tour, which takes about twelve seconds, and then soak up her effusive hugs and cries of "I’o by tonight, do you want to rent a movie?" I ask as she’s about to head out
"Sure," she says "And if he is back?"
I grin wickedly "In that case, I have other plans"
I settle behind my desk as Jamie rolls her eyes and leaves It takes h my emails and handle a bunch of ad the code on one of h Then I pull out the web-based app that I’ve been working on A cross-platfor system that Damien has already told me he’ll license for Stark International once I’ the da
I’m so lost in concentration that I jump when the intercom beeps "Yes?" I snap
"There’s a Monica Karts here to see you"
"Oh" I’m actually a bit irritated by the interruption I’ve never seen Monica outside of the coffee shop, and it seems a little odd that she’s come unannounced At the same time, I don’t know that many people here yet, and I do like her And since Damien is out of town, I can alork late and make up for lost time "Tell her to coh the door "Your own office That’s so cool"
"What’s going on? Is everything okay?"
"Oh,better to do Honest But I got these head shots and I didn’t see you at Starbucks this , and I really wanted to show you today Is that okay?"
I can’t help my smile Her enthusiasm is effusive "Of course"
She plunks herself in the chair opposite my desk, then passes me the envelope "Go ahead Take a peek"
I frown, because her voice sounds different What I’d thought was a Northeastern prep school lilt now has hts about her voice, however, disappear entirely when I pull out the first photo It is not a head shot, and as I hold it between two fingers, e to throw up
"Gorgeous, isn’t he? But I suppose you know that Go on, then Pull the, and I realize I’ the envelope and the photo I flinch, then drop them as quickly as if they had burned h I try not to look, there is no erasing from my mind what I have already seen Dairl, her face hidden, who I aer There is h to have the ie of these children in my head, their bodies joined in some perversion of an adult act I do not want to think of the other things I saw in the bed with theets that no child needs to know exists,
And I don’t want to think about theback the ie of the man behind the camera--an adult man, naked and with a hard-on, one hand on his penis and the other holding the camera Richter
"I said pull them all out" Her voice is cold and see ay Somehow, I realize I am in shock But I don’t knohat to do about that