Page 21 (1/1)

"What?" She darkened "You never got over that? Get real! People die all the time, especially in this business Jay was unlucky But you survived, which proves you're lucky And it rifter She never understood that I'd grown to hate that life Sure, ere young, energetic, and lee It had been fun back then, especially when the cons ell But once Jay was gone, none of it was fun anymore Our lifestyle, combined with a terrible ot over it

"I learned to be et out"

"So you robbed me? Ran off with all the money from that last con? That was pretty low-didn't I teach you anything?"

"Oh, you ht there wasn't any"

"Daet in this business And you" She regarded me hat seemed like pride "You actually swindled me I was impressed"

A co atof chocolate bars Perhaps she was having a bad day yesterday, but my presence and the panda's bounty had so out to be a pretty good visit, after all I basked in the warmth of my foster mother's pride

Until I felt the burn Her smile hardened, and the shine disappeared frouess this shouldn't have surprised me My memories were correct: she never took any breaks between jobs Here she was, ready to launch into the next one

"Now look, Beatrix" She flinched at the nareed to coet to know you better I didn't do it to help you with your panda swindle And there's no way that I'itiiti Your business is the biggest con ever Painting cheap hunks of pottery and pretending they're art" She blew out another laugh froirl, and it seerifter than ever So don't give ood to ith e"