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"Yeah" Somehow, it made it easier that he already knew part of it "He was a detective in Oakland That’s where I grew up"

"I remember And your mother?"

"My mom was not a cop" She took a deep breath and forced out a rueful laugh "She was a mom, mostly And a writer A poet She’d been published a few times She and my dad were complete opposites He was the strict cop, she was the hippy poet who did yoga and wore caftans to PTA s"

His voice softened and he moved closer "You loved her"

"We both adored her" She tried not to tense when he touched her shoulder "My parents had a great ood life"

"What happened? Your hborhood Well, there were lots of homeless people, but she always took Oscar food because he usually stayed around our corner She helped hiot cold Tried to help him find work here and there He was a vet, I think" Natalie frowned "He had a lot of… issues he never got the right help for But Mom always said ere all someone’s child and some people just needed an extra hand sometimes That’s the way she was"

"She sounds like a very fine woman"

"She was She was the best"

"This Oscar…" His voice was soft and coaxing "Did he hurt her?"

"He was harhborhood knew him Helped hiel"

"What happened?" Baojia had moved behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, slowly drawing her back to his chest and covering her with one of the blankets on the bed

"She would let hiot really dirty Dad told her not to do that, but I know she did when he needed it and couldn’t find room at a shelter One day, my dad picked"And… Dad went in the kitchen She was there He had killed her with a kitchen knife"

"Oh, Natalie" He whispered her na the story as if it was just another shest 18" was reporting She put her hands on his arms as they held her