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"No" Mavis ground the word out

"How long?" In the five years I’d known Mavis I never would have guessed she had a kid tucked away souess in ht years" She sighed and looked up at us "Do we really have to do this?"

"Yes" Ava answered the same time I did

Ava’s voice took on a kind tone "Obviously, Owen didn’t know about him We need to be able to trust you"

"Fine" She lowered her voice "My sister died and I got the kid Et cetera, et cetera The end Stop prying"

"I’h to not reach out to touch Mavis I could see all of theher neck and shoulders "It e of a ten year old"

"Eight year old" Mavis looked up "He’s only sixteen His father was the bloody Green Giant He’s been taller than e to take care of a kid?" I tried to keep the disbelief out ofyou can list on the contact form for his school"

She cocked her head to the side, al people isn’t s were bad I didn’t need to work I only took the occasional job when I needed to let off steam Now that he’s older it’s easier"

Huh

"You can tell you two are close" Ava sht be taller than you, but he still looks up to you And it must have been nice to have someone to come home to"

Mavis smiled a little "Someti stupid, like getting kicked out of a private school"

"Being a parent would be hard" Ava shook her head

"You have no idea" Mavis cleared her throat She handed me a stack of papers "Previous places the casino was held Illegal gaoes out of style"

"You think this is the best way in?" I glanced over the list Geneva, Moscow, Hong Kong, Singapore, Morocco, Samoa, Quebec It didn’t look like they avoided any particular countries

"It’s invite only Everything else ould have to infiltrate slowly over a couple of years" She looked at et an invite? And hoe know Maria will be there?" Ava leaned forward Her hair fell in her face and she shoved it out of the way I had flashback to thisin my face while she moved on top of me