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“Where are you from?” I asked as nonchalantly as I could I didn’t want hilish Everything on TV was in Italian, and although the dramas seemed pretty aweso half the time

He didn’t look over “Iowa”

“Oh, Iowa? It’s a big state Were you a farm boy?”

“So like that”

“You can talk to me, you know”

He grimaced “No, I really can’t”

“Is there soainst it?”

“No, but—”

“Then co around here Kaspar’s not around I’ bad Just a little conversation, is all”

He hesitated, looked back toward the house, then glanced over at me

“I’h my dad was a pharmacist”

“That’s a good job What about your mom?”

“Paralegal Mostly she stayed home and raised me and my four brothers”

“Four brothers? That’s a big family”

“So they say Didn’t see to me at the time”

“I had four siblings Older brother, two older sisters, and a younger brother Were you the oldest?”

“Youngest I joined the Marines right out of high school Did a few tours in Iraq”

“That uess now I understand how you ended up working for Kaspar”

Scott shrugged and looked away “He pays well and on time Not everyone does”

“Is that all you look for in an employer? Someone with lots of money and a sense of accountability?”

“I’ for fro to let you leave no matter what you say”

I snorted out a laugh “That’s not what I meant More like, why risk your life for him? What’s he to you?”

Scott was quiet for a longit for you”

That ht “Excuse me?”

“Kaspar can take care of hi this because I like you, but because I’et yourself killed if nobody steps up”

“How chivalrous”