“Your dad is traumatized by my past film roles. Don’t torture him anymore.”
“God, I can’t believe I have such a straight for a parent. Mom, you’re so cool. How did you end up with Dad?”
Sadie meets my eyes from across the room. A bolt of warmth shoots through me. After all these years, I still feel like a kid when she smiles at me. “He was hired to be my bodyguard.”
“I know how it happened. I meant, like, out of all the people, why him? Why not Charlie Wright? I mean, Dad is cool, and I love him, but Charlie Wright is in the Doc Chronicles! He’s a badass. Dad is an office guy.”
Stone opens his mouth, but I give a slight shake of my head in warning. Sadie and I agreed that we wouldn’t let the kids know exactly what all my job entailed so even though I am cleaning a gun with one of my latest recruits at the kitchen table, Carol is convinced I’m a cinnamon roll.
“Because I love your dad and I did not love Charlie. Besides, Charlie married Brenda Rogers, and they have three very nice kids. I thought you liked Zelda Wright. You were chatting up a storm with her at brunch at The Ivy the other day.”
“We were talking about how hot Sonny Sohto is.” Carol bites her lip. Stone frowns. “Do you think Sohto is a jerk or a nice guy, Mom?”
“I don’t know, honey. I’ve never met him or his parents.”
“I know, but based on what you’ve seen in the industry? Do you think he’s decent?”
Stone’s frown deepens as he re-assembles the cleaned gun parts. Carol drops into the chair next to him. “You like Sonny Sohto, don’t you?”
The boy pulls back the slide. It makes a loud clicking noise. “Not really.”
Sadie covers her mouth to hide her laughter. I have to stare at my hands so I don’t give my own amusement away.
“What? You loved Ride Always. You came out of the theater and said he was cool.”
“In the movie.” He sets down the gun and turns to Carol. “You really think he’s decent in real life? He’s an actor.”
“Mom was an actress, and she’s an angel.”
“She is,” I affirm.
“What have you heard, Dad? Anything bad?”
While Sadie retired to have our kids—all five of them—I kept the security business. Contrary to what that bitter director and the washed-up actor said, I turned away work. I think it helped when word got out that we protected more than just a person’s life. Every person who slighted Sadie had some kind of misfortune befall them. The billionaire’s son disappeared. The director became an outcast after several women came forward to share their bad experiences with him. The actor who called Sadie names at that one party woke up to find the DEA at his door. Apparently he had been smuggling cocaine for some drug lords. At least, that’s what the evidence in his house proved. He didn’t go to prison. Celebrities don’t, but he lost all his endorsements and had eight years of protracted legal battles. By the time he staved off federal penitentiary time, the movie industry had moved on.
If an actor or actress or someone else retains Locke Security, we take care of them. That means we are careful who we take on as clients, too. We do deep background checks on everyone who wants to hire us. I probably know more dirt on the people in this town than anyone, including the bartenders.
“I haven’t heard anything bad,” I admit.
“I have,” Stone pipes up.
Everyone turns toward him. I arch my eyebrows.
“What is it?” Carol plops her head on her hand and stares at Stone.
The attention makes him flustered. “He can’t drive. All his work is done by stunt doubles.”
“That’s it?” Carol waves her hand. “That’s not a bad thing. He doesn’t need to know how to drive. I’m a great driver, aren’t I, Dad?”
“You are.” I taught her myself.
“You’re too young to be talking about having sex with men,” Stone bursts out.
Carol rears back. “Who is talking about having sex with anyone?”
Stone colors. “You said Sohto could get it. Like get you.”
“I said Charlie Wright could get it and that Sohto was hot. I’m not sleeping with either of them. Gross. Get it is just a saying, but of course you’re too old to understand.” Carol puts her nose up in the air and flounces out.
“I’m twenty,” Stone says, but he’s talking to an empty space. Carol is gone. The kid gathers up the cleaning supplies. “Thanks for the dinner, Mrs. Locke. It was great. I best be getting back to the office. I’m covering for Stein tonight.” He dips his head and then, he, too, leaves.
“Gosh, Carol is a pistol, isn’t she?” Sadie comes over to sit on my lap.