Tired of tossing and turning, she rose at dawn and made her way to the small room Quinn used as an office, determined to focus on the one thing she could control. She turned on his computer and started to do some research on New Jersey laws and the fate of poor Spank.
• • •
Fresh from his meeting with Damon, Quinn was in a foul mood. Damon’s trip had been delayed a few hours and Quinn was preoccupied, unable to let go of the colossal mistake he’d made by bringing Ari to her twin. Instead of reassuring her about her place in her family, the reunion had left her feeling more like an outsider than ever. As a result, she was pushing him away, too. He felt certain that in Ari’s mind, by distancing herself, she was making her departure not only inevitable but easier.
He shook his head and decided to check out the action. He strode into the bar and saw Connor and Maria huddled in the corner, whispering and looking awfully cozy for two people who’d made sparring an art form. Obviously Connor was making progress with Maria, her kid proving not to be as much of a barrier as he would have thought. Watching them only served to remind Quinn again of his screwup with Ari and re info rce all that was lacking in his life.
He needed to get away and hang out with someone he understood. An hour later, he found himself at Elena and Nicholas’s house. In hand, he had a copy of the letter of recommendation he’d filed with the Division of Youth and Family Services supporting their foster-care application as well as the request to apply for the fost-adopt program. But his real motive was the desire to hang out with Sam and remember what his life was like.
The construction had finished for the day and so the house was quiet, but when Uncle John let Quinn into the house, Quinn narrowed his gaze, unable to believe what he saw.
Spank sat in a cage. She was undressed, which was normal on any other monkey but strange for Spank, who typically favored frilly dresses and fancy bibs. One hairy arm hung limp at her side and her head was tilted at an odd angle. One word to describe the monkey was “pathetic.”
Quinn stepped into the family room so he could get a better view of the sign in front of the cage:
• • •
We Don’t Feed The Animal. Unless they’re all natural ingredients, which are the same ingredients we use in our products. Unless you want to end up deformed like the poor monkey we rescued from a cosmetics testing lab, pamper your face and body at the Costas Spa.
Sincerely, The Management
• • •
Quinn rolled his eyes. This was the Costas family. He could definitely believe what he saw. He just had to keep his promise to Ari and put an end to the cons before Sam’s placement was jeopardized.
He glanced around, but everyone had disappeared, including Uncle John. Quinn headed for the cage, but Sam’s bubbly voice stopped him.
“Wait!” Sam said. “Don’t you want to see her newest trick first?” She pointed to a change can he hadn’t noticed before, which sat on a table beside the cage. A small sign said, HELP ELIMINATE ANIMAL TESTING. DONATIONS APPRECIATED.
Quinn raised an eyebrow at the sight. “This is ridiculous.”
“No, it’s really cool! Watch.” Sam dropped a few quarters into the box.
As the coins fell, making consecutive clanking sounds, Spank smiled her infamous big grin.
Then Sam pulled a dollar bill from her jeans pocket and waved it in front of the monkey. Next Sam folded the bill and placed it into the can’s donation slot.
Spank blew her a huge raspberry kiss.
“Ready for the best part?” Sam asked. She placed a single penny into the money holder. One solitary clink echoed in the room.
In return for the paltry sound, Spank turned around and mooned her, banging on her own backside like a juvenile delinquent looking for a laugh.
“Elena!” Quinn yelled at the top of his lungs. “Nicholas! You get out here now!” he bellowed.
“Geez, Quinn, what’s your problem?” Sam asked.
“Is this normal to you?” He pointed to the monkey, who grinned, then waved with her good arm.
Sam giggled.
Quinn didn’t find the situation funny.
Elena finally swept into the room wearing a kimono. “Do you like my outfit?” she asked, twirling around to give him a complete view.
“That depends. Are you opening a geisha house or a day spa?”
“Very funny,” she said as she pinched his cheek. “Now, what did you need to see me about?”
“That.” He jerked one thumb over his shoulder, refusing to look back at Spank and her antics.
“Oh, isn’t she cute? Except for the pickpocket incident, she trains well.” Her voice was infused with pride.
“Adorable.” Quinn didn’t want to ask who would be the recipient of the monkey’s daily take.
“I fully expect she’ll collect a fair share of donations as well as help sell our products. Did I tell you I finally gave in and hired someone to produce for us?”
He shook his head, ready to congratulate her on her good sense, then reminded himself not to get distracted. He had to make them see reason when it came to scams and to Spank.
“A family meeting is in order,” Quinn told Elena. He fully intended to read the family the riot act. Much as he’d like to do it now, he knew it would be more effective coming from Quinn the cop. That meant a slight delay.
“No need,” Elena said, waving her hand and dismissing his idea. “We’re following the rules for Sam. Nicholas and I have been to one class and have another tonight. We filled out the forms and that cute little minivan came to visit.”
“The DYFS Recruitment Mobile?” he asked of the vehicle that served as an mobile office for the Division of Youth and Family Services.
Elena nodded.
“And where was the monkey at the time?” he asked through clenched teeth, afraid he’d see Sam’s last chance at adoption disappear.
“Across the street with my sister like I promised. It’s just that we needed to borrow her for some work today. And Sam missed her.”
The young girl, Quinn noticed, sat playing with Spank through her cage doors.
He shook his head. Why hadn’t he realized how strong-willed and difficult these people were? And why did he like them so much despite it all? “Okay, this is how things are going to be,” he said, intending to lay down the law and re info rce it when his undercover work was over.
Elena blinked but remained silent.
Quinn took that as a good sign. “The monkey goes back to your sister’s and stays there.” At least until he had time to figure out the laws and what to do with her. “And the cons and scams have to stop. Now. You will operate this spa legitimately. Understood?”