aken the kids to the park； let alone
bought them ice cream。 Vanessa hadn？t even set eyes on her since their bizarre job interview； and
Ms。 Morgan didn？t seem like the kind of woman who would tolerate ice cream dripping on her
boucl？ Chanel suits。 The Abramses had always kept her and Ruby on a strict sugar…free diet when
they were kids； preferring Tofutti and fruit to ice cream and candy； but she didn？t care what these
two ate。
？Sure； ice cream sandwiches； whatever； you got it；？ she agreed； wriggling free of the boys？ death
grips and pulling a crumpled twenty out of her jeans pocket。 ？Three ice cream sandwiches； please；？
she told the vendor； who had a handlebar moustache and was wearing a tie…dyed T…shirt circa
1972。
The boys leapt up and down； grabbing at the ice cream。 They tore the wrappers open hungrily；
then raced away into the confines of the playground； screaming and laughing through gooey
mouthfuls of ice cream。
？Wait up！？ Vanessa yelled after them halfheartedly。 She wasn？t sure she cared if they
disappeared and she lost her job and went to prison。 Had it really been only three days since she？d
started work as the principal cinematographer on a major Hollywood production？ Or was this
whole thing some kind of horrible nightmare？
She sank onto a bench under a tall； gracious oak and watched the twins scarf down their treats
and toss their wrap…pers onto the ground。 Oops。 Then they started a dizzying game of tag； racing
under the slide； between the swings； narrowly avoiding collisions with teetering prewalkers and
their menacing minders。
？Stay close！？Vanessa called out weakly。 She finished her ice cream and leaned back ont