Kip shook his head as went downstairs in his large empty house, missing Mandy and Colton's presence. There were ghosts of it, memories and he could swear he saw them once in a while when he turned too fast in the dim kitchen light in the morning. He started his coffee, while listening to Martin yammer in his ear.

"Look, I don't know," Kip finally said. "Why do you do whatever it is I give you money to do and find out?"

Martin was silent for a moment, stunned that always polite Kip would snap at him. "All right. I will talk to you know when I find out more."

Kip closed his phone and set it down on the counter, glaring at it. Fuck. He finally looked at the time on the clock on the wall, the one Mandy had insisted on buying. He rubbed his hand over his face. It was 6:35. He picked his cell phone back up and dialled.

She picked up on the third ring. "Good morning, darling. To what do I owe this occasion?" She sounded chipper and he almost regretted calling her when he was in a bad mood.

"Martin woke me up with the news that Aleksander might be hurt. After I snapped at him, I was missing you. How is your morning going?"

"Just fine. The phone scared me a little. My heart works fine by the way. I'm missing you too. So, what's the news on little Aleksander?"