”“I guess I don’t even know where that came from. Lissa and Melody bought it for me in Chicago and it had to be shipped to them from the manufac...urer,” I said, looking at the chain I always wore on my left wrist instead of a watch.“A manufacturer of jewelry is called a jeweler,” Gypsy said with a little huff. I was a bit in the dark.“Tony,” Kate whispered to me, “I should have told you. Those are both Mama’s creations. Your bracelet is what was in the painting over her fireplace. I thought you. My mind starts making the calculations that all men do; late 20s , 36 C ? I pass a bottle of orange to Lenny and wave the strawberry to the girl. She shakes her head so I offer her the other orange with a wink. She accepts, smiling, as I sit on the hard chair next to her. Instinctively she shuffles away from me, thereby pinning herself in-between Lennie and I. Lennie moves to the side to give her room. “You’ve met Lennie I see?” Maybe it’s not the best opening move but it attracts an answer.. " Little Bear waved to two of his men and pointed toward the injured man, "Strip him and leave him on his belly." Once that was done, Little Bear took one of the firecrackers from his pocket. "All of you, look at me. This is what can happen to you if you don't cooperate." He jammed the firecracker into the man's rectum and lit the fuse.A few seconds later, there was a muffled explosion and the man's flesh was ripped apart around his ass. His scream was even louder than the first time he was. Lucian tried to remember what the monster looked like but he just saw white fur and claws. Like his mind played tricks, keeping him from visualizing the horrific encounter.The sun still had few minutes before it went down. Then a realization, “What if that were one of the girls?”In the blink of an eye he was gone. Down the ‘rabbit’ hole he went. He just had enough room to slide in arms in front of him and legs wide apart behind him, trying to get as much of a hold as he could. His gun was in.