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round-the-world honeymoon with Mindy, for goodness’ sake. The money can’t just disappear overnight — we have maids and cooks to pay. They have to make a living, you know.”
    â€œFirst of all, we didn’t lose it overnight. Your dad made a lot of bad investments, he wasn’t paying his taxes and there were a whole bunch of shady deals that I’m not even going to get into. Trust me, it’s all gone. And, for the record, he’s not on his honeymoon. Mindy left him when she found out about the money problems. Now he’s kind of on the run, I guess. It’s bound to come out in the news any day.”
    â€œBut you must have money from the divorce?”
    â€œNot as much as you’d think,” she said. “And I sunk most of it into this place. So it’s kind of important for you to get up and help out. This inn is all we have left.”
    â€œWhat about your family’s money?”
    â€œMy dad was a softy and not very savvy when it came to business. The money he inherited from my grandfather kind of slipped through his fingers. If you want a new phone, then you’re going to earn it.”
    â€œThat’s harsh, Ma.”
    â€œThat’s reality, Charlie.”
    â€œDo Johnny and Lilith know?”
    â€œI’ll tell Johnny today,” she said, “but I don’t want you to tell Lilith yet. She idolizes your father, and I don’t know how she’s going to take this.”
    â€œNot well,” I said, sitting up. “Does this mean I won’t be going back to Choke?”
    â€œI’m afraid so.”
    â€œCan I burn my uniforms?”
    â€œI wouldn’t. You’ll need something to wear until your clothes arrive.”
    Saturday, 8:22 a.m.
    I threw on a wrinkled white shirt, wrinkly khakis, a pair of slightly stinky brown socks and my student handbook–approved dress shoes, then grabbed my toothbrush and headed for the bathroom at the end of the hall.
    The bathroom renovations were only half done. Most of the yellow-white tiles on the floor were cracked, and the old-fashioned tub, which had paws on the ends of its stubby legs, looked grimy, but the sink and toilet were shiny and new. I brushed my teeth, did my business and headed downstairs.
    Lilith’s door was closed as I strolled back down the hallway, but I could imagine her room being so neat and tidy it would be impossible to tell a human being had ever been inside. Johnny’s door was wide open, on the other hand, and it was so messy it looked like he’d been attacked by something during the night. His bag was lying in the middle of the floor, clothes spilling out of it, the sheets and blankets from the bed were crumpled in balls on the floor, and two pillows were propped at the bottom of the door, apparently to keep it open. It was so cluttered, I couldn’t even guess what hotel room Mom was trying to copy.
    At the top of the stairs, I considered sliding down the banister. It felt solid enough, but I didn’t want to risk it collapsing, so I went down the old-fashioned way. I was going to go straight outside but stopped and glanced into the drawing room instead. There were two large windows along the front, with a variety of sofas and chairs lining the walls, and in the far corner was a baby grand piano. The wall to my immediate left was covered by a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, only the shelves didn’t contain books — there were antique dolls on them, all sitting in rows, staring into the room with their shiny, empty eyes. Most of them were wearing frilly dresses and had tiny, puckered smiles and abnormally long eyelashes. Some of them had fancy hats, with bows and ribbons hanging off the brims, propped on their heads. How long had they all been sitting there, staring? Twenty years? Fifty? I was just adding get rid of dolls to the top of my mental to-do list when my stomach grumbled.
    It was hot when I stepped outside, and a million