Cold-Blooded, Book 2 in the Mattie Saunders Series

Choices

They went out on the front porch to wait for the cab and so Liz could smoke.

"Lee isn't a bad guy or anything," Liz said. "He's really dedicated to herps, poured tons of his own money into the refuge. He had plans to establish a foundation and raise money for conservation projects both locally and in different countries."

This was an interesting twist on laundering drug money, Mattie thought. She didn't buy Liz's moralizing about her boyfriend being nothing more than a pharmacist.

"He took me to this conference in Texas and it was really interesting and upsetting. Herps are really in trouble."

Reptiles, parrots, bears, tigers, elephants, rhinos, whales, turtles, gorillas - species continued to decline even as the human population increased at the rate of fifteen thousand babies per hour. Upsetting? More like devastating.

"Lee wanted to expand the education program and hoped to turn it into a source of funding for conservation around the world."

In his dreams, Mattie thought.

"We had projects planned for the Coastal Painted Turtle, Checker Spotted Butterfly, Oregon Spotted Frog..."

"It doesn't have to end, Liz. This is important work."

Liz shook her head. "Here's the cab." Liz took one more drag then crushed the butt under the heel of her black and white sneakers. She gave Mattie a long hug. "Thanks for dinner, it was great. I'll be by to feed my guys in a couple of days."

Mattie watched the taxi drive away.

What had happened to Liz? Mattie chose not to dwell on it but her upbringing hadn't been any better than her friend's, maybe worse.

Choices.

Mattie chose to not be like her mother. She chose to do well in school. She chose her friends. Okay, so there wasn't much choice, but she knew who she didn't want as a friend. She chose her activities.

Liz hadn't had the best role models, but except for Mattie's grandfather, who hadn't really come into her life until she was twelve, neither had she. Despite the obvious ones who might be less than positive or, for that matter, absent, you could also choose your role models. There were plenty of good people doing amazing things, why not emulate them rather than a dysfunctional parent? Even if Bodine hadn't come into her life Mattie would have been okay, she would still have sold the property and gone to school. He hadn't saved her, she'd saved herself.

Was it too late for Liz?

The first thing she needed to do was distance herself from Leborg Kovacevic. Maybe if Liz had a friend she could trust and rely on, someone who would support her for a while she could make that break, get her life going in a new direction. Maybe Mattie could be that person.

The cell phone was ringing.

"Bo?"

"It's me," Bodine said. "I called to apologize for my attitude earlier today, and to let you know I'm going to stop over at my parents on the way home."

"No, come home, please."

"But you said–"

"I know, I know, I get crazy without you."

"Well, okay then, great. Seven more sleeps and I'll be there."

"That long?"

"Unless there's an emergency. Are you okay, Mattie?"

"No. Yes. I just really miss you."

"It's going to be okay, Mattie," Bodine said. "All I want is to be with you. We'll work everything out."