She checked Acacia's space in the basement. There was a tabloid magazine on her bed, but she wasn't there. Nana went out into the hall, and heard the two voices coming from the front office. She went down, and saw Milda sitting at her computer. She was leaning on one elbow, dark copper hair hanging forward, curtaining her pleasant face as she said, "So they did find some unidentified fingerprints in the house. No matches. Of course, the data bases weren't so good as they are now. I can try running them again. Maybe whoever it was did something in the intervening time, and got into the system."

Her expression never changed, but her voice took on Acacia's drawl. "Hell yeah. Check cop files, FBI, Interpol... Goddam U.N.C.L.E, if ya can."

Milda smiled, murmuring in her own husky voice, "I always preferred The Avengers myself"

"Yeah, Mrs. Peel was a babe in those leather cat suits."

"Hello girls." Nana walked in and pressed a kiss to Milda's forehead. When Milda's eyes flickered toward a certain spot at her elbow, Nana turned a fond smile on the empty air. "Acacia, have you seen Naresha?"

Milda's eyes had returned to the screen, but she answered in Acacia's voice. "I think she took her magazines upstairs."

"Would you go ask her to come down, please? I have a question for her about the lace I'm tatting for Tremble's gown."

"Sure."

After a moment, Nana turned her attention back to the girl at the computer. "How's it going, dear?"

"Oh, slow, Nana, slow. We've never worked with anything this old before. Trail is colder than we are."

"Do you think you'll be able to help that poor woman and her niece?"

"I'm not sure yet, but we're gonna try like hell." Milda blinked, and said in Naresha's languid voice, "What's up, darling?"

Nana didn't hesitate. "On the lace, dear. Did you decide to use that sprinkling of silver sequins with the black, or not?"

"Mm, I think I still want it, but only about a fourth of what we had discussed. I just want it to sort of wink at them, not blind them. We don't want her looking like Cher in the seventies."

"Why not?"

I*t's uncanny,* Nana thought. *You'd almost believe the voice actually came from behind me, by the door, instead of right beside me. I think maybe the girls have been studying, and gained another strength. I know I've heart that there's a talent that let's you throw your voice.* Aloud she said, "Why not what?"

"Why not look like Cher? She was pretty fab back then."

Nana could imagine Naresha rolling her eyes. "You are SO cheesy, love. Milda, pet, turn of that UPV ray or whatever the hell it is emitting thing and go to bed."

"All right." She closed the program. "I'll have better luck hacking into the systems I want in the middle of the night, anyway."

Milda stood up, and raked off her wig, running a hand through the short, streaked hair she exposed. Acacia said, "Did Goth Cop give us everything he had, ya think?"

Naresha drawled, "Of course he did. Stop teasing, you know very well he couldn't balk me by omission any more than he could directly."

"I know. I just like to fuck with you every now and then. Otherwise you'd think I didn't love you."

Nana watched the girl embrace empty air. When Acacia dropped her arms, Nana put a hand where she judged a shoulder should be on 'Naresha'. "It's slow going on that lace, but I think I'll have the draping for the dress finished this afternoon, and I can start on the veil."

Acacia quirked an eyebrow. That meant that Nana's estimate had been a little off. She had probably patted Naresha on the bosom, or missed entirely. But the girls didn't call her on it. Naresha said, "That will be splendid, dear. I'll have Tremble come in for a fitting in a day or so. Bless her, she's so nervous that she doesn't know whether to binge or purge. There's no telling whether I'll have to take it in or let it out by the time the actual wedding rolls around."

All three of the girls said good-night, and wandered out of the room. As Nana expected, she went down to the basement. That meant that Acacia was still in control. Of course, there was no telling WHO she'd wake up as. Acacia, as the eldest, was the one who spent the most time 'out', then Naresha, then little sister Milda. Nana shook her head. Much as she loved all the girls, she had to admit that Milda was her favorite. It was odd to think of her as a 'good soul', when the others insisted so strongly that they HAD no soul.

She did a fast tidy on the office, getting that out of the way before she left the room. It didn't need much. Milda had appointed herself custodian of the room, and she was the neatest of the sisters. Dust scarcely had a chance to settle. Naresha grumbled occasionally that she had to go down into the far corners of Acacia's domain to find a decent cobweb when she needed a bit of gothic inspiration.

The kitchen never needed any attention: Milda kept it even more spotless than the office. All Nana had to do was run a quick dust mop over the hall floor, then polish the banister up to the second floor. *Hm. Pretty shiny. I wonder if Acacia is sliding down it again? I told that girl not to. The last time she broke her neck, she was laid up for three days and couldn't move their head without pain for over a week. It just wasn't fair to the other girls, making them suffer through it with her.*

*Of course, it was their decision,* Nana thought, going into Milda's room. Well, for a wonder the child had left her something to do. She made the bed, wondering if Acacia or Naresha had awakened in Milda's bed. That was usually what happened whenever she found any kind of mess at all in here. As she smoothed out the sheets and spread the quilt, she thought, *They could have just stayed off wherever it is they go when they aren't here, but they just wouldn't let their sister suffer alone. Oh, granted it was more Milda than Naresha, but they both took turns.*

Finished there, she made her way up to the top floor, reflecting that she still didn't feel a strain. Not bad for a woman in her late eighties. *No one ever told me I looked young for my age before the girls.* The thought amused her. Sometimes she was half tempted to give her real age, if she could have remembered it, just to see the reaction.

Things weren't too bad up here. Naresha hadn't made the bed, of course, but it only took a few moments to smooth the sheets and coverlet. Naresha was a peaceful sleeper. She loved to smirk that she slept like 'the dead'. Acacia, on the other hand, showed almost as much energy when she slept as she did awake. Her covers were always pulled out and knotted up.

A bit of straightening to the vanity, a wispy pair of black panties to pick up off the floor, and she was done. *It's almost more trouble cleaning up after myself than it is the girls.*

Nana started down the stairs, reflecting that Acacia would probably be 'off' tomorrow, and she could give the basement a seeing to. Acacia, though the eldest, was the most childlike in her attitude toward order and neatness.

Just as she reached the ground level hall, the doorbell rang. She paused, considering the door in surprise. There were no deliveries scheduled for today, and this wasn't the sort of neighborhood for charity collectors, poll takers, or door-to-door evangelists. Who could it be?

She went and examined the security monitors. The street was clear in both directions, except for the man standing directly in front of the door. He was somewhere in his late twenties, Nana judged, and a good looking young devil. He had reddish-brown hair a few shades brighter than Milda's, and the sort of pale skin Nana had long ago become accustomed to seeing, living with the girls. But since he was out in broad daylight, and he wasn't smoking and bubbling, that meant that he wasn't one of their kind. The day was mild, but he was wearing a pair of very dark sunglasses. That, and his all black ensemble, told Nana that he was probably one of Naresha's friends.

As she studied him, he touched the bell again, giving it two sharp pokes, his wide mouth thinning a little in irritation. *If I don't respond, he's going to lean on that bell, I can tell by looking at him.* Deciding to save her ears, Nana turned on the intercom. "Yes?"

The stranger looked around, and located the speaker over the door. He called, "I'm here to see Naresha."

*No surprise there.* "I'm sorry, she's not here."

Instead of shrugging and walking away, as she had expected, he said, "All right. Can I see Acacia, then?"

Oh, now this was novel--a young man coming looking for Acacia. *Odd, he doesn't look suicidal.* "She isn't in, either."

"Fuck." The word was soft, but audible, and Nana smiled. He raised his voice. "How about the third one, what's-her-name?"

"You don't know her name, and you want to talk to her?"

A sigh. "Lady, I just want to talk to an Akuji. I made a special trip down here. I did some business with them last night, and I just want to talk to someone."

*I really shouldn't do this, I suppose. But I'm awfully bored, and he looks interesting. Besides, he said he had business with the girls. So, he must be...* "Would you be Goth Cop?"

He smiled faintly. "Randal Turner, sometimes known as Goth Cop. That's me."

"Well, I'm not an Akuji, but I am family, and I get messages to them. Will I do?"

"Sure, I'd be happy to meet you." *Whatever gets me into this mausoleum.*

Nana went through the little ritual to open the door, and let him in. As she relocked the door, he studied the security arrangement shrewdly. *Hm. Lot of thought and expense went into this. Most embassies have shoddier systems. What are they trying to keep out? Or maybe, what's so important inside?*

The old dear who'd let him in, a fluffy looking individual in a flowered house dress and a grey pageboy, smiled at him. "I'm Amanda Lewis, but everyone calls me Nana."

"You the girl's grandma?"

"Not really. I'm more of a den mother. Come on back to the kitchen."

She led him into a room that managed to be sunny without any windows. It took him a minute to recognize the setup over the sink for what it was, and he was impressed. It might seem rather frivolous on first glance, but to Randal it said that if these women were willing to go that far to indulge a simple whim, they might be really formidable when it came to something they cared about.

"What would you like, dear? I have some very nice espresso, Naresha's favorite."

"That would be fine." He looked around the room as she set the coffee brewing, noting the cheerfully kitsch decorations. "I'm guessing that this is your room. Neither Naresha or Acacia struck me as being very domestic."

"I'm afraid you guessed wrong. This is mostly Milda's sanctum. She's the homebody of the group, but she lets me use it." Nana put a small cup of dark, fragrant brew before him, and pushed a sugar bowl toward him. He waved it away, sipping the coffee. "I don't see how you folks can drink that stuff without sugar or milk, but I can understand why it wakes you up. It would have to be either that, or kill you."

Randal sucked his teeth. "That's true enough for this blend. Damn! I'm getting a buzz just off those few sips."

Nana nodded. "Naresha likes it strong."

"A few cups of this would have gotten me through all my mid-terms and finals in college, back-to-back."

"Dear, I'm not a stickler for the nicey-niceys, but would you please take off your glasses? I do like to have a good look at anyone I let into my home."

"Sorry, no offense meant. It's just force of habit." Randal took off the shades and tucked them in a pocket. Nana looked at the shifting green, gold, and grey tones of his hazel eyes, and gave a pleased chuckle. He had to smile in return. "What is it?"

"I was just noticing. You have cat eyes."

Randal nodded. "That's what my mom used to call them."

"No wonder Acacia took to you."

Randal peered at her over the rim of his cup skeptically, then lowered it. "I hardly think she took to me."

"Dear, with Acacia it's pretty much either take to you, or take after you, and seeing that you're not marked up, she took to you."

Randal put the cup down again. "I did sort of get that impression. Does she have a problem with cops?" He'd done a search. He couldn't find any record for any of the Akuji sisters. Of course, that was just from trolling the surface. He might find something if he dug a little deeper.

"You mustn't take it personally, dear. Acacia just has... issues, I believe they call it these days. It's not you, it's men in general, and she has her reasons."

"Maybe she should get therapy."

"Oh, she's had that. She's much improved. Now, is there anything you needed to tell the girls, or..." she smiled. "Is this just a social visit?"

"I'm just kind of interested in what they plan to do with the information I gave them. I could get in a lot of trouble if my superiors find out what I did." Nana nodded. Randal frowned, and restated it, hoping she'd get the message. "I took a big risk for them."

Nana nodded again, smiling. "People do that for the girls." She spoke as if it was only to be expected.

"I didn't have to do it."

Nana sat back, studying him. "I thought you shared blood with Naresha?"

Randal felt himself flush He didn't realize that Nana was thinking how nice that looked. The girls never blushed, they just weren't capable of it anymore. Well, not unless they'd just had a whopping good meal. "Yes, I did. But that isn't all that much of a bargaining chip. My superiors already know I'm a little... off."

"That's not what I meant, dear. Naresha wouldn't bother to try to blackmail you with that little nugget of information. She doesn't have to. You would have done whatever she asked." Nana frowned. "Well, possibly short of actual VIOLENCE. The girls have never asked for that, so we're not entirely sure it can be compelled. But the commonly held belief is that it can."

"Compelled?" He rubbed his face. "Christ, you've bought into this 'master/slave' blood-bonding thing, too, haven't you? You all really believe it."

"Of course. I would say that I'm living proof, but it's never really been called into question with me. I've always been happy to do whatever the girls ask, even before we started the sharing."

That drew Randal up short: the image of this pleasant, prosaic woman lapping blood out of Naresha's palm was just too ridiculous. "You mean you and Naresha...?"

"Usually it's Milda. She and I just have a tiny bit tighter bond. We're more alike in personality."

"But you talk about it like it's some sort of a drug."

Nana looked thoughtful. "Yes, I guess it could be thought of like that. It can change your perception, make you do things you normally wouldn't. There are some physical changes, especially if it's long term. And addicting?" She smiled. "Oh my, yes! That's really why you're here, isn't it, dear?" Her voice became gentle. "She won't give you any more, not for awhile yet, anyway. They're very careful about who they bond with. You should be quite flattered that they chose you. They have..." she hummed. "other ways of getting what they need."

"I see."

"No, you don't. You might, though, if they allow you to hang around enough. There are a lot of things about the girls that can't be explained. They just have to be experienced. Not everyone has the... erm--intestinal fortitude to handle it. But I think..." She looked at him consideringly. "I think you might. And with your job, you could be a real asset to the girls."

"You always refer to them together: 'the girls.' I mean, I know that multiples usually are close, but don't they have separate lives?"

He had been half flippant, but Nana's response was serious. "No. Not really, except on a very limited basis. Once again, it can't really be explained. But I think you may have a chance of getting a little closer to the girls. Naresha already likes you, Acacia tolerates you, and Milda..." A fond smile. "Milda, the little sweetheart, likes anyone who isn't a flaming ass hole." When he grinned, she added. "Pardon my French."

"So, no chance of seeing them today?"

"No chance," Nana said firmly. "In fact, you really shouldn't bother coming around during the daytime. I'm almost always the only one here. If any of the girls are present, they'll be asleep."

"Bunch of night owls, huh?"

"Wrong species, dear. But they are nocturnal. I'd also advise you to come early in the evening, just after sunset. That's the time you're most likely to catch one of them in."

"When's the best time to catch all of them together?"

"There isn't a best time for that, not until you know them better."

"You mean they'll meet with someone they don't know alone, but they won't meet with them as a group? Sounds a little backward."

"A bit eccentric, perhaps. But then," the smile was pointed. "The rich can afford to be eccentric, can't they?"

"Sure. As long as they're harmless."

Now the look she gave him was cooly amused. "Oh, I never said that, did I?"