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what seemed like the perfect life, the reality was different. In Lock’s experience, it usually was.
    According to Tarian, even though Marcus had been barely five when she had left his father, he had never recovered from his parents’ split. He was a quiet child, introverted, and had found it difficult to make friends. Later, when his behavior had become more difficult a psychologist had diagnosed Asperger’s, but Teddy Griffiths had flown into a rage at the very idea. He was old school. Didn’t believe in putting labels on kids. He definitely didn’t want people thinking his stepson was some kind of a (his words) ‘loony tune’.
    For her part, Tarian had hoped that her first-born son was simply a late developer. That he would find his feet and place in the world at college. He was bright and attended the University of Southern California. But barely three months after starting in the fall, he had dropped out and moved to a place in Marina Del Rey. No amount of coaxing from Tarian or bluster from Teddy would get him to go back to college. His biological father, Peter, blamed Tarian.
    A breeze picked up from the Pacific, sweeping Tarian’s long auburn hair back over her face. ‘So,’ Lock asked, ‘why don’t you speak to a mental-health professional?’
    ‘Marcus flips out if I even mention the idea. I thought that perhaps this way I’d have someone close to him who could keep an eye without any of that stigma. And, if I’m honest, I don’t think it would hurt to have a male role model around him who isn’t constantly telling him he’s a failure.’
    ‘You think that’s how Marcus will see it? Or do you think he’ll believe you’re interfering?’
    ‘He won’t think I’m interfering if there’s a reason for us to have called in private security.’
    ‘But there’s not,’ said Lock, not liking where this was going.
    Tarian stopped and stared out across the marina to the ocean beyond. ‘A white lie, Mr Lock. And, given the unusual circumstances, I’d be happy to pay double your usual fee. If you can get Marcus back on track, perhaps even re-enrolled at USC, I’ll pay you an additional fifty thousand dollars.’
    ‘Fifty thousand dollars?’ Lock said, not entirely sure he’d heard her correctly.
    ‘If that’s too small an amount . . . I’d have to talk to Teddy, but I’m sure that I can—’
    Lock cut her off: ‘First, let me talk to my business partner. If we think we can help, we will. But I don’t want to take your money without a good reason.’
    Something approaching a smirk flashed across her face. ‘Well, Mr Lock, for someone like me, that’d be a first.’

9
     
    Sitting in traffic on Ocean Avenue, Lock called Tyrone ‘Ty’ Johnson. They had crossed paths while serving in the military, and quickly established an unlikely friendship that had turned into a lucrative high-end private security business after they had both moved to civilian life. Lock took Ty briefly through his meeting with Tarian Griffiths, getting no great response until he reached her offer. Ty cleared his throat. ‘Double our usual fee? What’s there to think about, brother?’
    ‘The money’s good, but it hardly qualifies as a job. I mean, what are we gonna be doing apart from making sure he eats his Wheaties and wipes his ass? That’s the beauty of it, know what I’m saying? And the mom’s smoking hot too, Ryan. I Googled her. Goddamn, that’s one good-looking woman.’
    Lock flipped on his turn signal to take the Channel Road down to Pacific Coast Highway. He was heading back to the condo he was renting in Pacific Palisades. ‘Number one, she’s married. Number two, clients are off limits.’
    ‘Just saying. Listen, I’m driving up from Long Beach in the morning. Don’t turn it down before I get there.’
    ‘I wasn’t planning on it,’ said Lock, as the lights flipped and he joined the jostle of beach traffic and people heading back to the Valley from jobs on the West Side; the ocean