Page 4 of In A Faraway Land

Behind the woman, rows of shelves littered with phones, computers, and tablets rose to the ceiling. The rest of the tiny strip-mall store was cluttered with luggage, designer clothes, and collectible action figures—all someone’s best items, pawned to buy them a few more poker chips that they then, invariably,gambled away.

“This necklace is worth at least seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars by its diamond weight, alone,” Flicka told her.

“It’s worth what someone will pay. Even here in Vegas, no one’s going to walk into a pawn shop and buy a necklace for seven hundred grand and change.”

“It’s a bespoke design by Cartier, one of his first. It’s worth millions.”

“Doesn’t matter here.”

“Thereare twenty more pawn shops down this road I could go to.” They’d already been to six shops, but Flicka didn’t mention that. None of the others had started as high as a thousand dollars.

“All right, two thousand,” the woman said, pursing her thin lips. Hot pink lipstick was bleeding into the lines around her mouth.

“Gems and Phones offered me thirty-five hundred,” Flicka lied.

“Then take theiroffer.”

“It’s good until tonight. I still can. But I like you. I can see that you’re a solid business owner, and I like doing business with women-owned shops. You did say this is your shop, right?”

“All right, yes,” the woman grumbled, “but my husband oversees the books.”

“I didn’t like that guy at Gems and Phones. He seems like a jerk.”

Her blue eyes brightened. “Heis.He puts things onsale before their claim period is up. It’s dishonest. You going to come claim this?”

“I don’t know.” Flicka frowned, looking at the Laurel Tiara, a family heirloom. “It depends on how soon I can get my financial situation in order.”

“Yeah, that’s what they all say. We can do a three-month loan,” the woman said. “If you come back within three months, you can get it back, plus the interest andfees, of course.”

“Of course,” Flicka said.

“Your situation is really bad?”

“You would not believe it if I told you.”

“Three months,” the woman said, “and four thousand dollars.”

“Four thousand,” Flicka said, “and two of the phones up there, my choice, plus two sets of clothes for the guy and myself. And that pink stuffed bear.”

The pawn shop owner grinned. “You’ve got yourself a deal. I’lltell my husband you’re my sister-in-law’s niece, and that’s why I gave you this great deal. You’ll have to get prepaid cards to use the phones, though, or else sign them up for a service. They don’t come with a service.”

“Splendid,” Flicka said, smiling through her rage.