Page 29 of Velvet and Valor

“The bottom right, got it,” I say again.

“Which one?”

“The bottom right.”

“Again.”

“Okay, okay, I got it already,” I say, laughing. “Bottom right. Is there anything else you want me to pick up while I’m there?”

“No…wait. Yes. I need…you know what, let me text you a list.” She sniffs her purse and scowls, then grabs her wallet and some girly items out of it. “I have a black leather purse hanging on the coat rack in my room. Bring that, for sure.”

She hands me her partly-emptied purse.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” I ask.

“Put it on my dresser or something,” she says. “It smells like gasoline, but I don’t want to pitch it. It’s a Michael Kors and it was a gift from DeNiro.”

“Deniro?” I ask. “THAT DeNiro?”

“That DeNiro,” she says.

“All right, here,” I say, taking the purse and hanging the strap on my arm. “Hey, this feels pretty convenient. Maybe I’ll have to get a purse.”

“Cute. I’m texting you some more things I need,” she says, her thumbs busy.

“Please make sure it all fits into your average sized shopping bag,” I interject.

She gives me a dirty look, and I shut the fuck up because contrary to popular belief, I DO know what’s good for me. Occasionally.

I prepare to head out to her place. Thank goodness for GPS, because she lives in one of those obscure gated neighborhoods that hide all along the coast. Not quite the mansions district, but definitely above my pay-grade.

“Are you sure the security guards will let me in?” I ask.

“Yes, I’ll call ahead…but won’t the guard stop Moorcrock and his men from causing problems in the first place? Are you sure I can’t just wait this out at home?”

I shake my head sadly.

“Moorcrock and his ilk have ways of getting around solitary guards in a booth with very low visibility.”

“You think they could just sneak in?”

“Or bribe the guard.”

Her mouth falls open.

“No way, Gus would never take a bribe.”

“Uh huh. What kind of car does Gus drive?”

“A Honda Accord.”

“New?”

“No.”

“When did he buy it?”

“About ten years…” she heaves a sigh. “Okay, fine. So, he probably doesn’t get paid all that well, it doesn’t mean he’s going to take a bribe.”