Page 19 of Total Exposure

“Well,” Marcella says, folding up her paper bag and stuffing it in the universal place people stuff folded paper bags—that thin slot of empty space between the fridge and the wall—“that’s it for me. My job is done. Good luck with yours. Oh, and if you find yourself downtown, I own a tea shop next to where the Club used to be. Stop by and we’ll be friends again.” She smiles broadly. “Or something.”

I just… kinda laugh at that and watch her walk out.

Weird.

I lock the house back up, re-arm the alarm, and go back downstairs to a buzzing phone on the desk top. “Yeah,” I say. Its caller ID says it’s Jordan.

“I told you not to be seen,” he says.

“Well, you didn’t tell me that some strange chick was gonna show up out of the blue.”

“It’s none of your business what happens outside your little control room, Ix. I thought I made that clear.”

“Look, I just didn’t know she was coming. A little heads up next time, right?”

“Stay away from this Evangeline girl, Ixion.”

“Why the fuck wouldn’t I?”

“I know you, remember. You fuck girls just to see if you can.”

I actually fuckin’ guffaw. “You are no one to judge me.”

“Do not fuck with this girl, Ixion. Understand me?”

“Dude, Evangeline Rolaine is the definition of boring. Don’t worry.”

“Good,” he says. “She’s so not your type.”

“No shit. She’s kinda…” Well, I was gonna just say ugly as kind of a default answer, but I’ve got her picture up on the wall where I always keep a picture of my targets. And she’s not ugly. So I can’t even lie about it.

“She’s kinda what?” Jordan asks.

“Uptight,” I say. “You know I hate girls like that. Fuckin’ high-society bitches with their fancy debutante dresses and fake giggling.”

“Yeah, from the information I’ve gathered on you up in Wyoming, you like the mean ones. The wasted ones. The easy ones.”

I shrug. “So? Someone’s gotta like ‘em. Might as well be me.”

“Stay in the control room. If you see a problem, call me immediately. Do not go upstairs. Hell, do not leave that room under any circumstances unless she leaves the house and you need to follow her. And if that happens, you call me then too, got it?”

“Got it,” I say. “You’re just like her. Uptight and shit. You got a thing for this girl, Wells?”

“No.” He laughs. “I just provide a service. Nothing more.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. Well, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not the least bit interested in Evangeline Rolaine. And I can’t wait for this shit to be over so I can be on my way. Gonna hit up Oregon next.”

“Yeah? Why there? Why not stay here?”

“Why should I stay here?”

“You’ve got roots here,” he says.

“Not anymore,” I say back.

“That’s harsh,” he says.

“I’m just a realist, that’s all.”