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“Well, if you find out, let me know,” I say. “So, what’s on your schedule for today? Any more mint runs?”
“Hmm… well, it’s a show day, so Jarvis will be busy with show stuff but… oh! He did say we’re making an exception to go belt shopping!”
“Belt shopping?”
“Yep. He never goes out on a show day, as you know, but his favorite belt boutique is in Indianapolis.”
Interesting. He’s breaking his golden rule for a belt? And why not get the belt yesterday which wasn’t a show day? This development screams of potential subterfuge.
“Cool. And what store is that?”
“Hmm… something with ponies?”
Ponies. Well, there can’t be too many of those in the greater Indianapolis area. “And, uh, around what time do you think you’ll be going?”
“The car leaves promptly at ten fifty-seven. I’m pretty excited. I’ve never been to an exclusive belt boutique. He already said I can be the person who holds the ones he doesn’t want until the store people take them to put them back.”
“Wow. Good for you, man.”
He beams as he imagines holding belts, and I offer a quick smile to hide the returning nerves.
Jarvis doesn’t break his traditions lightly. Something’s going down at the pony belt store. Guess I’m going “belt shopping” today as well.
I pull out my phone to text Nash and research pony-themed belt retailers.
22—INDIANAPOLIS (THE BELTED STAG)
VAL
From the outside, The Belted Stag is not as impressive as one would think for a must-see celebrity attraction. I guess it does deliver on the promise of “belt store.” I also haven’t seen a single reference to ponies in the half hour Nash and I have been staking out the place from the café across the street. We have no guarantee this is the right location, but it won points for having an animal reference and pretentious logo.
More impressive is the fact that the business is closed to the public and contains an entire camera crew. In a bout of irony, we’ve been taking photos and filming them for the last few minutes. You know… just in case.
“Guess that explains why Jarvis was willing to break his no leaving the venue on a show day rule,” I say.
“What could they possibly be filming in a belt store?” Nash asks.
“Commercial, maybe? He might have a sponsorship deal with them.”
“Can’t. He’s exclusive with Sandeke Telecom. Trust me, the Lord Commander His Majesty Denver Sandeke made sure his prize pet was locked down hard with legalese.”
“Then maybe he’s planning to jump ship.”
“Yeah, probably. I heard the belt industry is really driving today’s futures. What even is telecom?”
“Okay, fine. Then, I have a better question. What’s she doing here?”
Nash follows my attention to the business-suit-clad woman exiting a vehicle stopped in front of the store.
“Oh shit! That’s Rena Rivera from Lakebend Records. Why the hell would she be in Indianapolis?”
“At Jarvis’ belt store with a camera crew? Great question.”
“You got her on video?”
“Yep.”
We exchange a look that doesn’t do much to soothe the tension in my stomach. None of this can be good. Chad seemed to legitimately think they were “going belt shopping,” which means he didn’t know the full plan either. (To be fair, if I had a high-stakes evil plot, Sandeke Telecom’s Administrative Talent Liaison vis a vis Something would be the last person I’d tell as well.)
