Part 7 (1/2)
”I need this.”
”A hatbox? You don't have a hat.”
”But I will when my head is biggest.”
Sabrina's hand came to her mouth. Jessie did not look at her, but Sabrina could see that she was fighting laughter as well.
”Why does Clancy have a hatbox?” Hannah arrived and wished to know.
”Clancy,” Jessie addressed her youngest daughter, ignoring Hannah for the moment. ”You may have that, but nothing else.”
61 ”What if I need something?” the child argued. ”I don't want to hear about it-not for a week.” Clancy looked stubborn but turned to Hannah. ”How many is that?”
”How many days?” Hannah clarified.
The women left Hannah counting on one hand and Clancy still frowning. If they stayed, they were both going to laugh.
”So this is where you work.”
Sabrina heard the male voice behind her and turned to find the man from the alley.
”Can I help you?” Sabrina asked.
”I hope so. I'm Bret Toben, by the way.”
”Sabrina Matthews,” she told him, her voice not overly friendly. ”What can I get you?”
Several replies sprang to Bret's lips, but he squelched them all. ”Tobacco, please.”
Sabrina had not done this herself and started to go to find Jessie, but Bret's voice stopped her.
”She keeps it right here.”
”I know where it is,” Sabrina explained, ”but I don't know how to cut it.”
”I buy the whole twist,” Bret said, lifting one down from the rack. ”And Jessie charges me a nickle.”
Bret held the coin out to Sabrina, and she took it. She ignored the fact that he let his fingers linger as long as he dared and went behind the counter to the cash register.
”h.e.l.lo, Bret,” Jessie said suddenly. ”Is Bri taking care of you?” ”Bri?” Bret said, looking at that lady. ”You didn't tell me about your nickname.”
”I don't think we're going to have that many conversations,” Sabrina said, not unkindly.
62 ”Is it me or the fact that I own a saloon?”
”Does it matter?” Sabrina asked.
”It might,” Bret hedged, even as he knew she was right.
Jessie smiled at Bret, who was much too used to attention from women. He caught the smile and gave one in return. He would have enjoyed the challenge of getting a few more words from Sabrina but decided to head on his way. Tipping his hat in a way he knew was charming, he bid the ladies goodbye.
”So tell me,” Jessie asked as soon as he was gone, ”is it him or the saloon?”
”Both, I suppose. I can tell he's not my type.”
”I wonder who is your type,” Jessie said, voicing her thoughts aloud.
Sabrina could have told her that was the last thing she wondered about, but she had no time. Clancy showed up, clearly put out, having been told by her sister that she couldn't need anything for seven days!
Mt.
Old Ivan Lamour died.
The words, coming near the end of the workday, were not easy to hear, but they meant that an apartment had opened up in town. Sabrina did not want to cause anyone at Jeanette's to worry, but this was something she had to check on. Jessie had warned her that the location on Willow Street was not the best, but Sabrina said she still wanted to look. And this time she found the building without incident. She knocked on two doors before someone answered, and that woman directed her to yet one more door.
”Do you have an empty apartment for rent?” Sabrina wasted no time asking the man who opened the last door.
Pale, watery eyes looked her up and down, clearly surprised, but Butch Sandgren was not about to pa.s.s up a paying customer. And she was young and pretty.
63 ”This way,” Butch said after a moment, and led the way around the back. He had done nothing with the place since the body had been taken away. His plans did not include much, so he had no issues with showing it as it was.
Sabrina had seen worse certainly, but not by much. Her own place in the bordello had been better.
”How much?” she asked, thinking it needed far more than cleaning.
Butch named a price that sent Sabrina to the door.
”Thank you for showing me the apartment,” she said, but Butch's voice stopped her.
”I could lower it some.”
”How much?” Sabrina asked, also planning to ask about paint and the stairs outside.
The two d.i.c.kered for several minutes, Sabrina having to give in some, but Butch certain he was giving in more.
”I would like to move in right away,” Sabrina said, ”but I also want the repairs started right away.”
”How am I supposed to paint if you're in here?” Butch asked. ”I'll do the painting myself if you buy the paint. But the stairs have to be started right away. And this lock-” Sabrina went to the door. ”I want that fixed no later than tomorrow evening.”
Butch could not believe he was agreeing to all of this, but she kept looking at him expectantly, and her voice was very nice. ”All right,” Butch said. ”But I want my rent today.”
”I was thinking I would pay the first month as soon as the stairs were fixed.”
This plan did not sit well with the landlord, and more d.i.c.kering ensued. Nevertheless Sabrina left well pleased, hurrying back across town to Jeanette's to tell that household her good news.
”But Bri,” Jeanette said when she found her voice. ”We're in no 64 hurry to have you move out. Why don't you take a little more time finding a place?”
”Thank you, Jeanette, but I think it will suit me very well, and the price is good.”
”Bri,” Heather had to speak up as well. ”That section of town can be very rough, especially after dark.”