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Her breathing slows She relaxes, just a hair "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure"

"What the hell is wrong with your clothes?"

"Yeah I had a little accident corin It’s a look that girls used to like when I was young and not entirely unhandsoht have flirted with in er young or handsome I shift to what I hope was a ht need to pick up sos What do you think?"

"Don’t bother I hear that arson is the new black" She crosses her ar me her best defiant look

"Stark"

"Stark Just the one name then, like Madonna?"

"Or Cher"

"Okay, Mr Stark…"

"Stark No ’mister’ Just Stark"

"Okay, Just Stark Here’s the thing - I quit I can run this place in my sleep, but Mr Kasabian obviously doesn’t trustbuddy to keep an eye onI’m here to do is keep an eye on you The truth is, I don’t have any place to stay and Kasabian toldis purely honorary As far as I’e Run the place any way you like"

"You still look like somebody I probably shouldn’t know"

"Yeah, you said that" I take a step toward her, waiting to see if she’ll take a step back She doesn’t Nervous, but brave I like her already "Listen, a thug is someone who’s out for no one but himself Me? I take care of my friends" Alice’s face flashes in my brain, a reminder of how empty a proet you a da in this world Reluctantly, I push Alice back into the dark "Stay here and I guarantee that you’ll work in the safest video store in LA"

"Gee, that’s not at all terrifying"

"Also, whatever Kasabian has been paying you, I’ll give you a fifty percent raise"

Now I have her attention

"You can do that?"

"There’s no one here to tellas I’e, I can pay people whatever I like"

"When will Mr Kasabian be back?"

"I have no idea You kno these fas are It could be a while"

She nods, looks down, then up at me "Okay I’ll stay For now"

Hallelujah "Thank you, Allegra"

"You’re welcome, Just Stark"

I WAIT FOR an hour upstairs, until the store fills with the lunch-hour crowd When there’s enough aure that I can check on Kasabian and be covered if he starts screaht where I left him on the shelf When he sees me, he doesn’t scream He just e the godda An older guy in a suit and a bottle blonde are talking about an actress I never heard of and a pasta e everyone’s life

"Please, turn this shit off"

"I don’t know That sounds like one damn fine pasta maker"

"Fuck you"

"Do you have a car?"

He stares at the TV, ignoring me I reach over and turn down the sound

"The keys are in ht hand pocket," he says

I tilt his comatose body to the side so I can reach into his pocket Got ’em

"What kind of car is it?"

"Give me back my body"

"Where’s Mason?"