Sue Grafton - V is for Vengeance

June stared at me with the helpless expression of someone watching a movie where she knows the ending isn’t good. Len must have done a number on her like the one he’d done on me. She was tense and I wasn’t sure how I was going to get through to her.

I tried again. “Look, I know Sergeant Priddy was in here yesterday because I saw his car parked out front. Trust me, whatever he’s telling you is bullshit. You know the man’s a turd.”

She licked her lips and then dried the corners with two fingers. “He says there’s a bench warrant out. Pinky’s wanted for questioning and if I don’t turn him in, I’ll be charged with aiding and abetting.”

“There’s no bench warrant,” I scoffed. “What are you talking about? He’s got it in for Pinky because he stole a set of photographs. Don’t ask who he stole ’em from because I don’t know that part. Len Priddy wants them back and came close to choking me to death because he thought I was holding out on him. He’s probably threatened you with worse.”

Her voice was low. “He came to my house this morning before I left for work. He pushed his way in and tore the place apart.”

“Looking for the photographs.”

“Probably,” she said. “I told him I’d call the cops if he didn’t get the hell out. He left and I thought that might be the end of it, but then he stopped again here demanding to search the shop. I’d already talked to my boss and he said not without a warrant, so now Sergeant Priddy’s gone off to get one. Door opened just now, I thought it was him.”

“A warrant based on what? He’s yanking your chain. It’s a fishing expedition, pure and simple. How’s he going to find a judge who’ll sign off on that? He has to show probable cause.”

“He said he was almost sure he’d get an anonymous phone tip.”

“He’s bullshitting.”

“Maybe so, but what if he’s not?”

“I take it Pinky’s here.”

She didn’t nod but she dropped her eyes, conceding the point. “I was thinking once it got dark, I’d put him in the trunk of my car and take him someplace else. What do you suggest?”

I shook my head. “Bad idea. Len’s probably planted someone to keep an eye on you, so it’s better if you stay put.”

“What about you? He says it’s just for tonight.”

“Len’ll be watching me the way he’s watching you. He knows darn well Pinky’s on the premises, so he’ll anticipate any attempt to get him out of here and into a car. Doesn’t matter whose. They’ll make a traffic stop using some excuse and that’ll be the end of it.”

“We have to do something.”

“I’m taking off. The longer I stay, the more it’s going to look like we’re hatching a scheme.”

“You’re leaving me?”

“Briefly. I have an idea and if it works, you’ll see me sooner than you think. Just don’t make a move until I get back.”

“Okay.”

Once I was out of the shop, I proceeded to the corner at a leisurely pace. I was operating on the assumption that anyone watching would note my departure and then be forced to choose whether to follow me or stick with June. I turned right onto the side street, but instead of returning to my car, I continued walking until I reached Chapel. If Len had assigned a vehicle surveillance, the focus would probably be on the Grabber Blue Mustang. As long as that stayed where it was, I thought I might move with some degree of freedom. I crossed Chapel and went up to the next intersection, which put me in the same block as the consignment store.

I went in. The woman at the counter looked up and greeted me warmly, a practice meant to discourage shoplifters, who prefer to go unnoticed. I circled the store, browsing through racks of garments, with a particular eye to coats. The temperatures in Santa Teresa sink into the forties and fifties at night, and while heavy outerwear is uncommon, there’s always a demand for something lightweight. I checked a couple of price tags and felt myself blanch. This was secondhand clothing, which I assumed was synonymous with “cheap.” Not so here. I tried to picture my last credit card statement, wondering if I had the wherewithal to charge the five or six hundred bucks the shop was asking. I’m a stickler for paying off my monthly balance if I charge at all, but I couldn’t remember what my limit was. Had to be close to ten grand. I stopped and thought about the situation. I had good reason to believe the shop was tied to an organized retail-theft ring, which meant the woman who ran the place was a scofflaw. So why was I searching my conscience when she was the cheater? She appeared to my right.

“Can I help you with something in particular?”

“I’m looking for a winter coat. Is this all you have?”

“Let me check in the back. I have a few items that came in I haven’t had a chance to ring into the system.”

She disappeared into the rear of the store and returned moments later with two coats on hangers. One was a double-breasted camel-hair coat for $395, plus change. The other, a full-length black shearling for a nifty $500.

“That one,” I said, pointing to the camel hair.

“Very nice. Let’s see how it fits.”

She helped me slip my arms into the sleeves and then she adjusted the coat at the shoulder until it sat properly. She directed me to the wall-mounted mirror nearby, and I modeled the coat, taking a look at myself from the rear. It actually looked pretty good. “Kind of pricey, isn’t it?”

“This is from Lord and Taylor. It retailed originally for fifteen hundred dollars.”

“Oh. Well, I guess I better snap it up,” I said.

I waited while she rang up the sale. The charge went through without a blip. I signed the slip and tucked my copy of the receipt in my jeans pocket, wondering if it was an expense I could write off. I allowed her to swaddle the coat in tissue paper before she placed it into a shopping bag.

I thanked her and left, making a quick right-hand turn into the wig shop next door, where I selected a head of shoulder-length blond hair for $29.95. I pulled it on, slicking my hair under the edges of the wig and out of sight. I stared at myself in the mirror, bemused by the woman looking back at me.

The salesclerk was male and clearly had opinions about what was suitable for someone who looked as clueless as I did. “Maybe something closer to your natural shade,” he said.

“I like this. It’s perfect.” While it was already hot and scratchy, I was smitten with the image of myself as a blonde.

“I’m not a fan of synthetics, if you don’t mind my saying so. I’d recommend real hair. We have hand- or machine-tied cranial prostheses with nonslip cap construction.”

“This is for a costume party. It’s a joke.”

He was wise enough to keep additional remarks to himself, but his disappointment was palpable.

The transaction took longer than I thought was absolutely necessary, but it gave me a chance to pull out the coat and shrug myself into it. I put my shoulder bag in the twine-handled shopping bag, knowing that from a distance, my shoulder bag was as much a visual cue to my identity as my clothing.

“Nice coat,” he said as he handed me my change.

“Lord and Taylor.”

“I can tell.”

The short walk back to the pawnshop gave me the opportunity to scour the area for surveillance measures. While I didn’t see anything that seemed out of place, that was no guarantee Len hadn’t made the relevant arrangements. At the same time, I didn’t believe he had an unlimited number of pals willing to volunteer their services regardless of the story he told.

When I reentered the pawnshop, June was busy with a customer but looked up. She wasn’t fooled by my disguise but it wasn’t meant to deceive her. As soon as she was free she gestured me over. The two guys working with her must have been aware what we were up to because neither paid much attention when she ushered me into the rear.