Nina shook her head. “You’re wrong, the MTA averages over a million trips a day and there are over two thousand buses on the streets, though probably not all at once.” Then she shrugged. “Anyhoo, I’ll go get you dry clothes and then we can have a very typical Los Angeles conversation about the relative merits of freeways and surface streets.” She headed out the door.

“Thanks,” said Laura dubiously, unsure how she could contribute to such a conversation. “You guys are being very nice to me.”

“Slow afternoon,” said Liz, adding fresh hot water to her tea. She peered out of the office to check the store, but there were only two regulars who would yell if they needed her. Liz was dressed in black, which was her preferred hue, and her T-shirt read I would prefer not to, which was confusing because she’d been exceptionally obliging so far. Laura could feel the beginnings of a headache.

Polly started bouncing up and down. “Oh my god, I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. You can come and stay with me!” She corrected herself, “Well, not with me literally, but in the house where I live. Last week a tenant left to go on tour and his room is available.” Polly was blond like Laura, but where Laura was all shades of fawn and gold and caramel, Polly was the palest straw, with blue eyes that saw excitement and drama everywhere. She was wearing rainbow-striped tights under a purple corduroy miniskirt, with yellow boots and a T-shirt with a Twinkie on it. It was a look.

Liz frowned. “On tour with what?”

Polly shrugged. “Jesus Christ Superstar? Does it matter?” Polly was not a detail-oriented person. She was a big-picture thinker. An idea person.

“Not especially,” said Liz. “Simply adding color to my day.” Liz liked ideas as well as the next guy, but also enjoyed getting lost in the weeds.

Laura was still feeling bedraggled, though the tea was helping. “Where do you live?” she asked Polly.

“Very close, in Hancock Park,” said Polly. “It’s a great place, you’ll love it. It’s a big old house and the owner lives there and rents out rooms.” She grinned, kicking her sunny Doc Martens as she perched on the desk. “Her kids grew up and she got bored on her own. She’s a trip.”

Takes one to know one, thought Laura. “How big a place?” she asked curiously.