The museum wasn’t all that large, but then pipes don’t take up much room. And the collection was pretty impressive.

“I wonder why there’s no information on the pipes.” Mimi wandered the display cases looking for some sort of signage. “Be handy to know the history.”

There was a display of elaborate pipes that looked as though they had been created by Hieronymus Bosch, and a series of French pipes with people’s faces carved into the bowls.

“That’s a Maori pipe from New Zealand.” Mimi pointed to one of the cases. “And over there are opium pipes from China. You find the American Indian pipe yet?”

As it turned out, the museum had more than one pipe from the Americas. There was an argillite pipe from Haida Gwaii and a pipe-stone calumet from the Great Lakes.

We wandered through the rest of the museum, and then we went downstairs to the pipe and tobacco store.

“How about I buy you a pipe, Bird? You wouldn’t have to smoke it. You could just stick it in your mouth and look distinguished.”

I tried to imagine myself packing the bowl of a pipe with tobacco, tried to imagine the clouds of choking smoke, tried to imagine the stink on my clothes and the bad taste it would leave in my mouth.

Then again, looking distinguished wasn’t to be underestimated.

“Well,” said Mimi as we climbed the stairs to street level, “no luck with the bundle, but we know more about pipes than we did before.”

MIMI DOESN’T WAIT for an answer. She’s out of her seat and waving at Kalea as though they’re old friends. Kalea waves back tentatively. And then she sees me.

I close my eyes and wait.

“Mr. Mavrias.”

I open my eyes.

“I can’t believe it,” Kalea says. “What are the odds?”

“Yeah,” says Bryce, “what are the odds.”

“Join us, please.”

All the tables are taken. Bryce looks anyway. He has my sympathies. I wouldn’t want to share a table with a couple of strangers.

“I’m Mimi Bull Shield.” Mimi helps herself to my pie. “And you already know my partner, Blackbird Mavrias.”

“Bull Shield and Mavrias?” says Kalea. “See, Bryce. Lots of women keep their own names.”

Mimi turns towards Bryce like a shark who has just caught the scent of blood in the water.

“Kalea Tomaguchi,” says Kalea. “And this is Bryce Osbourne.”

“Bird has told me so much about you.”

Kalea blushes. “I suppose he told you how I knocked him down.”

Mimi smiles. “He was embarrassed.”

Kalea sits next to Mimi. Bryce stays standing, hoping that a table will come free.

“We were at this restaurant.”

“Chinese.”

“Yeah, Chinese. Bryce and I were having an argument.”

Bryce sits down quickly. “Pretty dull stuff. I don’t think they want to hear it.”

“We don’t mind,” says Mimi, “do we, Bird?”