Her eyes fell on a flyer stuck inside the phone booth. It showed a young woman whose large breasts were just about covered with a skimpy bra that matched equally skimpy red lace panties. Her legs were open, her finger in her mouth, a “come and get me” expression on her face. An ad for a strip bar in Hollywood.

Eleanor turned away.

“I ain’t messing around,” she said. “You’ve had more than enough time. I’m sick of waiting.”

“I told you I’d take care of it.”

“When? Time is running out. You know what will happen if you don’t.”

“Soon.”

“How soon?”

“Real soon.”

The line went dead.

“Shit!”

Eleanor slammed the handset into the cradle so hard it slipped and hung limply from its metal cord. She replaced the receiver more carefully, took a deep breath, and pushed open the phone booth door.

Her daughter was waiting patiently outside, watching the grocery store owner sweep leaves from the sidewalk outside the entrance to his premises. It was early fall but still warm, and Eleanor felt her Levi’s and sweater cling to the sweat on her body. York was busy with Friday-afternoon shoppers, and she recognized a couple of regulars from Ace’s from when she’d worked behind the bar there. They waved, and she smiled back.

“You said a curse, Mommy.” Alicia’s blue eyes were wide. “On the phone. I heard you.”

“I know I did, sugar. I’m sorry. Mommy just got mad for a moment.”

“Are you still mad?”

Eleanor smiled and crouched down so she was face to face with Alicia. “No, I’m not mad. In fact, Mommy is real happy. You wanna know why?”

Alicia giggled. “Why are you happy, Mommy?”

“Because we’re going to be going on one of those big fancy airplanes soon. I bet you’d like that, huh?”

“Yeah! Where are we going?”

“Somewhere far away, where we can meet Mickey Mouse and go on lots of fun rides and do fun stuff together.”

Alicia’s eyes shone with excitement. “Can Barbie come too?”

The little girl held up her doll. Barbie’s hair had been chopped off, and she was wearing a pair of Ken’s slacks and one of his shirts. She looked more like GI Jane than Barbie. Eleanor hoped the replacement doll would be delivered soon.

“Sure, Barbie can come along.”

“When are we going to meet Mickey?” Alicia asked.

“Real soon.”

“Will Uncle Robbie be coming too?”

Eleanor’s smile vanished. “No, he won’t. It’ll just be us two, sugar. And Barbie.”

7 PRYCE

7

PRYCE

Pryce dropped a brown paper bag onto the desk in front of Medina and handed him a twenty-ounce takeout coffee. His partner took a sip and nodded approvingly.

“Two sugars, plenty of cream,” Pryce said. “I know your order by now.”