12:15 Monique’s Apartment

The moron had made her late and that was something she hated more than anything else…people screwing up her plans. What should have been an easy job turned out to be a hell of a lot more complicated and time consuming than it needed to be. If she hadn’t known better she would swear that he knew she had been waiting for him. Waiting to take her pictures and be gone. In the end she hadn’t been able to get any of the proof that his wife wanted and Monique had a strong feeling that his wife never would get the proof she wanted.

Idiot cost me $1,200 (she wouldn’t get paid) and it was already after 12:00. There was not time for another shower now a quick wipe down with a cloth was all she could do if she wanted to be there first to set the stage.

As she dressed in a form fitting top of deep coral and slid her long legs into the pants she had purchased the other day, just for this purpose, Monique smiled at her reflection. Just the right blend of tough and yet… that had always got to Bette. She tied her hair back and pulled a couple of the curly tendrils loose for affect. As she walked to the desk where her briefcase sat and pulled out the file she had compiled on Hodie Lerner a predatory smile crossed her lips.

"Now we’ll see what you want more Bette. The information and me or to be an unemployable, penniless, laughing stock of the art world and your maybe your "precious" Tina. But I wouldn’t be so sure about that either after she has to hear what I have to say. Not going to be much of a choice–people don’t change that much. I promise you when your choice is made I won’t disappoint you."

12:45pm Parking Lot of the Purple Parrot

Traffic had been surprisingly good and Bette had arrived earlier than she expected to. Scouring the parking lot she was almost ashamed to realize how desperate she was to see T’s car to see T, how tense she was when she didn’t see it yet. Although her mind had finally fallen into the well worn patterns of conflict and confrontation mode it wasn’t enough this time. Bette shivered to realize it was because this was personal in a way no other confrontation had ever been. Some had been close very close but not like this. It was her spirit that craved Tina so desperately, only then would she be ready because she knew in the depths of her heart that without Tina’s strength she would lose this battle–she didn’t have the strength for this one on her own. Tina where are you?