Lives alone in a hellhole basement apartment.
Single. Never married.
Works at a boutique jewelry store called One of a Kind in Watertower Place mall that sells handmade jewelry and art objects.
Attended University of Illinois, Urbana. Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in metal crafts; graduated in 2007.
Three credit scores: 795/800/780.
Substantial student loan debt.
One credit card, minimal balance. Pays on time.
No vehicle loan.
“Okay. Thanks, Gill. Nice work.” Time to do a little reconnaissance.
CHAPTER FIVE
AND LIFE GOES ON
The week followingthe big New Year’s Eve bash was business as usual. I worked long shifts starting on January second, in a stretch that lasted seven straight days. I usually don’t work weekends at the store, but several people wanted to spend extra time with their families, and since I don’t have one of those, I volunteered to cover for them. That meant that I had little time for my own jewelry.
Whenever I go extended periods without being creative, I get cranky. There’s something about the process of making something that lifts my spirits. It makes me feel centered and whole. It’s hard to explain, but I suspect I’m not the only one who feels that way.
For my day off on January tenth, I had plans to work all day on the new necklace design, but Lauren invited me to lunch. Ordinarily, I’d pass, but my best friend promised me some juicy gossip that she wasn’t going to tell me unless we were face-to-face.
“Ugh, fine. I’ll be there. But nowhere fancy. I hate pretentious food shit,” I say over the phone the night before.
