“It’s Pierce.”
“He’s a lawyer.” Katherine quickly presses her lips together. If this is the spy Tinsley sent in, she’s terrible at it, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to enjoy the fuck out of whatever they are up to. “I mean, he looks like one.”
“Don’t know if I should be offended or not.” I’m in slacks and a dark blue button-up. I left straight from my office. “Is it the tie?” I tug it loose and undo a couple of the buttons. I should have changed, but I was eager to see Tinsley again.
“Sure, yes, totally.” Katherine nods along to her own stumbling of words. “Dead giveaway.” Her nose scrunches like I insulted her.
“Like me?” I say. “Am I a dead man walking?” I undo the button of my sleeves and start to roll them partly up.
“Oh noes.” Katherine sinks back into her chair. “You got tattoos.” Both of my arms are covered in them. I’d started getting them well before the legal age. It’s my only vice, or it had been. Tinsley could easily take its place.
“Is that a bad thing?” I ask. Does Tinsley hate tattoos? I wouldn't have guessed that with her pink streaks and colorful, well, everything. I know she’s an artist. I’d seen pictures of her work. It might have been on nails, but I promise, it’s art and impressive as fuck.
“We don’t have a lawyer in this town or a tattoo shop.” Katherine gives me a pointed look that I don’t fully understand, but I’m guessing that’s a theme with her.
“I heard you have a great theater.” I want to keep her talking. She’s the closest person to Tinsley, which means she knows all of the little details about her.
“We do. I was a fairy one year. My best friend Ti—” Katherine clears her throat, and it turns into a cough. “My friend was Tinkerbell.” Now that I could see.
“The people in charge were pissed about that,” Jimbob says, setting Katherine’s drink down in front of her. It’s a bright pink.
“About the play beingPeter Pan?” I ask. “Because it wasn’t holiday themed?”
“We can turn anything into a holiday theme,” Katherine says smugly, taking a sip of her drink.
“Her ah”—Jimbob pauses—“best friend led a revolt and rewrote the play.” This woman keeps getting more and more interesting. What I had dug up on her didn’t give me this kind of information.
“Peter Pan is the villain. Tinkerbell isn't chasing after a little lost boy.” She rolls her eyes. “He’s selfish and stupidly cruel." Never thought of it that way.
“Wouldn't that also make him a kidnapper and murderer?"
"Yes! You’re getting it." She nods excitedly, taking another sip of her drink.
“So how did it end in this rewrite?” I’m genuinely curious now.
“Tinkerbell ends up with Captain Hook, and he adores her.” A soft smile forms on her lips.
Yes, if Tinsley was playing Tinkerbell, she wasn’t putting up with a boy's shit. That much I know about her. The way she spoke to Biff in the office that day was a prime example of that.
“I can see why these plays are always sold out.” I take a sip of my whiskey. I notice that Katherine keeps glancing up at the ceiling and then over to the entryway. My room is right above us. Subtlety is not her strong suit.
“I think I’m going to change out of this suit,” I say, getting up from my chair.
“Wait, why?” Katherine springs to her feet in front of me, blocking my path. Her actions only confirm my suspicions.
“I’ll be right back.”
“It’s fine. I love the suit. There’s no need to change. Best suit I’ve ever seen, right, Jimbob?” She gives him a hard stare.
“Sure, it’s good.”
“I’d like to get more comfortable.” I try to step around her, but she blocks my path again.
“So the play. Let me show you my part.” Katherine bursts into song. Jimbob covers his mouth with his hand to hide his laughter. I have to admire her determination to keep me from heading to my room.
“Haven’t been to many plays, but I know that’s fromAnnie.”
“Right.” She glances around. What she’s searching for I’m not sure, but I know she finds it when her hands go to her hips and she pushes her shoulders back. “Hey! Are you saying that because I have red hair and indeed am an orphan?”
