PaulTwo Thieves (Part 4)
March 20th 2007 19:59
Ronnie continued her tour of the stock, though with markedly less interest. It was time to get out.
I stayed safe behind the register and plied her with a coward's shower of questions, hoping she'd take fright. But she did not.
Talking and humming, she paced herself magnificently, manoeuvring ever so slowly towards the door. 'Thanks, I'll seeya Thursday.'
In despair, I tried oblique guilt and answered sweetly. 'OK Ronnie, see you then. Have a lovely day.' Even then I stopped short of 'God be with you.'
My harmless missiles fell at her feet and she slid outside, stopping to examine one last thing. A back scratcher.
For a long time, she studiously dragged the bamboo claws across her mottled flesh; luxuriating in her triumph. Or just itchy.
I tore down the stairs. Eight hand-tooled candles stood mute on the shelf. Had there been nine? Would that I had counted them that morning.
The size seemed about right for Ronnie's lump. I mitigated my guilt with the shaky affirmation that she'd taken forty minutes to steal a mere $2.95.
Plodding back to my station, I regarded the fresh-faced school girls. For all I knew, their capacious school bags were stuffed with loot.
I assumed a position of vigilance, methodically casting my gaze to every corner of the premises.
The fringed face of a young female materialised suddenly in the street window. She peered intently into the shop, her body shrouded by glancing reflections of afternoon sun.
On spotting me, her small mouth dropped open and she squinted. Then she was gone.
Minutes later, she was back. Like a vixen at a bait, she crept tentatively into the shop. Her voice was hushed and secretive. 'Where's the... other girl... the dark one?'
'She's working tomorrow.' Immediately I scolded myself for revealing information without reason.
To be continued...
I stayed safe behind the register and plied her with a coward's shower of questions, hoping she'd take fright. But she did not.
Talking and humming, she paced herself magnificently, manoeuvring ever so slowly towards the door. 'Thanks, I'll seeya Thursday.'
In despair, I tried oblique guilt and answered sweetly. 'OK Ronnie, see you then. Have a lovely day.' Even then I stopped short of 'God be with you.'
My harmless missiles fell at her feet and she slid outside, stopping to examine one last thing. A back scratcher.
For a long time, she studiously dragged the bamboo claws across her mottled flesh; luxuriating in her triumph. Or just itchy.
I tore down the stairs. Eight hand-tooled candles stood mute on the shelf. Had there been nine? Would that I had counted them that morning.
The size seemed about right for Ronnie's lump. I mitigated my guilt with the shaky affirmation that she'd taken forty minutes to steal a mere $2.95.
Plodding back to my station, I regarded the fresh-faced school girls. For all I knew, their capacious school bags were stuffed with loot.
I assumed a position of vigilance, methodically casting my gaze to every corner of the premises.
The fringed face of a young female materialised suddenly in the street window. She peered intently into the shop, her body shrouded by glancing reflections of afternoon sun.
On spotting me, her small mouth dropped open and she squinted. Then she was gone.
Minutes later, she was back. Like a vixen at a bait, she crept tentatively into the shop. Her voice was hushed and secretive. 'Where's the... other girl... the dark one?'
'She's working tomorrow.' Immediately I scolded myself for revealing information without reason.
To be continued...
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