Got some plans

Brandon James sat in the parking lot of a mall, in a new Lexus that smelled like a beehive. He had thrown out Paisleys dash board air freshener as soon as he got in the car, but the interior still smelled like a fucking Honey comb Harvest. He would probably attract bears when he got out.

The morning had started with a small fire in Paisly's bathtub , He decided the next doll needed a little help. Then he dropped by a thrift shop for a few clothes. He had spent the next three hours looking in the metro area for a place that would do. Finally he hit upon a shopping center in Pier park that had just the right components. A walmart, a hair cut place, a frame and photo place a private hardware store.. etc.

The Walmart and the florist were all Brandon needed. And of course a kid. A skate border about 12 or 13 wearing a knit hat, a double layer of shirts and pants so tight that Brandon wondered how he bent his legs. He had converted the back of one of the stores as his own personal skate park and had been practicing a single move for over twenty minutes.

Brandon looked at his watch. wondering if using the kid to do his dirty work was just being paranoid. Artist renderings of his Mrs Chadborne persona were showing up everywhere, but chances were good that no one in the general public had yet seen any pictures of the woman Brandon had been at Sarra's house, assuming there were any. Still just in case, he retired both.

He rolled the Lexus up near the skate area, parked then got out. An older gentleman this time, through the air freshener that clung to his suit made it hard in character. Still he looked pretty good. Respectable clothes, respectable car, a slight hesitation to his steps, not quite a limp but a certain stiffness that spoke of bad joints. Enough that it was believable a jaunt into walmart would be an ordeal to him.

He walked toward the skate border, digging in his wallet as he moved, as if on purpose. The kid noticed him about twenty feet out. picked up his board and shot a glance at the NO SKATEBOARDING sign in the corner of the lot. He held his board in front of him like a shield, deciding to stand his ground. This was an old dude fuck him.

"Excuse me" Brandon said,and in the last second decided of an English accent.

"I am sorry, chap."

The boy grunted.

"Say." Brandon stopped a couple strides short of a normal conversation distance. No need to spook him. "I was wondering if you could help me out a bit."

"Huh?"

"I will pay you for it." He pulled out some bills seeming to have to search for the fifty he put on top. "I am headed to my grand daughter's birthday party and I am afraid I am a bit late. I need a fast pair of legs to run in the store for me ya know? Would you do that?"

"Huh?"

"She wants one of those barbie dolls but the male one. What is it called.. Uh?"

"Ken?"

"Ah yes, Ken but dressed like a soldier..."A little perplexed. " They have those here in the states don't they?"

"Like G.I. Joe's?"

Brandon pointed a finger at him. "That is what her mom called it." He looked at the boy, then across the parking lot to the Walmart, which, to a older man with arthritis, was an awfully long hike. "Would you get me one of those? And a box of red roses from the florist, with the nice long stems. It will take you five minutes, and me with my legs, it would take me half an hour."

"Uhhh?"

"And just have them print a card a card for the flowers. It should say ,"See you in Jacksonville, Love Brian," All right? That's B-R-I-A-N."

"Uh..."

"How is fifty dollars as your fee? Will that be enough for your fee?"

The kids eyes lit up."Uh.."

"All right sixty it is" He put the bills in the boys hand, then added money for the gifts. "See you in Jacksonville love Brian, Got it?