LITMIR.BIZ

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she nice?”

      Rita nodded. “Yes, she was nice. Let’s go to Kats Klub now.”

      He nodded, started the truck. “Am I allowed inside a lesbian bar?”

      “I guess if you’re going to work there you’re allowed inside.”

      Alex drove toward Sidney and the lesbian bar, while Rita dialed a number on her cell phone.

      “Hi Dixie. See if you can find out the address of a woman named Rafa Zamani. She’s the wife of one of the dead guys who attacked my house.”

      “Yes, Major. Didn’t the Colonel have the address?”

      “Let’s just keep this within Badger Troop. Let’s leave the colonel and the Army out of this.”

      “Yes, Ma’am. I understand.”

      “Any other calls for me?”

      “The mayor called. She wanted to thank you for what you did at the school. Lunch tomorrow okay?”

      “Yes. Tomorrow would be good. Anything else?”

      “Some media people want to speak with you too.”

      “When?”

      “They’re hanging around out front of the office right now. I don’t think they know where you live though.”

      Rita blew out her breath. “If I know the media, they probably know where I live. I won’t be in the office today. I have a few things that need taking care of. Call me back when you find that address.”

      “Yes, Major.”

      Alex glanced at Rita. “Doesn’t that colonel out rank you?”

      Rita looked at him sitting comfortably behind the wheel. “No. I’m Badger Troop.”

      “What about a general?”

      “Army general?”

      He nodded.

      “An Army general doesn’t out rank me either. Only a Badger Troop general out ranks me. Some changes went into effect a few months ago. Badger Troop is now totally separate and apart from the Army. A special independent branch of the military. There’s separate male and female units now too. Base Kamloops and Base Killdeer are the only all female Badger Troop bases in Canada at the moment though.”

      He glanced at her face. He liked her face. “Why doesn’t everyone want to be in Badger Troop then?”

      “Its not for everyone. And I’m told more than half of those who do make it to boot camp drop out within the first few days of training. Its a little different now than when I trained. Its harder.” Rita grinned. “It was hard enough then.”

      “Can you help me get into Badger Troop boot camp?”

      She looked at him, his eager young face. “Sure. I’ll help you.”

      The truck pulled up to the curb in front of Kats Klub, Alex a little nervous, but said nothing. Rita led them inside the unlocked doors and walked to the bar.

      “Hi Rita.”

      “Hi Nicki. This is Alex. He’s a good painter of flowers.”

      Nicki looked at him. She knew who he was. “So you’re good at painting flowers?”

      Alex glanced at Rita, then back to the bartender. “Any kind you want.”

      She smiled, looked at Rita, back to the kid. “When can you start?”

      He shrugged. “Tomorrow morning?” He needed Stella’s book before starting this job.

      “Okay. Be here at eight and you and I will get whatever supplies you need.”

      “I know a good place to buy spray paint.”

      She was sure he did. “Okay. Be here at eight tomorrow morning.”

      “Yes, Ma’am.”

      “Call me, Nicki. Ma’am sounds old to me.”

      Alex nodded, studied the owner. She wasn’t as pretty as Rita. He guessed she must still be a lesbian though.

      “You two want something to drink? Coffee?”

      Rita nodded. “A coffee sounds good. I’m waiting for a call.”

      “How about you, Alex?” asked Nicki.

      “Coffee too.”

      She looked at him. “Wouldn’t you rather have a glass of juice?”

      “No, coffee’s good.”

      She smiled. “Okay. Two coffees coming right up.”

      Rita looked at him, said nothing, watched Nicki pour two cups full of the steaming dark liquid.

      Alex asked, “Nicki, do only women come in here?”

      She grinned. “You’re here.”

      “Besides me though.”

      “Only women are allowed. But sometimes we allow handsome young men like yourself to have a coffee.”

      He smiled, he liked being called handsome.

      Nicki placed cream and sugar on the bar close to the cups. “I heard about that thing at the school. My word, Rita. If you hadn’t been there, who knows what may have happened.”

      “I know. I don’t know what’s going on around here.”

      “I haven’t heard anything.”

      Rita’s phone rang. She fished in her jacket pocket and removed it, looked at the number. “Hello Dixie.”

      “Major. I have that address.”

      “Hang on a minute, Dixie. Do you have a pen and paper, Nicki?” She nodded, placed both on the bar. Rita said, “Go ahead.”

      “She lives in a house two down from the mosque. Number 296.”

      “Thanks. How’s everything?”

      “The media still has cameras out front. Nothing else going on.”

      “Okay. I’ll talk to you later.” She closed the phone. “Drink up, Picasso; we’re going somewhere before we see about your driver’s license.”

      “Okay, Rita.” He looked around. “Where’s all the lesbians?”

      Nicki laughed. “They come out later. When the moon’s full.”

      Alex scrunched his face, shook his head. “As if.”

      Rita asked, “What do you know about a place called, Davey Jones’ Locker?”

      Nicki bobbed her head. “Not much. Military and ex military play poker there. High stakes I hear.”

      “Oh yeah? Maybe I’ll check it out one night.”

      Alex looked at her, wondered if there was anything she couldn’t do. He sipped his coffee, studied her face. Glad she was his friend. Glanced around the empty bar. Listened to Nicki and Rita talking quietly. Turned on his stool when the door opened. Light filled the entrance. Two women in uniform entered, squinted, their eyes adjusting to the darker room. One of them focused on Alex and smiled. He watched them sit at a small table.

      Rita frowned a little. “You shouldn’t stare at people.”

      He looked at her closely. “They’re in the Navy.”

      Rita glanced at both women quickly. “Yes.”

      “One of them smiled at me.”

      “Why not, you’re a nice looking kid.” Rita squinted.

      Alex nodded, sipped his coffee. “Nothing could ever come of it anyway, Rita.”

      Rita

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