Michael asked as they stood at the end of the alley. She smiled when a familiar figure came into view. Travesty, the local dealer, stood at his favorite corner. It had obviously been too long since she paid this part of town a visit. He glanced in her direction and went back to scanning the neighborhood. Then he froze before turning his head slowly back to her. She had the satisfaction of watching him turn several shades lighter than his normal pale. He stepped away from the wall, turning toward her as she approached. He held up his hands in feigned innocence. “Now, Juliana, I was just resting here. Waiting for my ride. I ain’t got nothin’ on me.” Travesty stuttered when he was nervous and the sentence took him three times longer to get through than it should have. “Hand it over, Trav,” she told him and held out a hand, flicking her fingers impatiently. His eyes darted between Michael and her but they both maintained their silence.
