Bela swept in when the Blake’s auction house had acquired commission from a large estate to auction off the valuable belongings of a recently departed matriarch. Bela had a fantastical story, and Sarah had believed it, as everyone else had.

Sarah, in the few short days that Bela had swept in and swept everyone up in her magnetic presence, had managed to get herself somewhat smitten with her. Of course, anyone with eyes would be attracted to Bela. But Bela had not counted on Sarah’s interest, or her pursuit.

It wasn’t quite supposed to happen that Sarah discovered Bela’s plotting. But what really took Bela by surprise was when Sarah wanted in on it too. And she proved quite adept at stealthily lying and covering up Bela’s actions. So well, in fact, that Bela kept in touch with her.

Over the course of several years, Sarah fed Bela information on the customers that valuable pieces were sold to, where they were being shipped, what sort of security measures were being taken. And Bela, well she made good use of this information. And she always came back to Sarah, splitting the profit fairly, and having a bit of fun.

Recently, over the course of almost a year of gathering information and exerting influence where she could, Sarah had managed to set up a heist for Bela of magnificent proportions. Their schemes were getting more elaborate, and more dangerous, but the payoffs were all the better for it.

After Bela had managed to pull off her end of the bargain, she got in touch with Sarah and set up a rendezvous at a fancy hotel where they could roll around with each other and celebrate their recent earnings. The suite they met at was lavish, with thick creme carpets and luxurious white sheets on the massive bed where they were lounging and popping open a bottle of champagne.

Bela always told her stories of daring subterfuge to Sarah as she undressed her, the two of them shifting and sliding together until they were naked on the tousled sheets, the champagne almost gone on the nightstand next to the stacks of cash that were Sarah’s cut. Bela would spin her adventures, hands roaming each other’s bodies, as they made plans for the next time, and reminisced about their successful work together.

Bela took her time licking every stretch of Sarah’s skin, especially after drizzling champagne on her, sucking it out of her belly button and telling Sarah what a very, very bad girl she was before Bela kissed down in between her legs.

Sadly, running in to a stranger with a cactus was probably the most interesting thing that had happened since she’d been in Sioux Falls. It was a small town full of small minded people. Tamara was only here helping an old friend of hers, Bobby, because she owed him one. She really, really wished that she had never had the misfortune of owing him a favor, because honestly even the gray dreary skies of London beat out the depressive heavy boredom of Sioux Falls.

A fucking cactus.

“Why are you mailing a cactus?”

It was impolite to ask, she knew perfectly well, but the line was snaking forward at an agonizing pace and it looked like the other lady was as bored as she was.

“I’m sending it to an ex of mine.”

Tamara snorted a small laugh.

“Gonna tell him to shove it up his ass.”

She started to laugh now, and people were looking.

“It’s bigger than he ever was.”

Oh no, oh that was just depressing. “So it’s … revenge mail? I like that, it’s got class.”

“If you say so, personally, I think it’s a bit vulgar. But Randy was always a vulgar man.”

“Randy? Are you serious?”

“Oh yeah. I don’t really have the best taste in men.”

“And what about in women?”

“Excuse me?”

Oh, right, America, land of the not so free. It wasn’t really a good idea to hit on people of the same gender, especially in small towns with people of small minds. Tamara hadn’t even noticed that the line was moving forward, minus the lady in front of her. People were grumbling further back.

“Sorry love, don’t mean to offend.”

“No, no, I uh. I mean. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the game.”

“Oh.”

The young lady stepped forward to close the gap in the line, resting her cactus on one hip and holding a hand out for Tamara.

“I’m Jody.”

“Tamara.”

“You’re not from around here are you?”

“No, just in town for an old friend.”

“I gotcha. How long are you going to be around for?”

“A few more nights. Do you know the town well?”

“I have lived her since, well forever.”

“I see. I’ll be honest, a stranger mailing a cactus has been the most exciting thing to happen to me this visit so far. Is there much else to do around here?”

The young lady shrugged. “Shoot beer bottles in an empty field?”

“That actually sounds lovely.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, if you’ll help me with my stance. You look like you’d be good with a gun.”

“Oh I am.”

“So do you want to get together, maybe tomorrow night? Shoot some things together. See what happens.”

They still weren’t to the front of the line, edging forward pace by pace. Jody smiled at her, looked down, looked at her cactus, looked forward and looked back, a small little smile twitching in the corner of her lips.

“Sounds like a lot more fun than I’d ever have with a cactus.”