After one look at the morning traffic outside Penn Station, Lisa decided to leave her car parked in the lot and took a cab to Greenwich Village, a neighborhood that had always intrigued her with its quirky, artistic atmosphere and diverse population, so different from her country club lifestyle. There, wandering through the bright and bold West Village, she spotted a four-story brownstone oddly situated between two buildings at least twice its size. Survivor of an earlier age, it had been carefully renovated to preserve its original charm. A sign in one of the front windows read Apartment for Rent.
After walking up the stairs, suitcase in hand, Lisa rang the bell at the entrance. When the door opened, she found herself looking up to a woman who stood at least three inches taller. “Hello. I’m Lori Bristol.”
“Hey, sweetie. Can I help you?” Her voice was somewhat deeper than Lisa had expected, with a slightly gravelly texture. But it fit her; she was statuesque, giving the impression she was taller than her actual height, just a couple of inches taller than Lisa, with shapely, inviting breasts. Her hair was black, short, and spiky, her skin was a deep olive tone complemented by chocolate-dark eyes that met Lisa’s with direct honesty. She was briefly reminded of the women she had met as a teen traveling with her parents in the south of France.
“Your sign, Apartment for Rent. I saw it in the window of the front door. Is it still available? May I see it?”
“Yes, and yes. You can leave your suitcase here for now. The apartment’s right this way.” She led Lisa up one flight of steps. “I’m Gigi Castle. I own this building and just put that sign out fifteen minutes ago.” She chuckled. “Must be my lucky day, or yours.”
“You’ve done a lovely job refinishing,” Lisa remarked, pleased by the beautiful dark wood paneling and bright modern paintings that hung throughout the hallways. The building was obviously quite old but was extremely well kept and clean.
When they reached the second floor landing, Gigi, who seemed to be about Lisa’s own age, took out a key and unlocked the door. “Have a look, hon. I hope it’ll meet your needs, unless you’re looking for a palace. In which case, you’re in the wrong neighborhood.”
The living room was tastefully decorated with simple furniture—a sofa, two armchairs, and a coffee table. Just off the main area, to the left, there was a small oak dining table and four chairs. A kitchenette lay beyond. A door on the other side of the living room led to a bedroom. It was small, probably an office or child’s room when the brownstone was first built as a single residence. But it was large enough to hold a full-size bed and a small, mirrored dresser, and just off to the side was a full bathroom, including a showerhead looming over a deep tub with clawed feet.
“That’s beautiful, is it an antique?”
“Take a closer look.” Gigi grinned. “It’s a copy, and not a very good one.”
“Oh. Well, I don’t know much about plumbing, but it looks lovely.” She took a deep breath, realizing she had never rented an apartment before. “Would you like me to fill out an application?” She didn’t know what she would do about the alias, but surely Jim would give her a character reference.
Gigi’s teeth flashed in a sudden laugh. “Only if you want to! I hate paperwork. There’s a lease, of course, and I won’t sign it until the deposit check clears, but I think you’ll fit right in.”
“May I pay cash?”
A look of doubt crossed Gigi’s handsome face.
“What, right now?”
Lisa smiled. “Yes. Is cash a problem?”
“As long as you didn’t print it yourself. That’s a lot of money to be carrying around.”
Lisa decided that the truth—at least some of it—might be her best option. “There’s a man looking for me,” she said. “It’s personal, not criminal, but I would rather not be found until I’m ready to deal with him.”
After learning the price, more reasonable than she’d expected, Lisa took the place. She handed Gigi the cash for the current month’s rent and enough for an extra month as security.
“Hmm…” Gigi ruffled the bills in her hand. “You really should buy traveler’s checks or rent a safe-deposit box, Lori…”
“Bristol.”
“There are no thieves in my house, but I’m not accepting responsibility for your stash, is that understood? If you keep it in cash, you find a place to hide it.”
“Fair enough,” Lisa said. “You’re right, I know. I…left suddenly. I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Fair enough,” Gigi echoed. “Well, Lori Bristol, welcome home.” They shook hands; Gigi let hers linger a bit longer than was necessary, and for some reason Lisa didn’t mind. “You make sure to keep your apartment clean. I don’t have any rodents or bugs here, and I don’t want any. I have a cleaning service that comes in once a week to clean the public spaces, including the sitting room downstairs, and I pay a local student to set out coffee and muffins every morning for breakfast. You’re always welcome to it, at no extra charge. Just put any plates or cups you use in the bin.” Gigi eyed Lisa from head to toe and furrowed her brow. “Anything else I can do for you?”
“Uhmm.” Lisa looked at the hand that Gigi had held for so long and continued, “Do you know where I can find a job?” Although she didn’t need a job, Lisa hoped for a way to become involved in her new neighborhood and meet new people. She knew she was avoiding dealing with her immediate problems, but she needed something positive to wake up to each morning, and she didn’t want to become a hermit.
“Let me think. You might try Rick’s Deli, just a block down the street.”
“Do you think he’d be willing to pay in cash?”
“Look, I’m not running a halfway house here. Are you sure you’re not in some kind of trouble with the law? I’m willing to help you, but I don’t want any problems with you—or the IRS.”
Lisa looked down, feeling a bit like an escaped felon. “No, I’m not in any trouble and I didn’t break any laws. I’d really just like to, let’s say, start fresh and leave my past behind, completely.”
“Okay, ’nuff said.” Gigi gently patted Lisa’s arm. “I’ll take your word for it, for now. As for the job, and getting paid, you need to talk to Rick.”
“Thanks for helping me. You won’t regret it.”
“I hope not.” Frowning slightly, Gigi pointed toward a door opposite the bathroom. “There are sheets and blankets in the bedroom closet. You’re welcome to use your own if you’d rather. The washer and dryer are in the basement.”
Gigi escorted Lisa back downstairs to the front sitting room, tapping the pocket where she’d stashed Lisa’s deposit with a small shake of her head. She gave Lisa keys to the building and her apartment, and Lisa could feel Gigi’s eyes on her back as she carried her suitcase upstairs. She could imagine what her new landlady must be thinking—probably What have I gotten myself into?
Lisa was thinking the same thing.