Whatever might have happened with the guitar, the ex showed up at the agency while I was there.

“You didn’t tell me she already sold it.”

He looked sheepish. “I was hoping to get it back.”

Did I believe him? “I got it back. Shame your old lady got the money…what there was of it. You know, acoustic guitars aren’t generally worth that much.”

He looked even more sheepish. “Worth a few packs of cigs.”

Probably, that was all that mattered. I didn’t suggest he could quit or anything like that – the woman probably drove him to them. I did suggest, “Don’t spend all your money on them. Save it for getting out of there.”

“I will.”

I turned and followed Monica back into the back room. “You recruit that guy? He’s kind of hot in an emo way.”

I shrugged. “He looks like stuff would hang well on him and he’s desperate for money. Didn’t occur to him guys could be models until I brought it up.”

“Doesn’t occur to a lot of them.” Monica shrugged. “So, where did you find him?”

“He’s eighteen,” I pointed out.

“So? He’s legal.” Monica grinned.

“I found him while helping a friend retrieve some stolen property. Cops weren’t being all that useful.”

She snorted. “I know you live with one, but they seldom are.”

“More a case of they had more important stolen things to look for, stuff worth more money. You know how that goes.”

“Oh, I definitely do. Tell them you’ve lost a hundred dollar watch and they don’t care. Tell them it’s worth a thousand and they’re suddenly interested.” She grinned.

“Maybe one day I’ll have a thousand dollar watch to worry about,” I quipped back. Not likely. I honestly hadn’t seen anything that expensive I liked, but being able to get one struck me as, well, something to aim for. “Or maybe…nah. Not a watch.”

“Ruby earrings,” she suggested. “Not diamonds. They’d be lost in that pale hair of yours.”

I grinned. “Or sapphires, maybe.”

She considered. “No. You should go for rubies. Or garnets, if you can’t quite manage that yet. You’re definitely a red jewelry girl.”

I grinned. “Thanks, Monica.” With her black hair, she could wear whatever she wanted in her ears. Maybe.

She always seemed to look good.