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It was turning out to be another slow day for work. It seemed that the people of the Commonwealth had no need for the services of Valentine's Detective Agency. That either meant everyone was leading happy, fulfilling lives, or there was no one alive that needed his help. Nick would rather think it was the first option.
He was sitting at his desk, idling looking over the new story from Publick Occurances. Nick had always admired the tenacity of the young reporter, even if there were one or two times that he had been hired by her little sister to go and save her. His mouth curled up in a small smile thinking about the last time that had happened. Piper had been pursuing reports of increased mole rate activity just outside the city. It somehow lead him to discover that she had accidently became the leader of a cult that worshiped the mole rat, for whatever reason. He never asked how it happened, but it was a nice little source of amusement whenever he brought it up.
The door swung open quietly and slowly, and his gaze moved from the paper to the door with the same speed. He had seen the back of that head plenty of times in recent months to know that it was Nora. She never entered his office backwards, though. He straightened himself up, hand resting loosely on his thigh, just in reach of the .44 revolver he kept tapped under his desk.
“Well, I certainly wasn't expecting to see the back of your head coming through my door today.”
Nora closed the door behind her, turning to face him. The first thing he noticed was a rather large and devilish grin on the woman's face. The second was a familiar, faded red cap she held in her hand. If he had eyebrows he would've raised one.
“Neither was I, but this is the perfect place to hide.” She spoke softly, loud enough so he could hear her, but not quite loud enough her voice would travel through the door.
“Hide? From what? There's not something untrustworthy on the other side of that door, is there?”
“What? No, it's just Piper. Somewhere. Listen, I'll cut you a deal. 200 caps and you don't tell her I'm here. Tell her....well, something else.” She moved back towards his little bedroom as she spoke, and he watched with a little amusement as she crouched down and hide under his bed. He shook his head as he responded.
“I see. Well, it has been a slow day for business. Doesn't seem like anyone's killing, robbing, or kidnapping anyone else today.” He reached over, grabbing a pack of cigarettes. He was never sure why he smoked them, or at least pretended to. Could be it was something that the Institute left in him as part of his prototype programming. He brushed the thought away as he withdrew a cigarette, and as he watched his door open again, faster this time.
“Nick, I need your help. It's somethin' real important.”
He looked over Piper for a moment, watching as she caught her breath. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and he couldn't but smile just a little as he saw the clear indentation in her hair were her cap had been.
“Well, you're just in luck. Slow day for business. What can I do?”
“It's Nora, Nick. She stole my hat while I was right in the middle of my next story! She took it and she ran and last I saw she was making for the Wall. I've been running all around trying to find her, but nothing. Nadda. Damn woman knows how to hide.” She crossed her arms, shaking her head.
“Headed for the Wall? There's not many places to hid out there. There's out in little Pete's shack, but he usually keeps that door locked. There's the stage, but you'd have to intentionally not look there if someone was hiding. Past that's the Dugout Inn...”
Piper threw her hands up, sighing in exasperation. “I've already been to all three of those places. I swear to God I've been all over this damn city at least twice! Look, I'll give you twice whatever you're last job was to help me find Nora and my hat.”
Nick looked past Piper towards his bed. He could just see half of Nora's face, but what he did see amused him. She had a hand covering her mouth, and he could see from her eyes that she was holding back laughter. He would've cracked a smile along with her, but he was going to get paid two hundred caps to keep her cover. As soon as he realized he was staring too long he looked back up to Piper.
“You sure you can afford that? Ol' Man Dancey gave me five hundred caps to find out who was stealing his brahmin. Which would make your offer, what?”
“A thousand caps, Nick.” Ellie chimed in from the desk behind him.
“Woah, uh, see....I don't quite think I have that much right now.” Piper said, wringing her gloved hands together. “Look, I'll do this. One hundred twenty caps, and this pack of sugar bombs.”
She took out the small pack, shaking it a couple of times to show that it was mostly empty. He continued to stare at Piper, mulling both of the offers before him. He doubted that either of them was really going to pay. Well, that wasn't quite true. Nora would definitely pay him. Woman seemed to have a near endless supply of caps ready at hand. He never really questioned it, but maybe that was something he could do to pass the time between clients? No, that wouldn't be right. How his friend made her money was no business of his.
“I'll tell you what. We'll forgo the caps and you can just pay me with the sugar bombs. You and Nat need those caps more than I do.”
“Oh, thank you, Nick! Listen, I really appreciate this. It's embarrassing going out there without my hat. People keep teasing me about 'Who's the new girl in town?' and 'Why does that woman look so much like Piper, editor of Publick Occurances?'”
Nick stared at her in slight disbelief.
“Ok, they haven't really said that. But it's what they're all thinking.” She tossed the box of sweets on the counter, and headed for the door. “You know where to find me Nick.”
“Right. I'll get right on the case.” He called after her, watching her leave his agency.
Almost the second after Piper left, he heard Nora finally release the laughter she had been holding back. It was rich, and full, and he chuckled along with it. It had been a little bit of time since he had done that.
“Thanks, Nick. Here, the caps I owe you.” Nora had crawled her way out from under his bed, and placed a sack on his desk. He took it, opening it and only half-looking inside it. He didn't need to count every cap to know she was good for it.
“Thanks. You are planning on giving that back to her, aren't you?”
“Oh, yeah. I'll just hang around the Dugout for a drink or two and then give it back. But not without some...persuading.”
“Persuading?”
“Persuading. Or, using my feminine charm to get some rather tasty rewards.” That same devilish grin returned to her face.
Nick was thankful he had a good poker face.
“Well, it sounds like you're going to have quite the night ahead of you.” He sat himself up out of his chair, grabbing his fedora that had been lying on the table. “And seems like I've quite the night ahead of me.”
“Really? I thought you said you weren't busy.” Nora opened the door for the both of them.
“It seems like I just got a case. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a hat to pretend to go find.”