Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly Page B

it might give him some sort of answer. It didn’t.
    Pierce eventually left the alcove and went to the counter. A young man with a swath of pimples on each cheek and a name tag that said Curt asked how he could help him.
    â€˜This is sort of weird,’ Pierce said. ‘I need a mailbox but I want a specific number. It sort of goes with the name of my business. It’s called Three Cubed Productions.’
    The kid seemed confused.
    â€˜So what number do you want?’
    â€˜Three three three. I saw you have a box with that number. Is it available?’
    It was the best Pierce could come up with while sitting in the car. Curt reached under the counter and came back up with a blue binder, which he opened to pages listing boxes by number and their availability. His finger drew down a column of numbers and stopped.
    â€˜Oh, this one.’
    Pierce tried to read what was on the page but it was upside down and too far away.
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Well, it’s occupied at the moment but it might not be for long.’
    â€˜What’s that mean?’
    â€˜It means there’s a person in that box, but she didn’t pay this month’s rent. So she’s in the grace period. If she shows up and pays, she keeps the box. If she doesn’t show up by the end of the month, then she’s out and you’re in — if you can wait that long.’
    Pierce put a concerned look on his face.
    â€˜That’s kind of long. I wanted to get this set up. Do you know if there’s a number or an address for this person? You know, to contact her and ask if she still wants the box.’
    â€˜I’ve sent out two late notices and put one in the box. We usually don’t call.’
    Pierce became excited but didn’t show it. What Curt had said meant that there was another address for Lilly Quinlan. This excitement was immediately tempered by the fact that he had no idea how to get it from the young man who had it.
    â€˜Well, is there a number? If you could call this woman right now and find something out, I’d be willing to rent the box right now. And I’d pay for a year up front.’
    â€˜Well, I’ll have to look it up. It will take me a minute.’ ‘Take your time. I’d rather get all of this done now than have to come back.’
    Curt went to a desk that was against the wall behind the counter and sat down. He opened a file drawer and took out a thick hanging file. He was still too far away for Pierce to be able to read any of the documents he was going through. Curt ran his finger down one page and then held it on a spot. With his other hand he picked up the phone on the desk but was interrupted before making the call by a customer who had entered the shop.
    â€˜I need to send a fax to New York,’ she said.
    Curt got up and went to the counter. From underneath he pulled out a fax cover sheet and told the woman to fill it out. He returned to the desk. He put his finger back on the document and lifted the phone.
    â€˜Am I going to be charged for faxing this cover sheet?’
    It was the other customer.
    â€˜No, ma’am. Only the documents you need to fax.’
    He said it like he had said it only a million times before.
    Finally, he punched in a number on the phone. Pierce tried to watch his finger and get the number but it was too fast. Curt waited a long time before finally speaking into the phone.
    â€˜This is a message for Lilly Quinlan. Could you please call us at All American Mail. Rent on your box is overdue and we’ll be re-renting it if we do not hear from you. My name is Curt. Thank you very much.’
    He gave the number and hung up, then came toward Pierce at the counter. The woman with the fax shook it at him.
    â€˜I’m in a big hurry,’ she said.
    â€˜I’ll be right with you, ma’am,’ Curt said.
    He looked at Pierce and shook his head.
    â€˜I got her machine. There’s really nothing that I can do