Betty's was finely lit with paraffin candles that emanated the faintest scent of lavender. They sat on a shelf beside the big glass window and blinked in intermittent bursts. Had been seven years since he visited the place. He shuddered. Before she was killed.

Regardless of the ghostly spirit that haunted the place, Immanuel shuffled behind his Prius and lit a cigarette. The smoke tasted crummy and stale beyond belief, but the previous night still haunted him. He immediately had walked to the nearest drugstore near the Carlton and bought two packs of Camels. One for this week, one for later when Esperanza did something else to disconcert him. What a week to live.

"Hey Kant!" called a distant voice, and Immanuel swiveled around to meet a woman in a rose-red tube dress.

He felt his cheeks get hot. Never had he seen her in such a getup besides her traditional hoodie and jeans.

Not seeing her in the usual felt like a breath of fresh air.

The ends of the dress were frayed much like torn pieces of newspaper; how did she buy this beauty when all she had was leftover rainy day money and two quarters she found on the ground?