An Exchange

Who: Dodge and Laura
Where: Outside the Apollo
When: early afternoon

Dodge had woken up alone. It was an odd feeling, despite the fact that he usually slept alone, but he tried his best to think nothing of it. Alone was fine. The stack of Maddy's drawings were still next to the bed and it made him smile. He assumed she'd just forgotten them, but he'd make good use of them nonetheless. The prettier ones, and of course the portraits of himself would probably end up tacked to his wall. Payment for taking care of her for the night. Sitting up in his bed had been a chore and he realized that he'd probably be more bruised than just the swelling around his eye. No, that guy had worked him over decently before Roach and Mud had pulled him off. The day was already wearing on, so he'd cleaned up and dressed quickly, relieved to be clean again. Dusting off his fedora he dropped it back on his head and left the room.

Mud and Roach were still asleep, but Dodge had given them the day off. They'd taken a good brunt of the subsequent beatings to protect Dodge and he didn't have the heart to demand work of them despite the need for it. He'd just have to do some extra himself.

The two boys he'd sent out in search of the information little Laura Culligan had asked for were waiting outside his room when he emerged. They'd not only found her bosses, but they'd found her. Dodge was relieved to hear she'd been hiding out with Finn. They weren't close but he trusted the guy well enough. There'd been talk at one point of Finn joining the band, but he was too old and too aloof. Nonetheless, Dodge was still friendly. It was best not to burn bridges.

Loaded with the information he needed and ready to start another day despite the bruise on his shoulder and his left eye, Dodge headed towards the Apollo. He'd loiter outside, lifting from pockets and waiting on Laura to emerge.

He had to wait a while, but finally Laura emerged, wearing Finn's coat and hat. She paused at the door, at first trying to roll up a sleeve, but then she decided it was better with them over her hands. She popped the collar up, adjusted the hat, which was a little too big and started down the street with a grin on her face.

Dodge spotted her quickly enough, despite the change in outfits from the previous day. "Culligan," he called, loud enough to be heard, but not to attract too much attention. He didn't move from his place where he leaned against the building, one leg kicked up with his foot on the wall, fedora pulled down low over his eyes again.

Laura stopped short, rubbed at her nose a little with the back of her jacket-covered hand and just stared at him for a few seconds before heading his way, careful to stop just out of arm's reach. She hadn't expected to see him so soon. "Yeah?"

He watched her for a moment without moving from his position or pushing back the fedora to show any more of his face. The space she put between them was noticeable, but he refused to comment on it. He wouldn't have to, she'd either come to him or she wouldn't. "Found out the information you were looking for."

Damn... that was quick. Laura didn't move any closer. "Already?" Of course, there were probably people who had that information, and they were easy enough to find, but Laura couldn't have gone asking, since she didn't know where everyone stood. She shuffled a little, and waited.

"Already," he answered, pushing off the wall finally and of course closing the space between them. "My boys are very good at what they do and you'd be surprised at how many mouths in this town talk." Reaching up he pushed the fedora back a little, shedding a little light on his face and losing the Cheshire Cat feel he had before.

Laura leaned back a little, but didn't retreat. "So what are they saying?" She was surprised at how nervous she was. What if they were dead?... Hell... what if they weren't? It wouldn't be easy either way. She could be on her own with people slaughtering each other, or maybe she was expected to find them and help.

Smiling one of his more devilish smiles, he paced around her slowly testing her reactions. "Well the butcher on 12th said that Mrs. Flannigan ordered extra meat this week. Enough to serve at least two adults for a few days. Of course, he naturally asked if she had family in town and she stumbled and gave him a lousy answer." Dodge stopped pacing, standing in front of her. "It's well known that Will Flannigan is one of the biggest moonshiners in the biz, and he's got strong O'Malley connections. My boys of course headed that way, cause he's got this one daughter, Rose? She's sweet on one of my boys and she blabbed that they've got company from daddy's work. Turns out the company matches the description of your bosses."

His movement was watched closely, but Laura didn't turn with him, nor did she move away. She was feeling better than she had before. Thanks to Finn she didn't feel so lost and alone. There was a safe place and it cut down the need and desperation. She only watched him, pulling Finn's coat close around her body to ward off the wind and to better feel any stray touches. And she waited to hear all that he had to say.

Dodge didn't ignore that she seemed far more standoffish than she had the day before. Instinctively his eyes ticked up the side of the building, searching for what could be Finn's room, wondering if it was something he did, or something else entirely. Sure he and Finn had their issues, but the was usually good towards girls, that was like his thing or something. Dodge shook the concern away, assuming her distance was the result of something else. "I figure they're in hiding, buried deep in a family that the O'Malleys trust, but don't completely own. The Flannigans don't go out of business if the O'Malleys go down because they still supply to other places around town."

Laura simply nodded. It was a good place for them to hide. She knew some of the moonshiners had vanished, but there was something about the Flannigans. Of course, she was also pretty sure that they wouldn't be able to remain independent after this. Not with Joey and Mutt in their house. She knew Joey. In the end, he'd either have the man's loyalty, or... well... no need to think about that sort of thing right now. There was enough of it that had already happened to think on. "Hunted?" If Joey was hiding, she was sure she knew the answer to that, but she wanted confirmation, if he had it.

"Not directly, at least not yet. That of course could change, but most of the targets seem to be the ones who were out in the open. Whoever is doing the killing hasn't hit many of those who went into hiding." Dodge, fingered the edge of his fedora thoughtfully. "That could change of course, but for the moment it just looked like someone was trying to shake the world up."

She looked away from him for the first time, thinking about that. Joey had ambitions. It could well be that he was responsible for quite a few killings himself. Laura didn't want any part of that, nor did she want to go to them, only to end up sitting around until someone came for them. For now, she was better off staying away, but then if they came out of this alright, they'd be looking for her. Or at least Mutt would, and there'd be hell to pay. There wasn't really a right answer for her. "Anything else?" She was trying to maintain distance and the tough guy attitude, but a bit of uncertainty was creeping back in. Laura was going to have to make up her mind soon, because things were happening pretty damn fast.

Dodge found her behavior curious. It seemed very different from what he'd already seen from her the first time. The curiosity showed on his face when she dropped her eyes from his. He didn't answer right away, taking his time with the information. "They weren't specifically looking for it, but it doesn't seem like anyone's heard anything about a little girl who belongs to the family having gone missing."

It took a moment for her to realize who he was talking about, and she rolled her eyes. "I'm fucking sixteen... and most of those people think I'm a boy anyway." For those in the family who knew she wasn't a boy, her value would be to lure Mutt out. It wasn't that he cared about her, exactly, but more that he was relentlessly possessive and she was his. He'd feel the same for his watch or his pistol. "Would be more useful to know if anyone is after the drivers... or even just the ones marked with the cross." She didn't have the cross tattooed on the back of her right hand like the others, but she did have it.

Dodge scowled a little at the prospect of her being sixteen, she certainly didn't look it. Still he refused to be pushed around by her sudden bit of attitude. In an uncharacteristic move, he kept the comment about her dropping the "dressed as a boy" act and just run with being a girl, that she'd be prettier that way. Instead he addressed the other questions. "Nothing jumped out at anyone, but they weren't asking for that information. Keeping an ear to the ground about a missing girl was just my boys being themselves. Apparently your attack on Mud earned you a few points in their book."

Laura was beginning to relax since he wasn't even trying to touch her. She shifted her stance a little and tilted her head, smirking faintly in response to his little scowl. She actually hated dressing as a boy, but was given no choice in the matter. If she were free to do as she pleased, she'd burn the ratty brown wool pants and clunky boots. For now, though, she was standing in front of him in a coat that covered her hands and a hat that fell over her ears, looking like a little kid playing dressup. She tried to hide it, but the part about her attack on Mud clearly pleased Laura. It made her smirk twitch just a little, turning it into a genuine smile.

Dodge returned her smile with another genuine one of his own, even though there was still something lurking behind his eyes, as if he wasn't quite betraying his true feelings. "Was there anything else little Laura?" His tone was slightly teasing, using her real name, but his voice was soft enough that it wouldn't carry. Playfully he tapped on the rim of her too big hat, knocking it a little lower on her head.

With a sigh she stretched to shake her hands out of the coat sleeves and reached with both of them to adjust the hat, puffing at a stray strand of hair that fell across her cheek before carefully tucking it back and rolling her eyes at him again. That sort of touching was alright, sort of. It didn't cross the line she'd draw for herself, anyway.

'Little Laura' made her smirk again. Being called by her real name didn't bother her nearly as much as being called 'little'. It was the bane of her existence that she looked like a little kid. If she looked her age, she probably wouldn't be made to dress like a boy at all. Laura hated never being taken seriously. That was the worst part. "Guess that's what there is to get. And I gotta go get breakfast, so no. Nothing else." She wouldn't ask him to communicate with them for her, though she sure as hell didn't want to do it herself. Or maybe it was because she didn't really want to do it at all.

Dodge nodded, tugging the fedora back down over his eyes. "Don't forget your payment though, when I need something, I'll find you." The smirk on his lips lacked the playful tones and actually seemed almost sinister, even though sinister didn't quite fit with Dodge's demeanor. Honestly he wasn't sure what he'd wind up needing from Laura, but something was bound to come up where the favor would be useful.

Laura's smirk faded quickly. There was just a touch of wariness in her expression and her voice as she answered, "I won't forget." It would nag at her until it was done. Not so much for any moral reason, but because she didn't know what the price would be. It wasn't like there were a lot of things she was good for. And because for all his charm, Dodge could be dangerous. Especially if she had given away too much of herself in that first encounter.

She pulled her hands back inside the sleeves of Finn's coat, and sort of waved a little at the street behind her, without making a move to turn away from Dodge. "Gotta go get food." Laura wasn't really very comfortable with him. She had no idea what the guy wanted, what he knew, or what he was likely to do. "I guess I'll see you when you got a reason to see me."

"Of course," he told her, touching the edge of his fedora like a true gentleman. "I'll see you when I see you, Laura." With that he turned, striding away gracefully, seeming to not have a care in the world.

He moved away, and she stood still, watching, and trying not to wonder, until he was out of sight. Then Laura pushed a little at Finn's hat, and started off in search of a late breakfast, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.