3. While You Were Snoring...

Delmonico’s has a maitre d’, a balding hawk-faced man who manages to give the unwarranted impression of superiority. He’s far too important to notice anyone without a reservation, and deeply unhelpful. Manages to convey that Mac is lowering the tone just by standing in the hallway, and his face tightens at the mere suggestion that someone without a tie would have been allowed over the threshold.

Mac, having been stone-walled quite effectively, turns to go, before his desire to thump the man ruins good community relations. But as he stumps disconsolately down the steps, a voice hails him quietly.

The waitresses at Delmonico’s are just that, nothing more. She’s a tall girl, has half a head on Mac, but she’s neatly and soberly dressed. The effect is rather more attractive than any amount of glitter and feathers.

“I remember someone like that.” Her rather grave face breaks into a sudden smile. “He was just about to punch Mr Conrad when the shooting started. He dropped him right in the salad cart and took off.”

That cheers Mac up something considerable.

0000

“...so we have a time-scale for our missing man. And we may have someone who saw him after he left Delmonico’s.”

“May have?”

Mac pulls a face.

“Not what you might call a reliable witness, G. It’s Wannabe.”

“Oh.” G sighs. “I suppose that’s better than no leads at all. I’d better come back and talk to him.”

“We ain’t stayin’ grounded if one of our own is in trouble.” Mal warns.

“Then I guess...you’re deputized.” G smirks at his expression.

Way it works out is that Mal and River go with G and Pancho. Originally, it was just to be Mal, but River climbs determinedly into the back of the vehicle.

“Going to need me.” She says firmly. G looks at Mal.

“Do you get to argue with her?”

“No.” Mal says frankly. “Always more trouble than it’s worth.”

0000

Wannabe is hunched in the corner of the cell, gnawing on a bone; his skinny frame