Jayne made his way down the hall, stopping outside the door the barkeep had told him about. Inside he could hear someone singing to themselves, in quite a pleasant voice, something he remembered Kaylee had hummed for a few days before this all started.

Deciding to be a gentleman for a change, he knocked. After a moment the door opened, and a young woman peered out, apparently caught in the middle of painting her face ready for the evening.

“Yes?” she asked.

“You Lily?”

She smiled at him, looking him up and down. “Well, I ain’t actually open for business yet, but I guess maybe for you I could make an exception.”

He leaned on the doorjamb, and let his widest grin out. “So I can come in?”

She stood back. “Surely can.”

Jayne sauntered over the threshold, then waited until she closed the door. “Thanks.”

“So … what do you fancy? My rates depend on what you’re into and –“

“Talking.”

She looked confused. “What?”

“I just want to talk.”

She put her hands on her hips and stuck her breasts forward. “Why?”

“’Cause I need your help.”

“Why didn’t you say?” She sidled towards him, so close he could smell the cheap perfume she’d put behind her ears. “I can help you a lot.”

He pushed her away. “Not with that. Ain't never needed help with that. No, this ain't sex, Lily. I need your help with something else.”

She shrugged. “If I'm getting paid, I guess I’ll try.”

He pulled a couple of notes from his pocket and handed them over, watching idly as she stuffed them down her cleavage. “Few days back, before you took off, you were helped by a guy in the bar. Tall, blue eyes. Wore a –“

“Brown coat, yeah, I remember.” She half-smiled. “He wasn't interested in me either.”

“He wouldn’t have been.”

“Said he was married.” She wrinkled her nose slightly then put her head on one side. “He in trouble?”

“He’s dead.”

She stood straighter. “Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. He stopped me getting a black eye or busted lip. Or worse.”

“He was my friend.”

“He see