Gold Dust

Chapter 18

"Please please please please please," Rose continually said, trailing after Grace.

"Shut up." Grace sighed, after repeating herself almost as often as Rose was saying 'please'.

"Please! I won't ask for anything more after this." Rose came up in front of Grace, her hands clasped up in front of her. "I promise!"

"That's what you said in New York."

"Yes! But this isn't New York! It's Paris!"

"No, you are not going to go shopping for dresses." Grace facepalmed. "And we even did the detour down Broadway Street in New York, after I couldn't handle you asking me over and over again! You made the same promise there."

"Yeah, but why go down Broadway, when you can shop in Paris!" Rose threw her arms up, exasperated. "Why can't we go shopping?"

"One, we don't even have any money." Grace put up one finger, "two, we can't afford to be caught on a camera, and three, we might have to abandon the dress even after we buy it."

"But-"

Grace held up a finger, looking suddenly alert. "Shh." Rose quieted down, watching Grace curiously.

"Oh-em-gee, is it a bad guy? Do you sense evil around the corner? Do we need to grab a car and have the whole French Police after us?"

"No." Grace mused to herself, "it's not. It's..." Grace jerked, and then grabbed Rose's hand. "We need to go. Now."

Rose didn't speak up, as she looked around the crowds wild eyed, trying to grasp who, or what Grace had sensed. After they had walked a block away, or in French terms, four shops and a parking lot, Rose finally spoke up.

"Why are we walking away? Who did you feel?"

"An old friend." Grace said, her jaw clenched. "Let's pray to Emeralds Land that he didn't sense me."

"Wait who?"

"It would be better to not know, Rose." Grace sighed, looking weary. "Let's just find our dealer to find out where my wand is, and then see if we can get it or not. I can't stand the smell of France."

"Why? Is it the love in the air?" Rose asked, her voice amused. "Do you not like the smell of freshly baked croissants?"

"No, it's the smell of dragons." Grace said, walking away.

Rose blinked a few times. "Wait, what do you mean dragons? I've never seen a dragon up close before! Hey, wait up!"

.

Grace's informant was an old man with a bushy beard that looked like he came from 'Moby Dick.' He even had a striped blue and white shirt, and a captain's hat on. Maybe it was a fish shop, but he did look like the classic old man sailor.

"Hello!" The old man cheerfully waved at them. His cheerfulness seemed fake to Grace, but she rolled with it. "What can I get ya for today?" He asked, giving a wink up at Rose.

"We're not here for fish." Grace said, as Rose opened her mouth. The pink haired girl then closed her mouth, looking slightly disappointed.

"Are you sure? We just got some amazing haul in this morning! A few men even snagged a few Blue Tuna! And those are a rare delicacy, and we never get them this far west." He waved towards a dead fish laying on top of a block of ice, under the display case. "I can get them for a deal, for such pretty ladies." He again winked at Rose, who gave a smile.

"Tony Sakimoto gave me this address." Grace leaned over the counter, "would you like to tell me why?"

The old man grew defensive, as expected. "Who is this Tony Sakimoto?"