Chapter 11

    Katrina and Dee decided that the only other way, besides calling and risking getting found, to find out what was going on was getting a laptop. They knew their names wouldn't be known, probably. They could go and find some hotspot and then check the news.
    What the town lacked in a night life, it made up for in huge warehouse stores that had everything they would need. The sales staff as surly and unhelpful as could be expected. Katrina just picked up something that looked like what she left behind. Dee picked up some disposable phones. When Katrina looked at what she brought, Dee just shrugged with a 'never know' look on her face. They expected some strange looks when they walked to the register, but the woman pushed their stuff through and bagged it. Took the money and gave change and was already looking at the next cart.
    They got out to the car and while Dee was trying to figure out one of the phones, Katrina was pulling the laptop out of the box. A quick trip back into the store for an adaptor so they could plug it into the car, the laptop was booting up. Katrina wanted to throw the damn thing out the window when it started asking for an internet connection before she could use it. Mercy help those who couldn't get a internet connection and bought one of those. They drove off, laptop sitting on Dee's lap while she waded through menus.
    A little thing that could go very wrong, they were driving the streets with a laptop looking for a free connection. Whether it would look suspicious for trying to steal information, or it would look like they were cheap, luckily they found a signal beside a small realty office.
    They sat in the car talking about all the 'what ifs' they could think of. All those scenarios had no real endings to them because they didn't know where they were and how long they were going to be there. They had to settle for a long run, there was that much to look forward to. The laptop was almost ready to use when a knock came on their window. One of their 'what ifs' was about to answer itself.
    “Hey, how are you? Lost?” A woman with a newspaper under her arm and a cup of coffee clutched in her hand was leaning over to talk.
    Katrina and Dee looked at each other, no answers of why they were there that could satisfy anybody. Katrina just shrugged and decided to play dumb.
    “Kind of, just trying to figure out this computer.” Katrina picked it up and showed the screen.
    “Oh, well I got a call from the guys down at the isp and they said my usage just skyrocketed.” The woman laughed. It seemed a little on the familiar side, she wasn't from around the area either, was just trying to fit in by the sound of it. “I like your car, you must be new to the area?”
    “Just last night, stayed at a hotel.” Katrina felt that saying little as possible, even if it was a little rude, was safe.
    “Sounds like you might be looking for somewhere a little more homey?” A practised smile crossed the woman's face.
    Katrina and Dee looked at each other. They couldn't stay in the room forever, wouldn't hurt to look. Hell, at least it was something to do. They already knew that they were drawing attention sitting in the nicest car on the road. Meant money and that meant business.
    “I guess we might be. Can I bring this inside?” Katrina lifted the laptop again.
    “Sure, by the way, I'm LeAnn Darbey.” The woman held out her hand.
    “Dee,” Katrina nodded over the car, “and I'm Katrina.” She took LeAnn's hand and shook, which felt like it drew looks. It was too formal for the small place. Whatever, they did need somewhere to stay.
    The office one large room with a door in the back, probably for a few office machines and a bathroom. The only thing that broke the room in half was a single blue office divider. Behind it, LeAnn's desk with a pair of cushy seat for the people she brought in to talk. The walls were covered with everything that might be considered reasons to move to the area. A majority of those were posters for the annual Stampede. Apparently, there were two, an indoor and an outdoor, but only the outdoor stampede merited a poster. There were also a lot of brochures and posters for the outdoor going folk. Guides for hunting and fishing, for hiking and rafting, for biking and camping. Trees, there were a lot of trees.
    “Alright, have a seat, let's see what we can do.” LeAnn sat down an sat her newspaper and coffee down.
    They needed to feel LeAnn out, while she had the vibe of somebody who knew a little bit on the outside of what was strictly legal, she was a stranger. The laptop was up and running by the time they danced around the questions and answers they really wanted to talk about. It wasn't really a secret that Katrina and Dee had money, they were sitting in a car worth more than that probably drove by all morning. There was also a lot of packaging from brand new items strewn across the back seat. It was LeAnn that finally dropped any pretence and just asked what they needed.
    “Well, we need a place big enough for four of us and it needs to be a little bit anonymous.” Katrina shifted in her seat, it felt like it was getting a little warm in the office.
    “Anonymous, eh?” LeAnn gave a little smirk. “I like a challenge.”
    “What are we looking at? We're not endlessly wealthy.” Dee didn't say much, but when she did, it was always useful.
    “I'm going to tell you ladies something about the area,” LeAnn cricked her finger and leaned forward, “people aren't moving here in droves.”
    That made Katrina and Dee laugh.
    “I'll tell you what I can do today. There are a slew of houses on the market around here, but only a few that were, how to say, 'bought' to flip in the good area of town. High hedges and acres of land between that house and the neighbours, something people who want to remain anonymous would probably want.”
    “Sounds expensive.” Dee was looking at the pictures of houses tacked to a corkboard.
    “My dear lady, here, they practically give houses away these days.” LeAnn turned her hands to the air and shrugged.
    “What's the catch?” Katrina already knew, they were going to be taken to the cleaners.
    “Other than your first names, I don't know who you are. Outright ownership will take some time and a lot of paperwork to keep your names out of the deed.” LeAnn folded her hands on her desk.
    “I guessed you knew something like that.” Katrina folded her hands on the desk as well. “So? What are we looking at?”
    “You learn stuff, down south. Bubble burst because it's too easy to hide the money's origins. Anyway, okay, here it is all laid out. To buy the house and the paperwork, thirty-five percent on top for your hard working realtor. But the quickest and safest is going to be just to rent the house from it's owner. Me. It's still going to be cheaper than a place in the big city, but I still need some kind of profit so I'm setting a price at fifty percent on top of the rent I'd charge anybody else.”
    Katrina laughed when she heard how much the rent would be. Compared to what she paid for the condo she had, it was still less than half. A nice hideout.
    “We'll take it, tell you what, you can continue helping if you can get us some included luxuries to keep our names out of the system.” Katrina was already going through a list of stuff they might need in her head.
    “Depending on what kind of stuff, I'm sure I can wrangle most of it.” LeAnn stood up and stretched her back. “Want me to show the place to you?”
    The first few nights in their new house was tough. To keep their anonymity, LeAnn had to get almost everything from out of town. She was nothing short of frantic, it made it too obvious that she also missed a certain kind of life. She relished the challenge.