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Scene 2: Dreg City office and kitchens of the caterer Brightbight's Bites..

The caterer gets unwelcome visitors..

“Watch out!” Sandi shoved Lu C aside just as a guy dressed in black jeans and a Brightbight’s Bites t-shirt came crashing through the swinging doors from the kitchen to the clean up area. The tray of dirty dishes he was carrying teetered and threatened to overturn, dumping yesterday’s leftovers onto the sparkling white floor. In a deft move, Sandi righted the worker and the tray, but Lu C hit the floor hard.

“Look where you’re going, you worthless ….!” Lu C hissed at the man as he tried to help her up. She waved him off and got up on her own.

“Really, Lu C,” said Sandi, watching as Lu C smoothed down her tight skirt, her way of gearing up for battle.

“He meant no harm.” Sandi smiled up at him. He tried to smile back, but it faded quickly when he saw Lu C’s scowl. He inched his way toward the door.

“Get out!” Lu C roared at him. “You will never work in this town again!” she screamed.

He glanced hopefully at Sandi. She shook her head, trying to tell him he should make for the door while he could still walk. Lu C continued dressing him down royally as he finally sprinted out the door into the misty Dreg City morning, his back taking the full force of Lu C’s venom.

Lu C, rubbing her arm, took in Sandi’s too-slim frame. Not good advertising for a business that made food a social imperative. Compared to Sandi, Lu C at 120 lbs felt downright hefty. Lu C thought from the beginning that Sandi was too thin, a Tom Wolfe X-ray woman-in-training for Trophy Wife. Too thin to be able to defend herself against the pushes and nudges of this world, which is what it would take for Sandi to go off on her own. This was something that worried Lu C and was why she wouldn’t let Sandi get too close. It would be bad timing if Sandi were to start a rival business, just as Brightbight’s Bites was making inroads into becoming the premier caterer to the rich and famous of Technopolis.

There was a sharp rap at the door and both women stopped what they were doing. This was, after all, Dreg City. Clients never came here. Lu C made it a policy to always meet them on their turf, certainly not in Dreg City. That all change if she aced Prescott’s party tomorrow. She would be a made woman and would be able to afford offices in Technopolis proper.

In came two people, one with his gun drawn.

“OK! Everybody freeze!” he barked. Sandi backed up a step or two, but Lu C held her ground.

“Knock it off, Renfrue,” said Lu C, studying her nail which, thanks to the ex-waiter, had a chip in the polish.

“That’s Detective Renfrue to you, missy!” Renfrue, tall, dark, and too heavy and balding, leaned against a counter for support.

“Yes, yes, I know who you are, Renfrue.” Lu C came closer and with her hand, moved the gun so that it pointed harmlessly toward the floor. “Put that toy away.”

Lu C glanced questioningly at Renfrue’s partner, a tall, fit woman with dark curly hair and intense brown eyes, and those eyes weren’t smiling.

“This here is Detective Sabrina Phillips.” Renfrue lost his thin smile. “From Miami, where they still have major crime. Just like in Dreg City. She’s still not used to Technopolis, where our biggest challenge is to find a good donut.”

Lu C glanced at Detective Phillips. Sabrina was cool, collected, and scowling, as she watched Renfrue holster his gun. She was not in on the cop humor.

“Nice to meet you folks,” said Sabrina Phillips, bringing them back to business. “We are here about that food poisoning business last night at Technopolis University.”

“You don’t know it had anything to do with our food,” Lu C broke in.

Lu C had turned a sickly green inside. These detectives were here about last night’s debacle at the reception for the Italian delegation hosted by Samuel Mordecai, who she was trying to add to her list of prime clients. If she could get Mordecai’s endorsement, as well as Marshall Prescott’s tomorrow, it would guarantee her business would be at the top of the heap in Technopolis.

“I don’t think anyone can prove it came from the food,” she shot back at Phillips. It was critical that Brightbight’s Bites be cleared of any allegations.

She had gone over the list of ingredients she used and the suppliers she got them from and was convinced that what appeared to be food poisoning, did not come from her kitchen, even though the authorities would be tempted to point the finger of blame squarely on the food service. It could mean closing down the kitchen until charges were pressed and that would mean she would lose out on catering Marshall Prescott’s party on his yacht tomorrow.

Detective Renfrue let Lu C stew for a moment. Lu C sat down. She had expected a full investigation of the alleged food poisoning at last night’s reception and it was bound to be bad for her business.

Renfrue announced in a mock-official voice, “We’re here to tell you that we won’t have to close your kitchen, after all.”

He winked at Detective Phillips, who didn’t wink back. “Seems you folks have friends in high places.”

“What happened to deflect the investigation?” she asked, still worried.

Detective Sabrina Phillips spoke over whatever reply Renfrue was about to make.

“Did the Khaki Avenger show up at all last night?” she asked sharply.