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ksmithLucien hung his head, and put his hands in his pockets. Time passed. One minute. Two.
Jani stepped away from the window and walked around the room, pretending interest in examining the rubble. She had known since their days together in Chicago that Lucien's Service career served as cover for his true profession. He had once arranged it so that she found his souvenirs, the items he took from his victims and kept as mementoes. A casino chip. A scarf. A whiskey glass. Fifteen items in all, each resting atop a clean, folded cloth inside a dresser drawer. I wonder how many he's added to the collection since then?
Lucien raised his head. Cleared his throat. "You know what I do."
Jani leaned against the remains of a smashed couch. "I've known for a long time."
"And you love me anyway." He glanced at her beneath his lashes, but his heart wasn’t in it--he straightened and started to pace. "What's said here, stays here."
Jani shrugged. "Likewise."
"I'm serious."
"And I never am."
Lucien stopped. Looked about the room, focusing on nothing. "I've never talked about this before, with anyone. What I tell you may not seem important, or vital, or secret, but that's not the point. It's talking out of school." He stopped fidgeting, and fixed on her. "We don't do that."
Jani stepped away from the window and walked around the room, pretending interest in examining the rubble. She had known since their days together in Chicago that Lucien's Service career served as cover for his true profession. He had once arranged it so that she found his souvenirs, the items he took from his victims and kept as mementoes. A casino chip. A scarf. A whiskey glass. Fifteen items in all, each resting atop a clean, folded cloth inside a dresser drawer. I wonder how many he's added to the collection since then?
Lucien raised his head. Cleared his throat. "You know what I do."
Jani leaned against the remains of a smashed couch. "I've known for a long time."
"And you love me anyway." He glanced at her beneath his lashes, but his heart wasn’t in it--he straightened and started to pace. "What's said here, stays here."
Jani shrugged. "Likewise."
"I'm serious."
"And I never am."
Lucien stopped. Looked about the room, focusing on nothing. "I've never talked about this before, with anyone. What I tell you may not seem important, or vital, or secret, but that's not the point. It's talking out of school." He stopped fidgeting, and fixed on her. "We don't do that."
