Jen rolled her eyes and gave the password. She never understood the need for all the secrecy. She preferred her dirt out in the open. That way, people knew to take her at face value. But anything to appease Maggie “The Mint” Montgomery.

“Woodrow.”

“That’s a good girl.” The door parted just enough for Jen to slip through, and she did, finding herself face to face with Maggie “The Mint” Montgomery, Irving City’s queenbee of all things forged. Papers, money, death certificate, it didn’t matter. Everyone knew you went to The Mint.

“Well, look at you, Maggie!” Jen said, marveling at the extravagant diamonds hanging from her ears. “Those earrings are darling.”

“Thank you, babygirl,” Maggie said. “Why don’t you come and give me a hug?” Maggie squeezed Jen tightly around the shoulders. Maggie’s hugs always felt her illegal liquor: warm at first, but likely to get you into trouble.

“It’s pretty empty in here,” Jen said. “Freddie Wang getting to you?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Maggie said. “Though my shipment is a little late tonight. And it was small last night.”

“You know that you can always ask me for a favor, Maggie,” Jen said.

“To tell you the truth, Jen,” she said. “I don’t trust anybody who isn’t me anymore. No offense.”

“None taken,” she said. “But only if you fill me in. You think someone’s trying to bust you?”

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Maggie said. “But I want you to stay out of it. Mostly because if you end up being on the wrong side, I’m going to have to distance myself from you.”

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