Chapter 22 "Bricks and Carnations"
The next day Mr. and Mrs. Sky drove us into Chicago to prepare for the mission that night. We had a difficult time locating the warehouse; we finally found it after a few hours of frantic driving. I had been on muggle transportation in London, but the traffic was nothing compared to Chicago! Noticing a small floral shop directly across from the warehouse, Kari, my friend, and I got out of the car and headed towards it. We kept the pretense of doing something productive by looking at assorted carnations, lilies, and roses in a large window display. In truth we were watching the warehouse for any sign of activity. My eyes caught sight of the video cameras focused on the gate in the chain-link fence. Meanwhile Kari attempted to start a conversation with the Latina lady behind the counter.
"How much for a dozen of these?" she asked, pointing to the carnations.
The woman replied in a thick Mexican accent, and Kari looked again at the strange muggle paper money in her hand that her mother had given for an "emergency."
"Maybe I should settle for a half-dozen," Kari answered sheepishly. As the woman wrapped up the flowers, my friend decided to mention the warehouse directly.
"It doesn't add to the backdrop, does it," he stated, pointing casually towards the large brick building.
"You are not from around here," the woman responded, her curiosity aroused.
"We're from England," I said. "What's that building used for? It looks like there's a lot of security."
"Used to be old meat-packaging plant, I think," she commented, warming up to the conversation. "Now it is used for storage."
"What's inside, anyway?" asked Kari.
"Old stuff," the lady shrugged. "Very.how you say: valuable. The señorita in charge, ella está loca, pero está amable."
"Well, thanks," I said, not understanding a word she said, and we took our leave of the flower shop and headed back to the car. Kari tried to the best of her ability to hide the carnations from her parents; fortunately my friend distracted Mrs. Sky as we got into the car.
"Why aren't you giving them to her now?" I whispered as Kari carefully hid the flowers underneath the seat.
"They're going to be from Susan," she replied softly. "She's going to owe me big time after this!"
The next day Mr. and Mrs. Sky drove us into Chicago to prepare for the mission that night. We had a difficult time locating the warehouse; we finally found it after a few hours of frantic driving. I had been on muggle transportation in London, but the traffic was nothing compared to Chicago! Noticing a small floral shop directly across from the warehouse, Kari, my friend, and I got out of the car and headed towards it. We kept the pretense of doing something productive by looking at assorted carnations, lilies, and roses in a large window display. In truth we were watching the warehouse for any sign of activity. My eyes caught sight of the video cameras focused on the gate in the chain-link fence. Meanwhile Kari attempted to start a conversation with the Latina lady behind the counter.
"How much for a dozen of these?" she asked, pointing to the carnations.
The woman replied in a thick Mexican accent, and Kari looked again at the strange muggle paper money in her hand that her mother had given for an "emergency."
"Maybe I should settle for a half-dozen," Kari answered sheepishly. As the woman wrapped up the flowers, my friend decided to mention the warehouse directly.
"It doesn't add to the backdrop, does it," he stated, pointing casually towards the large brick building.
"You are not from around here," the woman responded, her curiosity aroused.
"We're from England," I said. "What's that building used for? It looks like there's a lot of security."
"Used to be old meat-packaging plant, I think," she commented, warming up to the conversation. "Now it is used for storage."
"What's inside, anyway?" asked Kari.
"Old stuff," the lady shrugged. "Very.how you say: valuable. The señorita in charge, ella está loca, pero está amable."
"Well, thanks," I said, not understanding a word she said, and we took our leave of the flower shop and headed back to the car. Kari tried to the best of her ability to hide the carnations from her parents; fortunately my friend distracted Mrs. Sky as we got into the car.
"Why aren't you giving them to her now?" I whispered as Kari carefully hid the flowers underneath the seat.
"They're going to be from Susan," she replied softly. "She's going to owe me big time after this!"