The next morning, looking and feeling much more human, Greta left the tent she had slept in the night before and gazed around her. As per Elsa's orders, Ethel had filled a bath for her, exclaiming at the colour of the water the young woman had left behind when she got out. Pepper and Ma Petite had thoroughly enjoyed washing and brushing out her hair, gently removing all of the tangles, while Dot and Bette had lent her a dress, which was hanging off her skinny frame and slightly too short.
The camp was a hive of activity, with people moving around and going about their everyday business cheerfully. No one spared her a second glance as she walked slowly towards the dining tent where she could hear the sound of talking and a radio.
"Come and join us." The woman with no legs, who Greta thought was called Suzi called.
Everyone around the table looked up at her words and the girl smiled weakly, accepting the offer. She settled herself on the bench beside Suzi and opposite a strange creature who seemed to be called Meep. Paul, Eve and the pinhead who wasn't Pepper were also at the table and all five of them looked at her curiously as she tugged at the borrowed dress she was wearing.
"There's no need to be afraid." Paul assured her kindly.
Greta looked up sharply at his words. "I am not afraid of you. If any of you had meant me any harm I assume you would have tried to attack me during the night."
The freaks exchanged a look, before laughing. Amazon Eve offered her a mug of coffee, which she gratefully accepted, before lighting up a cigarette. Meep went back to polishing the eggs in the basket in front of him and Paul and Suzi returned to their conversation. Only the pinhead seemed remotely interested in her presence, smiling goofily across the table at her. Greta returned the smile weakly.
"Hey!" Paul complained as Jimmy fiddled with the tuning knob on the radio, cutting off the music and bringing up a news station instead. "I was listening to that."
"The town of Jupiter is in the grips of terror for a second week from four unsolved murders and a child who remains missing. Schools stand like mausoleums; their attendance drastically declined as parents keep their children safely home." The performers gathered around the table stayed silent, exchanging looks as the news story continued. "And we have learned, although this report has not yet been confirmed, that one of their own – possibly a Jupiter police detective – has himself been missing for two days. Reliable sources in the police department have circulated the clarion cry that, quote, no stone will be left unturned. The boys in blue are out for blood."
The news report had barely ended when the sound of an engine and a police siren cut through the calm of the morning. Jimmy barely spared Greta a glance before looking between Eve and Paul.
"You take care of the body like we talked about?" He asked and they both nodded.
Everyone's eyes were trained on the two police detectives climbing from their vehicle and walking slowly towards them. They stopped just inside the tent, their eyes roving over the occupants slowly, as though looking for any excuse to arrest them. Greta's face hardened as her eyes met those of the detective closest to her. She didn't have much trust in or respect for the police and she was sure that wasn't about to change anytime soon.
"Jesus…" The detective staring at Greta muttered. "Who's the proprietor of this… freak show?"
"You're looking for Elsa Mars." Jimmy told him expressionlessly. He nodded his head to the right. "That's her tent right there."
Both men turned their heads to follow his gaze, before nodding and walking away in the direction he had indicated. Jimmy held up a hand to prevent anyone talking until they were far enough away that they wouldn't overhear anything. Then he leant forward, both palms flat on the surface of the table, looking between his friends.
"They ain't got nothing." Jimmy assured them firmly. "Just act normal." His gaze fell on Greta, who was looking at him in confusion. He smiled. "How are you doing this morning? Sleep OK?"
"I slept well, thank you." She agreed. "What is going on?"
"The cops aren't too keen on our kind." He told her with a shrug, folding his arms.
"Our kind?"
"Freaks." He explained bluntly. "They don't trust us and we don't trust them. We have no reason to. They're itching to pin this trouble on us."
Greta nodded slowly. "I understand."
Jimmy smiled brightly at her. His smile faltered as he spotted one of the detectives leading the twins across the camp towards Elsa's tent. Hurriedly, he turned his gaze on the woman at the head of the table. "Hey, Eve, why don't you take Greta into town and get her some clothes that actually fit?"
"It is alright…" She shook her head quickly. "My clothes will be dry soon…"
"Honey, your clothes went straight in the fire." Eve told her with a chuckle. "They weren't fit for a beggar."
"I have no money for new clothes." The blonde told them.
Paul laughed. "You're one of us, Greta. Family provides for family."
"I…" She looked between them, unable to think of anything to say.
"Don't thank us." Suzi told her, understanding what the girl was struggling with. "You're family."
"You'll need to borrow some shoes from Dot and Bette." Paul continued. "You can't go into town with bare feet."
"I think they're a little busy at the moment." Jimmy muttered darkly, looking towards Elsa's tent again. "I don't think they'll mind, though."
"I'll get them." Suzi offered. She lowered herself off the bench and headed towards the tent of the conjoined twins at a much faster pace than Greta would have thought possible.
Turning back to the others, the girl shook her head. "I do not know how to thank you for…"
"You don't need to thank us." Jimmy assured her with a smile. "We look after our own."
"But I am…"
"Not a freak?" He asked with a chuckle.
"I was going to say I am a stranger." Greta corrected him quickly.
"You're Elsa's daughter… that's good enough. If you stick with us, that's good enough."
In no time at all, Suzi had returned with a pair of shoes, which fitted Greta well enough for her to wear into town. Jimmy went to speak to his mother, who gave him enough money to buy the girl several new outfits, before returning and handing the money to Eve. She grinned and tucked it into the pocket of her shorts, before indicating that Greta should follow her.
They climbed into a truck and Eve kicked the engine into life. Greta watched her as she drove. The woman alternated between keeping one hand on the steering wheel, using the gear stick and flicking her cigarette ash out of the open window. Her eyes were trained on the road ahead and she made the whole task of driving look remarkably simple.
"What?" She asked finally, slightly uncomfortable with the way the younger woman was just staring at her. "You never seen anyone driving a truck before?"
"No, not really." Greta admitted. "I have been in the back of a lorry and I have been in a couple of motor cars, but I have never watched anyone driving… especially a woman."
"Hmm…" Eve glanced sideways at her. "Maybe I should give you a few lessons…"
"What? I could learn how to drive?" The blonde asked, her eyes wide.
"Yeah, I don't see why not."
"Thank you."
"How come you've been in the back of a lorry?"
Greta shrugged, tearing her eyes away from the woman beside her and looking out of the window. "I had to be smuggled out of Germany. I was only thirteen at the time and quite small, so I hid in a food supply crate in the back of an American lorry."
"Wow… That must've taken guts, kid." Eve told her, impressed.
"It was not my plan. Joe, that American soldier I told you about, he arranged it all."
"Still must have taken guts."
They drew to a halt at the side of the street and Eve opened her door. Greta followed suit, waiting for instruction. They walked a little way along the sidewalk, before going into a shop full of clothes of all styles and descriptions.
As Eve began flicking through the racks, Greta looked around in awe. She had only ever been on the other side of the glass before, looking in at the clothes and dreaming of a day when she would have enough money to buy something brand new of her own. She had left New York with two sets of clothes and they had soon become tatty and too small for her. Any money she earned from begging went on food and so she was resigned to stealing a shirt off a washing line here and a pair of trousers there. They were almost never her size, but she made do with whatever she could get her hands on. The idea of buying something new was almost enough to make her head spin.
"See anything you like the look of?" Eve asked, making her jump. "Pants are more practical than skirts or dresses if you ask me, but the other girls wear dresses a lot."
"I… do not know what size I need." Greta admitted, peering almost suspiciously at a knee-length pale blue skirt.
"Take a couple of different sizes to try." The older woman suggested, handing her two more identical skirts in varying sizes and a couple of shirts, before pointing her in the direction of a curtained booth. "Go on."
Nodding, the girl went into the changing room and pulled the curtain behind her. She had soon worked out what size of clothes she needed and returned to the shop floor to inform Eve. With a nod, Eve dutifully began flicking through the rails, suggesting various items to the girl, who obediently tried them on. She trusted the brunette's judgement on what looked good and what didn't and soon had quite a collection of clothes on her arm.
"Excuse me, Miss." A middle-aged woman, wearing a badge with Margery written on it, approached them and smiled at Greta. Neither of them missed the frown she shot in Eve's direction. "Is this person bothering you?"
"I'm sorry?" Eve spluttered indignantly.
"Why would she be bothering me?" Greta asked in confusion.
"She's one of those freaks." The woman said in a low voice, as though she thought she was letting the girl in on a secret. "You know, from the freak show just outside town."
Greta looked between them quickly, still slightly confused. Then she saw the hurt in Eve's eyes, despite the way she was jutting out her jaw defiantly and pretending not to be bothered by the woman's ignorant words. Greta dropped the armful of clothes she had been carrying on the floor.
"She is not a freak. She is my friend." Lifting her chin defiantly, the blonde turned her back on the woman. "I do not think I want to spend my money here, Eve. Let's go."
Outside on the street, Eve turned to look at the younger woman, placing a hand on her shoulder lightly. "You didn't have to do that."
"I did." Greta argued. "She was being a bitch."
Laughing lightly, the other woman nodded her agreement and led the way to another clothes shop. This time, no one bothered them at all. Greta knew what size she needed and so their mission was completed quickly. Before long they were back in the truck with several bags.
"Can I drive?" Greta asked.
In answer, Eve arched an eyebrow and turned the key in the ignition, before lighting up a cigarette. She let it dangle from her lips while she put the truck into gear, before flicking the ash out of the window. Taking her response, or rather lack of response, as a no Greta leant back against her seat and shrugged.