Asking for a Friend

by Debra8652

Ten MM, Frank Plum, Diesel, Rex, and Mrs. Bestler run into trouble/need assistance. I realize that some readers won't read a story that isn't marked as Complete. Due to the stand-alone nature of each of these chapters, I am marking it as Complete. Click on Follow if you wish to be notified of future chapters. With the addition of the Misc chapter I may not update for a while.

14. Chapter 14

From the May 18, 2023 writer's prompt on the JE FF Facebook page. Write a one-shot using the words "asking for a friend". No longer a one-shot. Not by a long shot.

Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I am not making any money from this. Mistakes are mine.

Asking for a Friend by Debra8652

Mrs. Bestler's chapter

It's 10:00a.m. on this fine Saturday and I am at (in this case, in) my assigned duty station at this combination apartment building/lovely 3-story department store on St. James Street in Trenton, New Jersey. In keeping with the dress code of my era, I am wearing white gloves and a pillbox hat. My nametag reads "Mrs. Bestler". On occasion, I am hard-pressed to remember my first name. Upon my marriage to Sidney Bestler in the early 1960's, I became Mrs. Bestler to everyone, even to my now dearly departed husband.

The lovely Plum girl, Stephanie, just stepped onto my elevator. I used to babysit her father, Frank, when I was a teenager and I now use his cab service when needed. Her adorable Border Collie, Remington, is with her. His Halloween costume seems to be that of a Count - Count Dracula or Count Chocula, perhaps. Upon asking, Stephanie informs me that his costume (a cloak and pronounced false fangs) is that of The Count from Sesame Street. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. I will be hearing that jingle in my head until my workday ends at 3:00p.m.

As Stephanie entered my elevator, I had to consult the index card I completed to show the new layout of this iconic department store. The higher-ups, in their infinite wisdom, decided to completely rearrange all three floors of my store. The third floor is now outerwear, luggage, and a travel agency. Millinery, handbags and better dresses have been moved from second floor to first floor, and household appliances and lingerie are on second floor. I have yet to locate the home furnishings department.

Stephanie no longer lives in this building. She married that handsome security expert, Carlos Manoso, and now lives in a penthouse apartment in his building. When she moved, she sublet her apartment to her coworker. His name is Flash. If anyone told me his given first name, I've forgotten it, along with my own. He is a very polite young man, who recently had an emergency appendectomy and is being "requested" to take weekends off for the foreseeable future. Stephanie and Remington are here to visit Flash, having just been to their favorite pet store and had Remington's photo taken in his Count costume to be seen on the store's website. They have also visited Connie and Lula at Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, Valerie Kloughn, and Mary Lou Stankovic.

As for my own housing, I actually live in a senior independent living/assisted living apartment complex a few miles away. It's all on one floor due to the changing needs of tenants - therefore, no passenger elevator. Frank Plum provides my transportation in his cab so that I can fulfill my elevator operator cravings. Do you suppose that any of the tenants here on St. James Street realize that I don't actually live in this building? Asking for a friend.

A/N Your reviews are appreciated. Thanks to Rae from the JE FF group for the idea that Mrs. Bestler may not even live in Stephanie's building.