The Art of Being a Con: A Guide by the Lion and the Fox | COMPLETE

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Girl and the Women

Weeks passed. Vanya had been with Jameson and Evie and Libby a lot more, claiming she was there to help out during this strange time. Especially with Libby.

Evie felt strange with the woman being around so much, especially when she snuck off with her daughter. Jameson assured her that Vanya's intentions were well and she just wanted to help them out, give Libby a distraction.

But it wasn't true.

In Libby's room, she and Vanya were seated on her bed.

"Okay, Libby," the woman said. "We need a plan. What do you have?"

"Daddy and Miss Riley wore disguises," the little girl said. "You're a cop, you don't need one. You just need your badge. I need a disguise..."

"Wanna play dress up to find something?" Vanya asked.

"Yeah!" Libby beamed. She jumped up and ran to her closet.

Vanya watched her, smiling slightly.

Her phone buzzed in her black leather jacket pocket and she pulled it out. A lone text appeared on the screen.

Banshee: You're sure about this? She's just a kid

Vanya rolled her eyes and texted back.

Cobra: She wants to help her dad out. I say we let her.

Libby emerged from the closet with a dress and a messy wig on.

"Hm?" she asked.

Vanya looked up and the corner of her mouth quirked up. "Okay, I think we need to go shopping," she said. "Come on, I'll go ask your mom and Eli."

"Okay!" Libby hurried off to change back into her other clothes.

Vanya waited for her. Once she returned from the closet, the woman took her hand and they headed back downstairs.

"Jameson, Evie," the redhead said. "Is it okay if I take Libby out and we do some shopping? Don't worry about it, I'll pay for anything she wants."

"Are you sure?" Evie asked, looking away from Jameson. They had been talking quietly; about Nate, about Libby, about what to expect in the future.

"I'm positive," Vanya replied. "It's no trouble at all."

"Have her back before eight," Jameson told her. "She has to sleep. She's not like you."

"Okay, sir." The woman said 'sir' in an exaggerated tone.

***

"So, little miss." The woman's hands were stuffed into her pockets. "How long have you known your dad?"

"Only a month or two," the child replied. She looked up at the redhead. "Where are you from? You have an accent.

"Russia," was all the woman replied with.

They came to the costume store. The woman opened the door and motioned for the girl to enter.

Not long later, Libby was trying on wig after wig and dress after dress. Vanya had made a beeline for the makeup and was checking every ingredient and warning label. Soon she had a basketful and made her way over to find Libby.

"Little Miss, where are you?" she called out. She eventually found her looking over a long blonde wig. She had a ginger one styled into curls and a short black one with bangs that came to form a Widow's Peak beside her on the floor.

"Find everything you need, Маленькая мисс Купер?"

Libby looked up at her and nodded. "Yeah. Except some clothes."

"Well then, looks like we'll have to make another stop."

They paid for their items and left. Vanya took Libby to another store—a clothing store.

"Go find what you like and I'll come look when I'm done over here," the woman said. Libby hurried off.

Vanya sighed and wandered off to the adult sized clothing section. She took her phone out and dialed a number.

"Yes?" a voice said when the call was answered.

"Hey, it's me." Vanya sighed. "We're finishing up here."

"Great! You want me to come pick you two up?"

"Yeah. Be here in twenty minutes."

"Copy that. See you then, Vanya."

"Miss Vanya! Come look what I found!" Libby called across the almost-empty store.

"I'll see you soon," Vanya said into the phone, then she hung up. She grabbed a red leather jacket and a black top that had tiny hourglasses around the neck made out of red rhinestones. As she made her way to Libby, she grabbed a pair of red suede wedge ankle boots off a shelf.

"What did you find?" she asked as she approached the girl.

"These!" Libby held out her armful of clothes.

"Go try them on. Make sure they fit."

Libby looked around for a changing room and spotted one a few sections over.

Vanya followed her over and waited outside of the stall for the girl to finish trying everything on. After putting some items back and getting replacements in just the right size (and looking at and choosing a few accessories for Vanya [Libby insisted]) the pair checked out and waited outside for a blue van to pull up.

A few minutes later, it did. A darker skinned girl with long dark brown—almost black—hair leaned over and opened the passenger door while pushing the button to open the side door. Vanya helped Libby into the back and made sure she buckled up, then she got in the front passenger seat.

"Ready, ladies?" the woman in the driver's seat–Kris Lessard–asked, English accent thick.

Vanya looked to Libby, who nodded. Then she looked to the other woman, "Yes we are, Kris. Yes we are."