Jayne glared across the table at the doc.

He pretended not to notice. Wiped his mouth with a napkiny thing he always brought to the table.

Made Jayne want ta punch ‘im in the head.

Man shouldn’t have womanly qualities like carin’ ‘bout how clean his face is. The doc ate like his chopsticks was made outa glass anyways. Not like he gave himself a chance ta get dirty. In the time it took the doc ta eat a bowl of soup, Jayne coulda had thirds, dessert, and sent it all out the bulkhead.

“The things you do with protein powder never cease to amaze me.”

Ai ya. Who says talks like that?

Jayne looked away as the doc leaned toward Kaylee. He stood up. Made sure to make lots of noise, gatherin’ up his things, but he heard the happy noise Kaylee made when they kissed all the same.

“Gorramit. I hear the two of you goin’ at it all night. You gotta do it in the light of day, too?”

He threw his stuff in the sink an’ walked out without lookin’ back at ‘em.

He could hear the doc makin’ angry little noises and Kaylee gigglin’.

See? He could make ‘er giggle. Doubted the doc did much. Weren’t many wacky stories comin’ outa the infirmary and there were only so many “crazy sister” tales a body could take.

Even a body as fine as Kaylee’s.

Jayne climbed down the ladder into his bunk. Went to his bed an’ knelt on it, pullin’ up the blanket hangin’ above it like it was a shrine.

“Mornin’, pretty girl.”

The light caught ‘er just right. Made ‘er shine real beautiful.

Jayne stroked a hand along the length of Vera’s barrel. Patter her fondly.

“Wish I could bring ya along.”

He ran his hand over the rest of his selection. Decided on a real manful-lookin’ hand gun an’ slipped it in his waistband.

“But we’re goin’ fer subtle today.”

Mal was waitin’ in the cargo hold.

“You ready?”

Jayne lifted up his shirt just enough for Mal ta see the gun. “Sure am.”

“Shiny. Let’s go get paid.”

***

Jayne crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. Made sure to look real sinister-like.

He was good at sinister. The little guy sittin’ across the table from him looked like he was about ta need himself a new pair ‘a pants.

“I’m gonna ask you one more time. Then I’m gonna let my friend here take ya outside and beat the shu ma nyaow out of you.”

Mal’s voice was real calm.

Jayne piled on a little more sinister.

Gorram, he loved his job sometimes.

“You ready? One more time. Here we go.” Mal leaned across the table.

The little guy jerked back, his rabbity eyes flickin’ between Mal an’ Jayne.

“Where… is… my money?”

“I… I swear ta God, I don’t know.”

Mal sat back. “I’m real sorry ta hear that.” He turned to Jayne. “He’s all yours.”

Jayne let himself grin the scariest grin he had. The real toothy, murdery one that he practiced just fer special occasions. He stood up. Let the chair make a real ugly sound as he did.

“Stop! Oh, God! I… I swear I don’t know where your money is!”

Jayne rolled his shoulders. Got himself good an’ warmed up.

Couldn’t risk pullin’ a muscle er nothin’.

“But I know who does!”

Mal held up his hand. Jayne didn’t have ta play lookin’ disappointed.

Mal leaned toward the little guy again. “That’s more like it.”

Jayne sat back down. Pulled out a knife and started spinnin it between his fingers, just ta keep up the sinister factor.

“Now. You gonna tell me names or am I gonna have ta go on an’ threaten you with violence again?”

The man was pantin’. His eyes kept goin’ between Mal, Jayne, an’ the knife like he was decidin’ which was the most likely ta pounce.

“I… uh…”

“I think he’s bluffin.” Jayne stood up an’ leaned across the table. Grabbed the guy’s shirt with the hand that weren’t holdin’ the knife.

The man’s eyes went real wide. “Mr. Pink! His name’s Mr. Pink!”

Jayne let go of his shirt an’ stood up straight.

“Mr. Pink? What the hell kinda name is that?”

Mal turned and looked at Jayne, then back at the man. “I think that’s a fair question, Mr…”

“H-henry.”

“Mr. Henry.”

“I-It’s an alias. I don’t know his real n-name.”

Jayne snorted. “That’s a pretty sly name fer a man ta pick fer himself.”

Mal turned around again an’ gave Jayne a look.

Jayne shrugged.

It was.

“He runs a… a house. A wh-whore house… called Pink Petals.”

“Ah. Hence the Pink.”

The little man was noddin’.

Jayne adjusted the gun in his belt ta keep the little… Mr. Henry… from getting’ too comfortable.

It worked.

“And where might we find this… Mr. Pink?”

“Hard ta say. Usually at the house. It’s just… just outside the town. ‘Bout three miles er so. But sometimes he travels. No one knows where he goes. But he was the one who was… who was backin’ the job. He’s got the money. Least… h-he knows where it is.”

“Thank you for your help. Much obliged.” Mal lifted his drink to the little guy and finished it off. Jayne stood up. He’d finished his off somewhere near the middle of the meetin’.

Mal’s voice was low as they walked out the door. “Guess we’re hittin’ a whore house.”

Jayne felt himself smilin’. “Yee-haw.”