Ballistic Kiss (Sandman Slim 11)
Page 23
Brigitte shrugs and tries to smile. Instead her face turns red. She puts her hand over her mouth and tears form in her eyes. Everybody shuts up.
Candy leans over and puts a hand on Brigitte’s knee.
“What’s going on?”
Brigitte takes a breath and wipes her eyes, smearing her makeup a little. She takes a breath and says, “They’re trying to deport me.”
“What?”
“I was with my lawyer this afternoon. He isn’t sure if I’ll be able to stay in America.”
I say, “What happened? D
id your visa expire or something?”
It’s hard for her to talk, so she sits for a minute. Then she says, “My visa is fine. It’s me who’s the problem. My past.”
“What does that mean?” says Candy.
I have an idea.
“It’s the movies, isn’t it? Some asshole bureaucrat found out.”
She nods a little.
Janet says, “What movies?”
Brigitte looks at her.
“I was a sex worker for a time before I came to America.”
“They’re going to throw you out because you did some porn?”
She nods.
Candy says, “How did they find out?”
Brigitte looks disgusted.
“A man. Of course a man. He was one of the producers of my Queen Bullet series. I wouldn’t marry him. The next thing you know, I get a notice in the mail. At first I thought it was a bad joke.”
“Who is he?” I say. “I’ll go have a word with him. He’ll take everything back and you’ll be in the clear.”
She shakes her head.
“It’s too late for that. He sent them evidence.”
“This is bullshit. You helped save this city.”
“Saved L.A.? How?” says Janet.
“Back when I met you, when the High Plains Drifters were taking L.A. apart? Brigitte came here to fight them. She taught me how to kill them.”
Janet looks at Brigitte. “And they don’t care you did that?”
“Evidently not.”
She gets a couple of tissues from her bag. Candy goes over and sits down next to her.