Several days later, Jack was in the tobacco store chatting with Lorene. Mr. Schmit, the store's owner, registered silent disapproval in the background, but was not likely to protest openly unless Lorene slighted a customer.
Jack had told Lorene about the strange bargain basement the day after he and Ken visited it. He found that Ken had mentioned it to her that night, too.
"I couldn't find the kind of complete television manual they need at any of the bookstores," said Jack gloomily. "I had to have one of them order me one, and while I'm waiting, no television. The man said it was color TV, too. I can't understand any store that big not getting its own manuals."
"Have you ever been upstairs?" asked Lorene.
"Upstairs? There's nothing there but the Eat-A-Bite Restaurant."
"Oh. Ken said they had something like elevators going up, and it looked like they might have floors above."
"I didn't know Ken had been back after that night," said Jack in surprise. "He didn't say anything to me about it. I got the impression he thought the whole thing was a fake."
Lorene's black eyes sparkled as she smiled, and she turned a cheek to exhibit oddly cut earrings.
"He brought me these earrings from there. I'd think you'd be buying other things, too, Jack, at those prices, instead of moping over that television set."