Fred had spent the last few days finding all the bookstores around Colligo and checking out each one for any books that would come in handy interpreting Cordelia's vision. She was grateful that the Powers That Be were still able to send them to wherever they had ended up but they were still as vague as ever. She'd found a few books but nothing like the library that Wesley and Angel had put together back home, or the resources of Wolfram and Hart.
Then, right in the middle of her mission, the lace on Fred's boot snapped. The ends came unraveled and she found herself hobbling towards the nearest shoe store for a new one. The boot in one hand, she turned her attention to the rack of laces, quickly finding one before settling down on the end of a bench across from another woman, pulling open the package.
Even though she wasn't the kind of girl that listened in on conversations, she couldn't help but overhear the salesman and frowned in disapproval. "Those are really nice shoes," she said, giving the other woman a smile as she pointed at the pair on the floor. "Very sturdy."