Walking down the street in the direction of the boarding house, she wonders about him, asking herself what he’s doing, what he’s feeling, if he’s thinking about her. There’s no doubt in her mind that he’s still doing the dangerous work she had seen the evidence of every night when he came back beaten and bloody.

She hopes he’s found someone else to patch him up. She hopes it’s an obese man with a lazy eye and body odor. She smiles to herself at that. It’s easier to hope that than to believe he’s just moved on to the next woman who will open their door to him. No, he wouldn’t do that, her brain assures her. But, after all, how could she possibly know that? He had walked out on her as if there had been no other choice. His feelings hadn’t been strong enough to make him stay.

Isabel shakes her head, trying to rid herself of those thoughts. There’s nothing productive to come from going down that road; she’d spent too long there anyway. When she’s only a block away from the boarding house she hears the unmistakable sound of motorcycles. She turns around, searching for where the noise is coming from and for one brief, beautiful moment she thinks it’s Wesley – that he’s come back.

But when two weekend riders all dressed up in their gaudy leathers and helmets whizz past her on brand spanking new bikes, she feels her heart sink right down into her Converse sneakers again. Serves you right, Bishop. If you don’t expect to see him, you won’t be disappointed when you don’t – simple as that.

She nods her head in agreement, knowing the only way to get over him is to stop thinking about him, to stop hoping she’s going to see him round the next corner, leaning lazily against a wall, looking at her as if no time had passed.

“Where is he, darlin’?”

A voice behind her makes her jump and immediately reach for the mace on her key ring Rosa had given her the night after Jimmy’s appearance in her garden. She had told Rosa it had just been a prowler, skipping all the important details. Although it was evident that the older woman didn’t believe her and that she had already put the incident together with the sudden disappearance of Wesley, the man she had already labeled ‘dangerous.’ Rosa had given Isabel the key ring for her own protection. Isabel hasn’t had cause to use it yet, but she feels more secure knowing that it is there if she needs it.

She whirls around to face the man behind her, half-expecting to see Jimmy. But it’s not him; it’s a much older man, with a grey beard, wearing a leather vest. But that’s not what gets her attention; it’s the tattoos all up and down his exposed arms including the face of a black snarling dog with horns. There’s no doubt about it; the man in front of her is a Devil Dog.

Isabel swallows the fear that threatens to have her coffee making an unwelcome reappearance. The man in front of her couldn’t be more different from the one who attacked her. He doesn’t give off the same creepy vibe and he doesn’t look at her as if she were in danger of becoming his next meal.

“Where is who?” Her voice doesn’t tremble and she feels a little proud of herself.

“Don’t play around with me, Miss Bishop.” His use of her name makes her head snap to attention. “Yes, I know who you are.”

“Well if you’re here to threaten me or to follow up on what your friend Jimmy tried to pull, you’re out of luck! If you come near me or my place, I’ll call the cops so fast your head will spin.” The anger helps to bolster her courage.

“Easy there, tiger.” He makes a calm down gesture with his hands, looking around to see if Isabel’s raised voice has caught anyone’s attention. When he seems satisfied that there’s nothing for him to worry about, he continues. “I’m not here to hurt you. I’m just looking for some information.”

“Well I don’t have any.” Isabel crosses her arms, her patience starting to run out.

“All I want to know is where Wesley is. You tell me that and you’ll never have to see me again.” He holds up his hands as if to show what a stand-up guy he is.

“But if I don’t know where he is, how am I supposed to tell you? And, like I said, if I see you again, you’ll be telling your story to the cops.” She turns to walk away but halts at his next words.

“Beautiful, I own the cops.” He says the words as if he is just stating a fact. If he had been full of bombast and bravado, Isabel may not have believed him. But it’s clear from his expression he’s not kidding around.

“You’re the leader of the Devil Dogs, aren’t you?” She keeps her voice low, hoping the caution in it won’t be as audible if she’s quiet.

The man just nods and Isabel gulps audibly. “Like I said, I’m not here to hurt you. If I wanted you out of the picture, you’d be dead already.”

Isabel isn’t sure if that’s comforting or not. “I don’t know where he is. That’s the truth.”

The man assesses her for a few moments, as if he is a human lie detector and then takes a step away, backing off. “If you didn’t look so miserable, I might not have believed you.”

Great, now I’m getting pity from big hairy criminals.

“Well, if you do see Wes again, tell him I have another job for him.” He gives Isabel a pointed look, as if he’s expecting her to ask what kind of job that would be. It’s clear that she gets points for not following that particular line of questioning.

“All right, I will. If you promise that you and the rest of your merry men will leave me and my business alone.” Isabel holds her head high, her chin jutting out in what her mother used to call her ‘stubborn’ pose. She knows she’s not exactly in the best position to be making demands but she figures this may be the only leverage with the Dogs she’s ever going to get.

The biker laughs deeply as he looks at her, but it’s not just amusement in his face; there’s also a hint of respect. “You’ve got a set of brass balls on you, girl!” He gives her a little playful slap on the back that almost sends her flying. “You’re not just a pretty face, after all. No wonder Wes went for you hook, line, and sinker.” He looks at her as if he’s really seeing her for the first time.

“Well?” She taps her foot, looking pointedly at him. “I’m waiting for an answer.”

He seems to think about it and then nods in agreement, sticking his hand out. “You have a deal. My men won’t bother you. Just make sure Wesley gets in touch with me when he comes back.”

“You mean if he comes back.” Isabel doesn’t add that she’s pretty certain that’s a big if. She shakes his hand, watching how hers looks so small in his enormous grip. The man is built like a grizzly bear.

“No, I mean when.” He looks Isabel over. “Wesley’s a lot of things but he’s not stupid. He’ll be back.” Signaling the end of the conversation, he turns on his heel and walks away in the other direction, leaving Isabel to take in a deep, sucking breath.

So it turns out Wesley’s plan to get Isabel out of the way of the Devil Dogs hasn’t exactly worked like a charm. Isabel trudges back to the house, wondering if she can trust anything the man had promised her. The way she figures it, she has no choice but to take him at his word, that he’ll keep his goons away from her and her business. But she can’t help hoping he was right about one particular thing: Wesley will come back and that it’ll be for her.