THE NEXT KNOCK on the door wasn’t much of a surprise by this point. I’d figured it was only a matter of time before the Barracuda tried again. I grabbed my robe, ignoring my belt since it was still tied to the bedpost. I wrapped the robe around me tightly. Luke sat up, his satisfied expression fading as the reality of the situation sank in again. He grabbed his jeans and headed into the bathroom. I took a long moment to enjoy the view, and once he was out of sight, I opened the door, leaving the chain engaged.

It was Barbara. “Ms. Squires. Are you feeling any better?”

“A little. It’s so kind of you to ask,” I said, trying not to let any sarcasm leak through.

“Well, I’m concerned, dear. You’re our guest, and I want you to be comfortable. That’s why I’m here. I wanted to let you know that the White Street Diner makes the world’s best chicken soup. It’s less than a block away.”

“I’m fine, but thanks for thinking of me.” I gave her a weak smile and shut the door. I watched through the peephole as she moved away, then I turned the deadbolt.

Luke reappeared, wearing his jeans. “That diner sucks. I’d never send anyone there. Too bad we can’t get something from one of my takeout places.”

“I still don’t see how you can consider yourself a takeout connoisseur when you don’t even know a good Lithuanian place,” I said in a teasing voice, expecting to get a smile out of him. But he seemed lost in thought. “We have the leftover pizza,” I reminded him, touching his arm lightly.

“Yeah, okay.”

Even given the situation, he seemed extra glum—especially considering he had been quite the happy camper a few minutes ago. “What’s wrong?” I asked, as I took the pizza box out of the half-sized refrigerator.

Luke held up his phone and then set in on the counter. “She left me a message about an hour ago. I guess we didn’t hear the phone vibrate because … well, you know. She said that though she was sympathetic about my car trouble—and you could practically hear her using air quotes—if I don’t show up for my shift tonight, I’ll be fired.”

My lips tightened as I pried two huge slices out of the box. That meant he couldn’t try to call in sick or anything like that. She was such a hypocrite. She couldn’t have him for herself, so she wanted to make sure he didn’t meet anyone else. If anybody should be fired, it should be her for sexual harassment. It wasn’t fair. I put the pizza in the microwave. “We’ll figure something out.”

He was silent for a minute, staring at the cheese starting to ooze inside the microwave. “Yeah, we will.” Then he smiled, but it seemed more for my benefit rather than genuine optimism on his part. “We’ll get me out of here, and I’ll keep my job, and you’ll get a great apartment, and next time we’ll have a real date.” The microwave dinged, and he pulled out the plate of molten cheese.

I was thrilled he was making plans for us for the future though I supposed it was a little backward. Never before had I had sex with someone and then started dating them, but this had been an usual day. Still, it made me so happy to hear that he was thinking about our next date.

“Ouch,” Luke said, setting the plate rapidly on the table. “It’s really hot.”

Wait a minute. Date. Hot. I mentally rearranged those two words, suddenly picturing John leaning out of the shuttle, asking me if I had a hot date. The beginning of an idea blossomed.

Luke handed me a glass of soda, but I walked past him, thinking, pacing.

“What?” he said.

I held up my hand, still thinking rapidly. We’d need someone to … and we’d have to make sure that … and then Luke would have to … but it just might work. It really might work.

I picked up my phone and listened to it ring, one, two, three times. John wouldn’t answer if he was driving, but finally his rich voice came on the line. “Hello?”

“It’s Darcy. Remember how you’re always telling me to get a hot date? Well, I finally got one. But now I’ve got a little problem.”

* * *

After talking to John, I dressed quickly while filling Luke in on the parts of the plan he hadn’t already figured out from hearing my side of the call.

“You,” he said, “are amazing. I’ll call my brother. And you’ll contact our secret agent?”

“Yes,” I said. “I’m sure she’ll help out.”

Ten minutes later, I was less sure. “Please, Mrs. T. He’s going to be fired. You know how the Barracuda is.” I listened a minute. “I know. I know. But come on. I thought you’d be pleased to hear that we’d gotten together.” This elicited more sauciness from her. “It is not just a hook-up.” I lowered my voice, even though Luke was still on his phone. “He wants to see me again.”

Mrs. T. was being unexpectedly prudish. She wasn’t usually like that. But after another few minutes of arguing, I discovered the real reason she was balking. “I promise, Mrs. T, he is truly stuck. He really will be fired if you don’t help us out. I swear this is not a plan to put you in a home.”

I raised pleading eyes to Luke, who had just finished his call. He took the phone. “Please Mrs. T., I really need your help. Darcy is an incredible girl, and if I get fired, I won’t have any money to take her nice places.”

I smiled in spite of myself. He was laying it on thick, and he’d made his voice go all low and charming. His triumphant smile told me that Mrs. T. couldn’t resist him any more than I could.

* * *

I was at the window, peering around the edge of the blinds when the honking started. “I can’t see,” Luke complained.

“You stay back,” I said, elbowing him. “You’ll be able to hear what’s going on.” The honking continued, and we could hear it twice over—once from where the shuttle was idling in front of the building and once through the phone in my hand.

“No sign of anyone yet.” John’s voice was tinny through the speaker. He honked the horn again.

Luke chuckled quietly. “I can just picture Barbara at the front desk, wondering why on earth the damn driver doesn’t come in.”

A dozen or so horn blasts later, and John reported in. “I think I see someone on the other side of the glass door.”

I looked up at Luke. Was that good enough? He glanced at my raised eyebrows and shook his head. “We’d better wait until she goes out, just to be sure.”

Anxiously, I peeked out the window. All I could see was the large blue van. With the tinted windows, I couldn’t even see John in the driver’s seat. A minute more passed, and then finally, I heard John’s voice. “She’s coming out.”

Yes! I turned to Luke. “Go!”

“Darcy, thank you … for everything … ”

I looked out the window and could see a very angry-looking Barbara approaching the shuttle. “Go!” I urged again. He planted a quick kiss on the corner of my mouth and took off at a run. In a second, he was out the door, and I couldn’t even hear his light footfalls as he ran for the exit at the end of the hall.

Part of me ached inside, wondering when I’d see him next, and if things would be the same when I did. But then I heard Barbara’s raised voice.

“Stop that honking at once!”

John lowered the window and squinted out at her.

“I’m here to pick up one of your guests, Ma’am.” His voice sounded slow and a little confused. He was trying to make Barbara think he was some clueless senior. That made me laugh. He was worth five of her.

“Why didn’t you call? You can’t make this kind of racket at a peaceful place of business.”

“Sorry, Ma’am, I tried. I must’ve got the number wrong.”

“Then you should have come in!”

John shook his head. “Can’t do that. There are passengers in the back on oxygen. I’m not allowed to leave them.”

I smiled to myself. The van was completely empty—thank god for the tinted windows.

Barbara was still clearly pissed at him, but when John gave her the name of the resident he was here to get, she went back inside.

It was the moment of truth. If our ace in the hole backed out now, it would look really suspicious. But a minute or two later, Barbara reemerged, followed by Mrs. T. I held my breath as the older woman climbed into the van. I didn’t relax until John pulled away.

“Thank you so much,” I breathed into the phone.

“You’re welcome,” John said. A moment later the call ended.

I looked through the blinds one more time, and Barbara was a few steps closer, looking off toward the side of the building. I grinned. I bet I knew what had caught her attention.

I didn’t want to miss the grand finale, so I grabbed my key and stepped out into the hallway. I hurried down the hall and crept to the glass door. It was under the stairwell—I didn’t think that anyone would be able to see me, but I still kept a few feet back.

The Barracuda rounded the side of the building a moment later. She headed right toward the two cars with their hoods up. Even from inside, I could hear the engine revving from the dark black Buick connected by jumper cables to Luke’s Honda. The man standing between the vehicles must’ve been Luke’s brother. But where was Luke?

Barbara must’ve been wondering the same thing, but then the Honda sputtered, turned over, and roared to life. Luke himself climbed out of the driver’s seat. He was even wearing different clothes—khaki shorts and an olive green t-shirt. When and where had he changed? But it was a nice touch. He certainly didn’t look as if he’d been wearing yesterday’s clothes a few minutes ago.

Luke high-fived his brother, who started removing the jumper cables. Only then did they appear to notice Barbara. Luke said a few words, and then Barbara reluctantly shook hands with his brother. That was my cue to leave before she headed back my way. I hurried back down the hall, happy that Luke was safe. We’d done it.