When One Night Isn't Enough

“Michael,” she heard him say just outside the door. “Have you seen Allison?” She froze.

“Hey, Jared,” Michael answered. “I heard you were coming back.”

What had he heard? And why hadn’t she heard?

“Four weeks this time,” Jared said.

Joining the traveling nurse corps was looking better and better.

“Have you seen Allison?” he asked again.

Ali didn’t wait to hear the answer. Instead she took off in a rapid tiptoe, as quietly as she could, into the black, cave-like conditions at the far end of the rectangular room. Feeling along the wall, she found the rear door that led to Lyle’s office, and slipped inside just as the door to the conference room opened.

Ali didn’t want to risk making any noise so she rested the door against the frame rather than pulling it closed.

Aside from knowing where it was, Ali had never been inside Lyle’s office before. It was darker than the conference room. There didn’t appear to be any windows, just a thin strip of light at the base of the door on the far side of the room. She stood perfectly still, willing her eyes to adjust, wishing she hadn’t left the protection of her friends and cursing the impractical trendy stilettos that pinched her toes.

“I don’t see anything but darkness,” Allison heard Wanda say, her deceptively sweet voice too close for comfort.

Allison didn’t know which was worse, looking like she was stalking Michael and Wanda or being found by Dr. Padget. She took a step back, preparing to duck behind the door if necessary, and bumped into what felt like a tall filing cabinet. Apparently Lyle was not as conscientious as he appeared because the file drawer he’d failed to secure in place, the one her right hip connected with, shifted the few centimeters necessary to click closed, the top corner snagging a section of Ali’s skirt in the process.

“Does Lyle really have an award-winning cactus in his office?” Wanda asked. “Or did you plan to get me alone so you could have your wicked way with me?” Wanda giggled.

Wicked way? Yuck!

And a cactus was the little bit of Southwestern charm Lyle had invited them to his office to see? Exactly when would his tours begin?

Ali tugged at the drawer to find it locked in place. She yanked on the beaded mesh of her ridiculously expensive dress. It didn’t budge.