He puffed his chest out, made a funny mouth. "What did you think the plan was? Ask her nicely? You're the one who brought the pills."

"Okay."

He walked over to the sliding gla.s.s door and peeked around the curtain. "Probably best to go right through here."

I must not have answered quickly enough. Way out in the fields of my mind, trying to make sense of it all. And suddenly Jennings had grabbed the armrests on my chair and was in my face.

"Hey! Remember, this is all for your benefit. You were gung ho. At any time you could've cut the cord and ended this before it even started. But no, you wanted some afternoon delight. We're doing this because you want to keep your house, right?"

I opened my mouth. Nothing to say. Nodded.

"Then go outside, check to make sure no one's looking. Wave to me when the coast is clear."

"Won't I look suspicious?"

"Smoke a cigarette or something."

"But I don't smoke."

"Mick!"

So I was out the door. I was already sapped of strength, and the sun made it worse. I was spaghetti. Must've looked a bit like a hippie at Woodstock with all the swaying. Worse, the reflections off the cars had me squinting, trying to get a view through my own eyelashes.

For a brief moment I forgot why I was outside. It was some kids jumping out of the church van a handful of spots away, the guys jumping and howling, the girls hugging pillows, that refocused me. Their youth leader, I suppose, hopped out of the driver's seat in his cargo shorts, flip-flops, and T-shirt tucked in. All the shirts had the same logo, marking them as Eau Clare Lutherans, but the other print was too small to read.

I looked up at the outside wall of the hotel, checking for people looking down on me. While plenty of curtains were open, no one stood there watching. And that only made sense-did anyone look out of hotel windows much? Maybe that was why so much could happen in hotels-illicit s.e.x, drug deals, murders-in veritable secret. Everyone ignores everyone else in hotels. When we're there we all want to be anonymous. Even if we did see nefarious goings on, why risk being singled out as the one who noticed?

So once the church van had emptied and the group filed inside, and once I confirmed that, indeed, no one gave a s.h.i.t about the parking lot, I opened the back doors of the SUV and waved Jennings out.

He came through the door sideways with Alice in his arms like he was a dashing action hero saving her from a fire. Quick steps, no wavering. Not like she weighed that much, but still, this was Jennings. Not because he was gay or anything. Absolutely not. But because of the way he carried himself most days-fashionista, up on culture, jetsetter. I guess he just hid this side of himself until it became absolutely necessary.

Jennings eased Alice onto the floor of the SUV. She didn't stir. He muscled me out of the way and closed the doors. I was still standing there gawking. But once I got a glimpse of my reflection in the tinted windows, I had to steady myself with an outstretched hand against the gla.s.s.

Jennings pulled the keys from his pocket. "Mick? Will you be okay?"

"Fine, fine."

"So you stay here until time for dinner. Then, check out. Keep the s.e.x smell strong in there, so they'll think, you know, what they want to think."

I nodded, couldn't look him in the eye.

"Say it."

"It's a mistake. We shouldn't have."

"Yeah, I agree. But this is what I do now, whatever Octavia tells me to. She told me to help you, so I did. And it's a tiny little bit too late to explain it that way to Miss Thing in here." He slapped the back door and said, "See you tonight."

I shrugged. He didn't care. He walked around to the driver's seat and climbed in. Pulled away. Left me with my hands in my pockets, sweating from the intense sun but still cold all over. I turned to walk back into my room when I noticed the sliding door of the van was open, and the top half of someone's head was visible, watching me.

Oh s.h.i.t. s.h.i.t. s.h.i.t. And a church kid too. A goody two shoes. My stomach tightened and I stopped breathing for a moment. Before I could stop myself, I took a few steps towards the van.

What would I say? My friend had gotten sick and needed a lift home? I mean, that was no ambulance or cab we were putting her into. Or just threaten the kid, perhaps. Pull a You didn't see anything here wink and nod. Maybe she'd already clicked a picture with her cell phone. Maybe it would be all over Twitter or Facebook or wherever the h.e.l.l these kids hung out online anymore.

What would I say?

Then her eyes grew wide and she turned her head as if talking to someone else. Sure enough, another pair of eyes appeared, blinked, dropped out of sight.

Okay, wait. I had a better idea of what this was. Even closer, there was harsh whispers and rustling. And then I was there, leaning into the van in time to see the other teen, a boy, zip up. No time to b.u.t.ton, though. The girl had her hand up her back, trying to refasten her bra. So what they'd really been looking for was their youth leaders. Maybe it was a coordinated effort, the group covering for them so they could have some make out time, which of course would give them a story to tell the separate girls and boys rooms later.

Instead, they saw me and a well-dressed butler carrying a pa.s.sed-out woman to the back of an unmarked, tinted SUV.

I gave them a big grin. The boy was hiking his shoulders, scrunching his neck, trying to hide the hickey the girl had given him. Both were scared out of their minds. If their religion hadn't been that important to their lives before-just went to church because their parents did-it sure as h.e.l.l was now.

"So," I said. "You guys having a good time?"

Nothing. Not a peep.

"I mean, it looks like you were left behind. The rest of your group went inside already."

"Mister..." It was the girl. All in all, I'd say she was fourteen. It was kind of a good thing they saw us, then. Stopped her from doing something she'd regret once word got around school. "Our youth leader will wonder where we are."

"Sure, as soon as everyone's checked in. Maybe you guys should b.u.t.ton up and get on in there."

They looked at each other. She was hoping the boy would be tough, I could tell. Hoping he would say something. Anything. But he was navelgazing, embarra.s.sed. Not how he expected his first b.l.o.w.j.o.b to go.

I backed away from the van, hands in pockets, as casual as the winter is long. "Let's put it this way-you two teens from Eau Clare Lutheran Church were having a lot of fun out here. And my friends and I were having a lot of fun, too. So much fun, someone pa.s.sed out. A couple of hours, she'll be fine. You get it?"

They both nodded. Boy had a scowl on, but it was pretty sad.

I held out my hand. "Cell phones?"

"What?" Maybe they would fight me on this, "Let me see your cell phones."

I didn't think they were going to do it. If it had been me caught like that by a stranger, I sure as h.e.l.l wouldn't have. But eventually the girl pulled her phone out of her pocket and gave it to me. It indeed had a camera on it. I flipped it open, hit the camera b.u.t.ton, and scrolled through pics. Close-ups of girls faces, tongues out, pouty lips. Goofing around. Then one or two in the van on the way over. Then a few of this guy. Then one of this guy with his pants down. But none of me or Jennings or Alice. I tossed it back. Looked at the guy. I gave him some Hand it over with my fingers.

"Come on, douche. You don't scare me."

I pointed towards the hotel. "Shall we all go talk to your chaperones together? No?"

"Man..." He pa.s.sed over a cheaper model, no camera on it. So far so good.

I thought about keeping it. A little insurance. But even the cheapest phones had GPS these days. I gave it back. "All right. Have a good time at your conference. Remember to stick with your group."

And I was gone.

As soon as I was inside the hotel room with the door slid shut and the curtains back in place, I crumbled like a cookie. Didn't even make it to the bed. Just sprawled on the floor and cried my f.u.c.king eyes out.

SEVENTEEN.

I arrived at Octavia's early, still feeling overheated and clammy, a h.e.l.lish mix that didn't make any physical sense. My clothes were sticky. My hair felt heavy, loaded. Even a scalding shower in the hotel room didn't help. Even turning the air on high. I worried nothing would ever feel right again.

Jennings opened the door and let me in, led me to the sun room as if we'd not committed a federal crime together. He'd already changed into a mod skinny suit, looking too hip for the job. Not a word or a wink. Back in our old roles-manservant and visitor.

Octavia was, well, incredible. She'd had her hair fixed, a lovely Veronica Lake cascade over one eye and down her shoulder. Lips glossed and pouty. Mascara. A really nice black dinner dress that did more for her than I would've expected. Yes, it sent my heart aflutter, a teensy bit.

She knew it, too. Clasped her hands together in front of her like Jackie O. "Wanna f.u.c.k?"

I snapped out of it, blinked blinked blinked. "Geez, can't you just...you look nice, that's all."

"Let me get this right." She turned away from me. We both stood facing the early evening light breaking through the trees, mirroring off the surface of the lake. "She doesn't do this according to plan, but you plow her anyway? Are you really that hard up? I'm starting to see things Frances's way."

I licked my lips. Salty. "I didn't know what to do. It happened so fast."

"Spoken like a knocked-up prom queen."

"She wasn't going to take no for an answer."

She spun and showed me a face I was hoping would turn me to stone. Anything to not have to deal with her right now. I deflated. I stepped over to a chair and sat.

I said, "Oh G.o.d, what am I going to do? We never should've-"

"Shut up."

Fine with me. I'd had enough of all this and wondered if prison would be so bad after all. Surely they would see that I wasn't some roid raging career criminal. Minimal security. I would finally have something interesting to write about.

Another few minutes of Octavia standing with her back to me, and I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry. I got a little excited. Any man would."

She sighed. Finally turned and started back towards me. She stood at my knees and I couldn't face her.

"Mick."

I sank a little further.

"Don't worry about it. I'll talk to her, and she won't do a thing. No charges, no threats, no blackmail. And I'm sure she'll be looking for a job starting tomorrow. Maybe I can point her in the right direction."

Typically I would shake my head, protest, say I'd find my own way to deal with my mess. But not this. I knew she could work a miracle. I knew Alice would be putty in her hands. And the wonder of it was that I didn't feel as ashamed as I thought I would.

I raised my chin. "Thank you."

"Would you like to freshen up before dinner?"

I thought that was a good idea.

As I was leaving, Jennings was escorting a still dazed but very aware Alice into the office. She lunged at me as I pa.s.sed, but nearly fell over woozy. Jennings held her upright.

I stood in the hall outside the room, trying to keep myself as quiet as possible. A few seconds later, Alice lit into, "This is ridiculous. You realize your life is over, right? You'll have the police out here so fast as soon as Carl knows I'm missing."

Jennings stepped out, saw me and blinked. Stood still a moment. Then shrugged and walked into the back of the house.

Octavia said, "I've been threatened before. I'm still here."

"Not by me."

"Alice, right? I've heard a lot about you. I've heard you're a real wh.o.r.e, too. My friend Mick speaks highly of your seductive powers."

An incredulous bellow. "I never. How dare you! You, you, f.u.c.king whale, how dare you."

"I take it you're not Minnesotan."

"Huh?"

"Hot-headed. Full of p.i.s.s. I like you."

I closed my eyes, shook my head. The woman was yelling about kidnapping and rape, and Octavia was flirting with her?

Alice's low sarcastic laugh pulsed my blood into the wrong places again. "You like me? So you and Mick drug me? Rape me?"

"Oh, get off it. You know it wasn't rape. You jumped on that c.o.c.k like it was a free cigarette. And you loved it. If he'd actually gotten it right, you would've been asleep before you'd even kicked your shoes off. But he didn't think to ask if you liked wine or not." Louder. "Isn't that right, Mick?"

I cringed. Didn't answer. Just tried to sneak away without making noise, but it was hard to do in a house of old hardwood floors.

"Mick? Is Mick out there? Mick? You son of a b.i.t.c.h!"

I headed upstairs with Alice yelling and Octavia yelling right back until their voices sounded like distant coyote calls.

By the time I had run my clothes through the dryer for a few minutes and toweled off the sweat, it was nearly time for our dinner guests to arrive. I put my clothes back on, warm, and began sweating even more, so I knelt by an air vent and shook my shirt as the airstream whooshed over my chest and face. Octavia's rea.s.surance helped peel the image of an accusing Alice from my head. Eventually the noise of their shouting subsided and I wondered briefly if one had killed the other. But I wasn't man enough to go downstairs and check.

Now I could focus on seeing Frannie again. She'd be with the Provost, of course, and probably slightly uncomfortable, but it would all be worth it as we revealed what we knew about the orgies, the tapes, the blackmail, and the phony quitclaim deed.

So why was I still nervous? Still sweating? Jesus, it couldn't be...well, maybe there's a small part of me that expected that through this...forget it.

No, I'll say it: That this could win her back. Ridiculous. And yet, I could visualize the whole scene-after the Provost, faced with his shortcomings, gets up and storms out, showing how weak-willed he is, Frannie is left broken, confused, and apologetic. A new woman. A chance to start over. I hold out my hand. She hesitates at first, but then reaches for it, grasps it in such a way that tells me she's made up her mind. And we got home, hand in hand, quiet but determined.

There was a knock at the door. I turned to find Jennings staring down at me.He said, "You'd better get in there."

"Okay."

I didn't get up immediately. We just stayed that way for a few moments, frozen like mannequins. He expected me to come at her beck and call? Not likely.

He finally left, mumbling about what might happen if I was the one holding up dinner. I closed my eyes and allowed the air to balloon my shirt. I felt sick.