It was on the tip of Lucille’s tongue to ask what kind this woman was, but she prudently kept silent.

“She came over for dinner the other night, and we had a really nice time. Although when Doug showed up, I thought things were going to get nasty.”

“What happened? Did they get into a fight?”

“No, although I was afraid they would. Doug was pretty obnoxious, but Sam didn’t let him goad her into anything.” Visions of ending the evening together on the sofa passed through Janie’s mind. “And afterward, well, it all worked out.”

Lucille rested her hand on Janie’s knee. “I’m glad. She sounds like a very good friend.”

“She is.” Janie suddenly remembered what she originally planned for the day. “I was going to see about cooking her lunch today.”

“Shouldn’t you be at work?”

Janie shook her head. “I worked late last night, so Dr. Richmond gave me today off.” She squeezed her grandmother’s hand. “Would you like to come home with me for the day? I’d love for you to meet Sam.”

Lucille wasn’t quite ready for that. “No, not today. I’ve got to try to smooth things over with the staff, or they’ll tiptoe around me all week. Maybe another time.”

“All right.” Janie stood and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll hold you to it.”

#

Janie was on her way to find Sam when her cell phone rang. She glanced at the readout and wasn’t surprised to hear Andrea’s voice, realizing the opportunity for a day off was too good to be true.

Andrea sounded frantic. “Janie, thank god! Where are you?”

“I’m in my car. Why?”

“The shit has really hit the fan around here. We can’t find the records you were supposed to enter yesterday.”

“Of course you couldn’t find them. The computers were down all day, remember?” Janie stopped at a red light and drummed her fingertips on the steering wheel.

“Yes, I remember. But you were here all evening. What were you doing?”

Janie sighed. “I was waiting for the computers to come back up.”

“Did it take all night?” Andrea’s voice turned sly. “Or were you enjoying Dr. Richmond’s company?”

“He’s married, for god’s sake!” Janie wanted to strangle the annoying woman.

Andrea giggled. “Like that matters. Are you coming to work today?”

“No. Dr. Richmond gave me the day off.”

“And you said nothing happened,” Andrea teased.

Slowly losing patience, Janie ground out her next words. “That’s exactly what I said, Andrea.”

“Well, that’s not fair. I’m not about to enter all these files by myself.”

“You don’t have to. Leave them and I’ll take care of them tomorrow.” Once the light was green, Janie started through it. She couldn’t believe how childish Andrea was being. “I’ve got to go.” She hung up the phone and tossed it on the seat beside her. “Of all the stupid—” she had to swerve as a car tried to back out of a parking space in front of her. “Watch it, jerk!”

She’d barely made it a block before the phone rang again. Flipping it open, she growled, “What?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Sam apologized quietly. “I didn’t mean to bother you.” She hung up the phone, much to Janie’s dismay.

Janie cursed and checked the log on the phone. Sam had called from Danny’s, so at least now she knew where Sam was.

Within minutes, Janie wheeled into a parking space not far from the bar’s entrance. It was still too early for them to be open, but she tried the handle anyway. It was locked. She rattled the knob in irritation. “Dammit! Won’t one thing go right today?” Not to be deterred, she went to the back of the building and rapped on the delivery door.