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“Now, you’re being mean.” Piper shivered under her blankets, partly because she still wasn’t warming up and partly because she was terrified about the potential outcomes.

“I’m teasing. Trying to lighten the mood. I’m changing the subject.”

“Thank you,” Piper said, curling her hands into the blanket and pulling it up under her chin.

“Only partially changing the subject. I’ve been looking into whistleblower protections. I can tell you about that tomorrow. But I got worried someone at Alabaster might wipe the computer. So when I sent you in with the flash drive to do that download, I put some security code in place. That means you and only you can access your files, and I sequestered them away from any other files. They’re safe even if an Alabaster someone accidentally introduces a virus. Regardless, we now have all of your data duplicated at the apartment.”

“How do I get into my files at Alabaster?” Piper asked.

“Password: Bimini. Capitalize the B.”

“Ironic. I like it.”

“So now I really am changing the subject,” Chanti said. “Do you have to give the Alabaster dresses back?”

Piper wrinkled her nose. Too late on the pink dress. “They didn’t say anything about that.”

“The pink one you wore today had a price tag on it—six thousand dollars.”

Piper let her jaw drop.

“I know,” Chanti said.

“I could have bought one just like it in the store for Carnival for $39.99 with shipping included.” Piper pulled down her covers and lifted her hospital gown away from her neck. “I have a rash.”

Chanti leaned in to look. “Do you think it’s from that weird fabric or from taking a swim in the Potomac?”

“Either way, they gave me a prescription for antibiotics.”

“Knock. Knock.”

Ethan stood sideways so he wasn’t peering into her cubicle uninvited. And Piper appreciated the time to scramble her gown into place and pull her covers back over her chest.

Chanti slid off her bed and was reaching for her purse.

“Hey there, Ethan,” Piper called. “Come in and meet my dear friend Chanti Gupta. Chanti, this is Ethan Osbourne.

Chanti waved. “I was heading to the vending machine for drinks and snacks. What can I get you, Ethan?”

“I’m squared away. But thank you.”

At the door, behind Ethan’s back, Chanti’s eyebrows were up to her hairline as she held the flat of her hand as high as she could to indicate Ethan’s height, then switched to a two-thumbs-up before disappearing down the hallway.

“I brought your cell phone,” he said, holding it out. “You’ll have to juice it again. But I caution you, it’s still set to kamikaze mode, so maybe wait 'til you’re home. My friends found it after someone tossed it out of the van. Whatever you did to make it obnoxious and unstealable, kudos.”

“Chanti did that. She’ll be thrilled it worked.” She leaned to the side and set it on the table, then flicked her hand toward the chair.

“What are the doctors saying?” Ethan asked, pulling the seat to her bedside. “Are you okay?”

“Apparently, I’m slow to warm up. I like to think I have a warm heart, though.” Piper grinned at the man as he sat down, and it was really inappropriate. But how could she not? “How is Tango?”

“She seemed fine.” Ethan reached for her hand. “My friends took her to the vet just to make sure.”

“I hope she checks out okay. She was so fierce, and I am so grateful.”

He focused on the hospital band. “Peregrine Phillips.” He caught her gaze and lifted his brows. “Unusual.”

“Piper is a nickname. My real name is Peregrine. It was going to be Paige, which I dislike, but I ended up being born on the same day that the peregrine falcon came off the endangered list. My parents found that hopeful. And my mom loved the imagery of me soaring through life.”