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“People are in their houses at night,” Annie finally said.
“There were people in their houses today too! You spoke to them.”
“The information packets were all on the husbands,” she countered evenly. “I talked to the wives.”
He stared at her levelly. “You have a habit of that, it seems.”
She stared back, unwilling to confirm or deny the accusation.
Finally, he said, “It’s dangerous for them to see you.”
“It’s all dangerous, Mr.Baker. That’s why you’re having me do it.”
He shook his head and reached down to open a desk drawer. “Well.” He pulled out a handgun. He set it on the desk with a thud.
“I think murder is a little bit of an overreaction.” She kept her eyes on the gun.
“I can’t issue you a firearm. It would be too complicated,” he said. “But I don’t think you should go out there unarmed.”
She stood and reached out for the gun.
He intercepted her hand before she could pick it up. “You do know how to use this, correct?” She merely gave him a look. “Okay. Try not to use it.”
“Thank you, I suppose,” she said and picked it up, checking that the safety was on before tucking it in the back of her skirt under her jacket. She could hear the screams of every firearm instructor she’d ever had.
“What about your last two houses?” he asked.
“I’ll get them by the end of the week.”
“See that you do.”
* * *
When Annie got home, she did something she hadn’t done in a long time. She parked in the alley and came in through the gate. It had been a while since she’d carried a gun, and she didn’t want to walk through a house full of children with it.
It was dinnertime, and across the yard, the kitchen glowed brightly, but she stayed in the garage and ate snacks for dinner. She worked on her homework, doing the reading for Helen’s class first and then writing a reaction paper in longhand for herother class. By the time she finished, it was after ten and she was ready for bed.
She stood up, stretched, and walked around the room, trying to decide if she wanted to shower before she went to sleep or if she wanted to do it in the morning. She glanced out the window at the house. Helen was standing at the sliding glass door, looking out at her. She lifted her hand and waved.
Annie waved back, looking at her longingly and feeling a familiar wave of desire.
She turned away from the window. Went straight to the bathroom and turned the shower on so hot that it quickly filled the tiny room with steam. By the time Annie got in the room to strip down, the mirror over the sink was fogged up, so she didn’t have to see the expression on her face.
Chapter 15
She studied for a testin Helen’s class while sitting in her car outside of the fourth house she needed to bug, waiting for the people inside to leave. It was one thing to win the trust of a woman alone in a house, but she didn’t fancy meeting any of the husbands face-to-face. Just when she thought she was going to be late for class, the white SUV pulled out of the driveway and moved down the street. After it turned the corner, she got out of her car.
She’d bought a lockpick set at the hardware store closest to campus. The guy ringing her up looked at her strangely and asked to see her ID, even though it wasn’t illegal to purchase. She produced her student ID with a glare that dared him to say something, then snatched the receipt out of his hand.
She hurried around to the side of the house and approached the garage’s side door. Picking a lock was like riding a bike—she was a little wobbly before muscle memory kicked in. She closed her eyes, listening for the series of faint clicks that would grant her access. She crept in silently, praying there was no dog or elderly mother-in-law or any other surprise. But the house was still and quiet and settled. She headed for the stairs and, at the top, turned left into the home office. She scanned the room.
Bugging the lamp on the desk would be easier than opening up the phone and tying the bug in with the wiring, though the phone, of course, would be better for whoever was listening. But when she thought of Buck condescendingly reminding her to bug the houses at night, she picked the lamp.
* * *
Annie got to Helen’s class without a minute to spare. Parking had been a hassle, and it had been a stressful week. She was already tired, but she still had one more house to do and wanted to get it done tonight so as not to ruin her Friday. She’d take the test and then go back out. It should be easy.
She tried not to think about the last bug—or the gun—waiting for her in the trunk of her car as she rushed into the classroom.
