"I can't believe you said that."
With a puzzled expression on her face Sarah looked from John to Dieter and back again. "For heaven's sake, you guys! All I meant was that I'm not willing to baby-sit someone with the law hot on her trail while you're gone!"
"You're pretty picky all of a sudden," John said hotly. "Wasn't so long ago you
—"
The flat of von Rossbach's big hand hit the desk with a resounding slap that made them both jump. He glared at them until they both looked sheepish. "As I said before"—his voice was deadly quiet—"we need to speak to the young lady.
Would you care to join us, miss?" Dieter looked to the French doors.
John followed his gaze. "Wendy?" he said.
Wendy peeked around the bush that had concealed her, eyes wide.
"Wendy!" John repeated joyously, and stepped toward her.
She flew into his arms and he held her tightly, burying his face in her hair. They held on to each other tightly for what seemed like a long time, and yet too short a time; his hands stroked her back through the thin nightdress, leaving a trail of warmth on her chilled skin. She opened her eyes to catch Dieter's half smile.
"Hello," he said.
She smiled back at him.
"Those who eavesdrop seldom hear good of themselves," Sarah said self-righteously.
Wendy wrinkled her nose. "Tell me about it," she growled.
Dieter laughed out loud. "From Sarah's description I thought you were some kind of shrinking violet." He grinned at Sarah's offended look. "Please sit down,"
he invited, indicating the chair before his desk.
John took her hand and led her to the chair, taking the seat beside her without releasing her hand. They smiled at each other as though they were alone and completely at peace. Sarah stood behind them with her arms crossed, frowning—
looking, and no doubt feeling, very much left out. Dieter sighed, not certain if it was at this example of young love or at Sarah's apparent jealousy. He knew that she wanted her son to have someone, just not right now.
Ah, but Sarah, he thought sadly, better now than never at all.
"What happened to your hair?" John asked.
Wendy touched it with her free hand. "We cut it so I'd look more like Snog's sister. I'm using her passport." She looked at Dieter. "That car I drove here in was rented using one of her credit cards."
"When is the car due back?" he asked.
Wendy shrugged. "I took it for ten days; I've got seven left. I didn't know how long it would take to get here, or what would happen when I arrived, so I went for a fairly long time."
Dieter nodded, considering. "We'll take it back for you," he said. "I'll pay the bill in cash so there'll be no paper trail."
"Thank you," she said, looking awkward. "But I'm already imposing so much—"
"Don't worry," von Rossbach said with a magnanimous wave of his hand.
"Especially at this late date," Sarah muttered. Then she rolled her eyes at Dieter's disapproving expression. Throwing up her hands, she went to sit in the far corner, in the office's only other chair.
"Tell us what happened," von Rossbach invited.
Wendy glanced at John, who nodded. She licked her lips and began.
When she was finished Sarah said, "That was a lot more coherent than your first
recital."
Wendy looked at John and smiled at him before answering. "I'm much more rested." She glanced over her shoulder at Sarah. "And John makes me feel more secure."
"The only significant connection between you and the murder would be your fingerprints on the weapon," Sarah observed. "Why didn't you take it with you?"
"Gimme a break!" Wendy snapped. "I was drugged and in shock. For a moment there I was going to run down and report the murder to the desk clerk. All things considered, I think I did pretty well. This might be everyday stuff to you, but it's all new to me. So just back off, okay?"
Sarah blinked and John tried not to smile. Dieter maintained a neutral expression
—with difficulty. "Given what you've told us," he said, "I doubt you were followed." He looked over at Sarah. "I also doubt you can be traced. That is"—
he turned back to Wendy—"unless your friends…"
She shook her head. "No. They wouldn't turn me in. Nor do they know where I am. I've never told them this is where John lives and there's nothing on my computer or in my notes about anything." Wendy shrugged. "So things are as safe as they can be under the circumstances."
Von Rossbach nodded. "You look tired," he said gently. "Why don't you go back to bed? We can talk some more in the morning."
Wendy glanced uncertainly at John, who squeezed her hand. "I'll go up with you," he said. "I'm tired, too." But the look he gave her promised at least a few
minutes together. Hand in hand they left the room without looking back.
After they'd gone Dieter and Sarah sat quietly for a few moments. Then Sarah got up from her chair and approached the desk.
"I've never seen you like this," Dieter observed.
Sarah snorted and half smiled. "I've never felt like this," she admitted. As she took Wendy's seat she raised and dropped her hands to slap her thighs. "It's just that I don't know anything about her."
The big Austrian laughed and quickly said when she frowned, "My mother said exactly that when I got my first serious girlfriend."
Sarah grimaced. "Yes, well…" She gave him an assessing look. "How did you know she was out there? I didn't have a clue."
"The shampoo in the guest bathrooms has a very strong scent," he admitted.
She tilted her head, looking at him in amused surprise. "I'd noticed that, but I never realized there was a reason for it." She shook her head and laughed. "But even so, I didn't smell her."
"I thought that was why you stopped using it," he said. "So I wouldn't know where you were."
"Not likely," she said. "I stopped using it because the smell made me gag." They grinned at each other until she lowered her eyes.
"It's obvious that she adores him," Dieter said, his expression sympathetic.
Sarah instantly went on the offensive. "She also allegedly adored Ron Labane, and look at what happened to him!"
"Oh, come on, Sarah! She's a victim of circumstance. John backs her up."
"And the neighbors always say, 'He was such a quiet man,' " Sarah snapped back.
"It's pure coincidence that she got involved with the murder. The killers were clever, but they couldn't know how resourceful she would be."
"I don't believe in coincidence, or accident, or happenstance when it affects John," Sarah said firmly. "I can't afford to." She looked in his eyes. " We can't afford to. Especially not now."
He lowered his head and looked at her from under his eyebrows. "Do you think she's a Terminator?"
Sarah threw up her hands again and looked away. "Before Serena Burns I would have sworn it wasn't possible. Now?" She shook her head. "Who the hell knows."
In Wendy's room, on Wendy's bed, the two young lovers lay entwined. John was still completely dressed, Wendy was far less so and not minding that a bit. She tugged at John's shirt as she kissed him, inhaling his scent, her eyes closed in sheer pleasure.
John stayed her hand, captured it, and brought it to his lips. He kissed it and smiled at her, his eyes begging her to understand. "Mom's still awake." he said softly.
Wendy groaned, then buried her face in his neck. "I love you," she said passionately. After a moment she said timidly, "But I don't think your mother likes me at all." She looked up at him. "She's not what I expected."
John laughed lightly. "Right now she's not what I expected. But then, you're my first girlfriend and a total surprise to her. Mom doesn't like surprises. One time I baked a cake for her birthday, lit the candles, and hid behind the door. When she came in I jumped out and yelled, 'Surprise!' and she pulled a gun on me." He chuckled. "It's a wonder I wasn't shot."