Howard’s face was a study in solemnity. “You’re right, Dodd. I could very well die for lack of that margarine.” He spread a thick layer of cream cheese on the bagel. “As much as I hate to do this, I’m going to have to eat this whole bagel.”

Dave saw him to the door. “Do me a favor, Howie, next time bag the helicopter and shoot from my window.”

When Dave returned to the kitchen Kate had finished her coffee and was rinsing out her cup. He shook his head. “Uh-oh, I don’t like the looks of this.”

“I’m late!”

“How could you be late at seven-thirty in the morning?”

“I go to an exercise class at eight and a rehearsal at ten. Then at one o’clock I’m giving a noonday recital in a nursing home in Arlington. I have students from three to five. That means I’ll get stuck in rush-hour traffic again. But I don’t have to be at the Kennedy Center until eight tonight…”

“I thought maybe I could take you someplace nice for dinner.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t have time for dinner.” Her regret was genuine. She would have liked to spend an hour or two holding hands and talking. Something important had happened between them, and she didn’t want to treat it casually.

“Will I see you after the performance tonight?”

“Yes! That’d be great.” She ran upstairs and retrieved her nightgown. “I have to go to a reception immediately following, but I should be home around twelve.”

He caught her by the waist and drew her to him. His kiss was gentle and lingering. “Be careful driving. You rush around too much.”

“My day is too short. I need two more hours.”

He’d already reached the same conclusion. She had no Dave time.

Chapter 6

Kate sprinted from the car to her front porch and swore profusely when her house key balked in the lock. She jiggled the key, counted to ten, and closed her eyes in relief when the door swung open. There’d been a minor accident on Constitution Avenue that had backed traffic up clear to Virginia.

The house was dark and silent. Obviously Elsie wasn’t home. She checked her watch. Seven-ten. That was worthy of a few more four-letter words. Kate flung her purse and her packages on the floor and ran up the stairs. It took her thirty seconds of trying various light switches before she realized she had no electricity. She looked out her bedroom window and saw light in other houses on A Street. It had to be her circuit breaker.

She snatched a flashlight from her dresser drawer and took off for her cellar. She had her hand on the cellar doorknob when she saw the yellow note tacked at eye level. “Kate, Beaman accidentally cut through a power line. Electrician will be around in morning. Dave.”