George managed to glance at his watch. “It’s after ten. Time for us to be in bed.” For George the idea of bed had immediate appeal. It brought up the fact that they had had sex that day, or at least Pia had had sex. Ever the optimist, he wondered if just maybe, after his accompanying her back over to the hospital to check on the autopsy, she might consider a continuation. George closed his eyes and screwed up the courage to speak.

“Do you want to come to my room? Stay the night? Or we could go to your room, whichever you prefer.”

“What for?” Pia asked, blankly.

“Well, for one thing, we ended things a little quickly this afternoon. Maybe if we had more time . . .”

“That’s a thought,” Pia said in a preoccupied fashion. “Have you noticed where we’re standing?”

George looked up. In truth he hadn’t been particularly aware of the immediate surroundings.

“We’re just outside the Black building,” Pia added. “It’s after ten, as you said. I want to go up to the lab for another quick visit to check out that damn micro storage locker. I’m not going to be satisfied until I do it, and this is the best time. I’ve been in there fifty times at night like this.”

“No, Pia!” George said firmly. “It’s too big a risk.”

“I don’t think there’s any risk whatsoever. You head back to the dorm. It’ll only take me twenty minutes at most.”

George looked ahead at the dorm looming in the misty night. It beckoned as a haven of warmth and security. He looked back at Pia. She was smiling up at him, confident as usual. Most important, she hadn’t said no to his suggestion that they sleep together. “You really think it’ll be safe, that no one will suddenly pop in?”

“Absolutely. Twenty minutes it’ll take me. I’ll call you as soon as I get back to the dorm.”

“And you remember that whatever you find out, it won’t prove anything?”

“I’m aware of that.”

George’s mind went into overdrive. Maybe it was a good idea. Maybe if she got the damn micro storage locker out of her mind, she’d give up on her self-destructive investigation.

“All right,” George said with sudden resolve. “I’m coming with you. Maybe I can help speed things up.” He grabbed her hand and started to pull her toward the Black building entrance.

Pia resisted. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” George said. In his mind’s eye what he could see mostly was them climbing into bed, holding each other tightly.

Pia shrugged. “It might be quicker with two people. All right, let’s do it.”