Maggie nodded, wondering where all this was going. While Lizzie was here physically, she was in another place mentally—Maggie could tell. "Are you okay, Lizzie?"

Lizzie pondered the question. "Yes, I'm okay, Maggie. But my gut is telling me something's wrong somewhere. I hate being across the country when all the action is here at home." She shrugged her elegant shoulders. "Let's just chalk it up to paranoia on my part."

"Something did happen last night. I should have called you when I got home, but I. . .well, I didn't, that's the bottom line."

Lizzie looked around at the bustling cafe with its young waitresses, who looked fresh and dewy-eyed even so early in the morning. Since waitressing was such hard work, she wondered how they did it. By being eighteen years old, she told herself. She knew for a fact most of the waitresses in town were college students. Young, young, young. She brought her attention back to Maggie. "So, tell me now."

Maggie told her everything Ted had shared. She spared nothing, even elaborating on her romp in the sack with Ted, right down to her visit with Jack. "Lizzie, girl to girl, do you believe it's only possible to love once? Real, true love, that kind of thing?"

Lizzie chose her words carefully. "I do believe that. But. . .and it's a big 'but,' I believe you can love again. It's just different, but love all the same. As a very wise man told me not too long ago, you have to be open to it." She was, of course, referring to Jack Emery, but she wasn't about to tell Maggie that. "You're wondering if you can trust Ted, is that it?"

Maggie nodded. "He's different these days. On the straight and narrow. I think what convinced me was that his refrigerator was full of food he cooked himself. He's been staying home a lot. He's one of the best reporters I know. Even my old boss said the same thing. He's from the old school, journalistically speaking, and that counts in my book. I think he really loves me. I do love him, Lizzie, but I will never do anything to bring attention to. . .to the vigilantes, to you, either. You know that. Maybe I should resign and go off to some cabin and write my memoirs."

Lizzie laughed. "No way. There's too much juice left in you, Maggie. My advice would be to go with your heart, but don't be blind. Now, what did Jack have to say?"

A perky waitress with a little too much makeup set down their food in front of them while another young girl poured orange juice from a crystal carafe.