His hand jumped automatically to touch the sore spot. “I . . . auh . . . I fell, getting off the bus in Vegas.”

“It looks terrible! You should have a bandage on it.”

“No, it’s okay.”

She lifted a hand gently but he brushed it aside.

“How much money does Stolz keep there?”

“I don’t know.”

“You haven’t counted it? What’s the matter? Scared or something?”

“It scares me,” Karen admitted, wide-eyed. “There’s so much of it. Too much to count.” She touched his arm timidly. “Leave it alone, Skip.”

He flipped the cigarette into the dark. “Big bills?”

“All I saw were hundreds.”

Skip rubbed his hair, stretched lazily. “Sounds as if Eddie and I ought to do it tonight.”

Her eyes were stark. “Why . . . how could you?”

“The way we planned. You let us in around midnight, keep an eye out for the old woman, keep the dog quiet. How long will it take? Not over a couple of minutes. It’ll be a breeze.”

“It won’t turn out the way you think. I know it.” She stood in the direct light from the door, trying to make Skip look at her; but now his gaze had a vagueness that reminded her of Mrs. Havermann’s. He peered beyond her at the hall, and she blurted: “What will happen when Stolz gets back?”

“To you? Nothing. You could lie your way out of it. Or come to me.” He reached for her, pulled her close again; he could feel her heart thumping like a rabbit’s, and the knowledge of her fright and torment filled him with amusement. “What about the old lady? You ever tell her my name, mention seeing me in school?”

“I guess she knows I talk to you. I’ve told her things you’ve said.”

“Chrissakes, that was a dumb thing to do. Now she’ll have a line on me.”

“No. Rather than have anyone suspect you, I’ll stay and make up a story; someone’s been prowling around when I got home at night, and I saw them. I’ll describe somebody. A stranger.”

Skip stood musing, wondering if Karen were capable of carrying it off. Then he wanted to laugh at himself. Of course Karen wouldn’t be able to stand up to the characters Stolz would bring in. They’d have her babbling the whole thing in a couple of minutes. He let his mind dwell on some possible methods they might use, grinned, shook his head, while she watched. “You wouldn’t back down? Even to Stolz?”

He was just having fun though she didn’t know it. “I’d never give you away. Never.” She put her arms around him, tucked her head against his shoulder. The warning bell rang in the hall, signaling the end of the break.

“You know old lady Havermann could come to class, check up on whoever you’ve been seen with.”

Karen gave a troubled sigh.