When I went for my run the next morning, I slipped out the back gate. Instead of my normal route to the harbor and back I ran west along side streets as far as the river. I kept my pace slow, not so much to check on my tail as to protect myself from shin splints on the rough roadway—it’s hard to follow someone who’s on foot when you’re driving. I didn’t think I was in physical danger from any tracking Chamfers might choose to do; I just hate for anyone to nose into my whereabouts.

I stopped to see Mr. Contreras before going up to shower. He’d recovered some of his normal vitality—his color was better and he was moving at a more natural gait than he had last night. I told him I was going down to Diamond Head and asked if he knew anyone who still worked there.

“It’s all new people since my time, cookie. It might be there’s one or two guys on the line who I’d recognize if I saw ’em, but the bosses are all new; the foreman and the shop steward, I don’t even know their names. You want me to come along with you?”

I grinned at the eagerness in his voice. “Not this trip. Maybe later if I don’t make any headway.” I was planning a surreptitious approach to the plant; I figured I’d have better luck doing it solo.

I’d have even better success if whoever had tailed me yesterday didn’t follow me there. And that meant shedding my wheels. My Trans Am, like Magnum’s Ferrari, is about as easy to track as the linseed oil Sherlock Holmes laid down for Toby.

Lotty is the only person I know well enough to trade cars with. Since hers always show dents within the first month she owns them, I didn’t want to turn my baby over to her. But the client must come first, I admonished myself sternly. After all, what was I paying two-fifty a month in insurance for?

While I finished dressing, I phoned Lotty at the clinic and explained my problem. She was happy to let me have the Cressida.

“I haven’t driven a sports car since I had the use of a Morgan in 1948.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I said.

Lotty elected to be hurt. “I’ve been driving since before you were born, Victoria.”

I bit back the obvious retorts—after all, she was doing me a favor. I told her where she’d find my car—Carol would drop her off at my place on her way home. I kissed the Trans Am good-bye as I passed it on my way to Belmont. “It’s only for one day. Be brave and don’t let her strip your gears.”