“Right.” He adjusted his glasses. “How much are you on the hook for?”

“Too much. I’ve got two more speed date events to go. There’s a no-refund policy.” Olivia studied him intently. “Forget my dating problems. Victor Arganbright said I should expect you at the offices of Lark and LeClair first thing tomorrow morning. Why did you show up here tonight?”

“The Foundation and I are not the only ones looking for Vortex. I think we’re running out of time.”

“I know Victor and Lucas are obsessed with the old Vortex legend. I take it you are, too.”

“ ‘Obsessed’ is a harsh way to put it.”

“But accurate?”

“Yes, unfortunately.” He surveyed the street. “Where did you park?”

“I didn’t drive,” she said. “I used an app to call a car service. I’m not keen on parking in the garage of my apartment building these days.”

“Understandable. Pine filled me in on your role in catching the serial killer who was targeting women who attended speed date events.”

Olivia reached into her handbag and took out her phone. “Did he?”

“I’m surprised you decided to use a speed date agency after working undercover to catch a killer who did his stalking in speed date events.”

“I studied the speed date business while I was working the job. I liked the concept. Straightforward. No games.”

He nodded, thinking about it. “You’re right. It does seem like an efficient strategy. Focused. Targeted. No time wasted.”

“That’s how it struck me, but apparently I need to improve my conversational skills.”

He frowned. “Why?”

She shot him a cool, sidelong look. “I have been advised that my opening question might attract the wrong person. You know, the obsessive type.”

“I don’t think so. It’s a solid question. Cuts through the social noise and gets to the bottom line.”

“ ‘The social noise’?” Olivia repeated, her voice very neutral. “As in, polite conversation?”

“Right.”

“There is such a thing as being too focused, Mr. Rancourt.”

“Really? I’ve never run into that particular issue. Speaking of that undercover job, nice work keeping your name out of the media. The credit for the arrest went to a police task force and a local forensics consulting firm.”

“Both of which deserve the credit. The cops did the hard work of running down all the leads and isolating the solid clues. The consulting agency came up with a psychological profile and asked Lark and LeClair to assist in an undercover operation.”

“What went wrong?”

“The killer got past the team watching my apartment building,” Olivia said.

“The authorities said the perp suffered a seizure. Arganbright and Pine told me they were amazed by the timing of that seizure but they couldn’t come up with any other explanation.”

“It was amazing, all right.”

“And convenient.”

She had been about to tap her phone but she paused, wary now. “I was very lucky.”