“Oh yeah? Wy said. “Were you thinking you might have a place to stay?

“Smart-ass, Jo repeated. She hesitated.

It wasnt like Jo to hesitate. Wy turned the heat under the sauce down and took the portable phone around the corner and into the hallway. “Whats wrong, Jo?

“Nothings wrong, Jo said irritably.

Wy frowned at the wall. “You sound funny.

Jo huffed out an aggravated breath. “Theres someone I want you to meet.

Wy blinked. “Someone you want me to meet.

“Thats what I said.

Now that she was listening for it, Wy could hear the self-consciousness and maybe even a little embarrassment in Jos voice. Tongue in cheek, she said, “Would this someone by any chance be, ahshe paused delicately“male?

“Kiss my ass, Jo said, varying a theme.

Wy grinned at the opposite wall, and waited.

“Yeah, all right, its a guy.

“And you want me to meet him.

“Yeah. So?

“Have you taken him home yet, or am I the first test?

“Fuck you, Chouinard.

“I love you, too, Dunaway, Wy purred. “By all means, put this paragon on the first available plane, and get on after him. Voices came from the living room. How nice. Liam could have his ex-college roomie and main squeeze to stay, and she could have hers. One big, very full, deliriously happy house. “Youll have to sleep on the couch.

“Thats where I slept last time, Jo said.

“Yeah, but this time its a full house. Tims up the river with Moses, and Id let you have his room, but theres somebody already in it.

“Who? Liam?

“Nope. One of your favorite people. Jim Wiley.

There was a long silence. Unlike Wy, Jo had actually met Jim Wiley. They both lived in Anchorage, not that big a town, and they were both involved in the information-gathering business, more or less. Her paper occasionally employed his services to track down subjects in cyberspace, something they both preferred to keep quiet. “Oh.

“And friend, added Wy.

“Oh. Jo rallied. “Where from this time, Sri Lanka? Peru? Pago Pago?

“Ireland.

“Figures. Another pause. “So, you need backup.

Wy peered around the corner to see Jim murmuring sweet nothings in Bridgets ear. “It couldnt hurt.

“See you tomorrow. Click.

She walked around the corner and hung up the phone. “Its going to be a full house.

“I thought it already was, Jim said.

“Jos coming down for the Labor Day weekend. She watched with interest as his eyes narrowed and his jaw set. Wy didnt know what had happened between the two of them because Jo refused absolutely to discuss it. Other than inventing new and better invective to describe Mr. Wiley, his progenitors and his character. Well, this certainly promised to be one of the more interesting three-day weekends of the year. She smiled to herself, and added innocently, “You remember my friend Jo Dunaway, dont you?