“There! There!” The driver swerved into the lot. I handed him the twenty and didn’t bother to wait for my change. I stood underneath the sign and studied the motel: two floors, maybe twenty-four rooms. I should call the cops now, I thought, run to the motel office and borrow their phone. But I still didn’t know what to ask for. I remembered the way the light from the sign fell on the floor at a slant in my vision. I adjusted my stance—it had to be one of the rooms on the left side. There was nothing to do but guess. From behind the door of room number 9, I heard a couple arguing about who was footing the bill. I ran to the next room, tried the knob—it swung open to an empty, dark square with two sagging beds. At the third, I looked back at the sign—this had to be it—and pressed my ear to the door: the creak of footsteps, careful and slow.

I knew the door would be locked but tried the knob anyway. Inside the room, the sound of pacing stopped. I thought again of those early years with Des, when things felt exciting and good. How with one quick flick of the wrists we would outsmart everyone and break into any room we wanted. How back then she made me feel like everything in the city was ours to claim. The motel’s locks were flimsier than the casinos’—and even those didn’t take more than a stiff piece of paper. I still had my business card in Victoria’s purse. Whoever was on the other side would be able to see me working on the door, the card sliding through the crack in the frame. Would be able to brace themselves or arm themselves. And I hadn’t used this trick in years, and this would need to be quick if it was going to work.

I worked the bottom lock, prayed that the cheap paper would hold. I heard a thunk and tried to stay calm, although I felt my body go cold. Another thunk—what was happening?—as I got the bottom lock open. Now it was just a matter of working the swing bar at the top. I eased the edge of the business card along the bar and tried to see inside the room while I worked: nothing but a slice of streetlight on beige carpet.