As I watched, convincing myself to stay where I was, the door opened and a salt-and-pepper squarehead climbed out of the car, glaring into the sunlight and looking around the strip mall, searching for something. With his eyes behind sunglasses, I couldn’t see what he was looking for, but he found something he liked and nodded once to himself, heading for the staircase that led up to our office.

The Korean barbecue was in full swing, and the smoke from the tasty beef stung my eyes as I rushed down the stairs. I could only make excuses, promise the money by next week, hope that would buy me enough time to get the money from Klein. If everything went smoothly, of course. Between the sting tomorrow and setting up the money drop, there were still so many pieces that could go wrong.

I headed the man off at the bottom of the staircase, gripping both sides of the railing so I didn’t slip a heel and go flying down into him. His expression didn’t change as I stopped on the step above the lot, so that I was a touch taller than him.

“Can I help you?”

He didn’t say anything. Thick around the jowls, neck like the trunk of a tree. His white button-down rolled up to expose a not-too-nice watch. I’d bet he’d been a cop since birth.

I crossed my arms over my chest and decided to play it righteous and offended. “We had reports that there was a man sitting in his car, staring at some of the women across the street. It was creeping the other girls out in the office, so I said I’d come check. Everything okay?”

He stared at me, not moving a muscle in his face, sizing me up. Taking in my face—I could feel it was pink, pinker than a trip down the stairs warranted—my hair frizzing in the morning heat, sweat darkening my blouse.

“Sorry,” he said finally. “I guess I should get going.” He didn’t move, but his gaze turned thoughtful and his sunglasses flicked up to the second story of the complex. “Looks like you were coming out of the Lady Upstairs’ Staffing Agency. Is that your office?”

Why had I said office? I could’ve bitten my tongue out. No choice now but to play it out. “That’s right.” I chucked my chin at the second story of the complex and shivered in the heat.

“So you must know Lou,” he said, smiling, friendly. We were chums now.

“I do.” I kept my face as stony as I could.

To my surprise, he simply nodded and smiled again, turning back to his car and lumbering inside. “Tell her MacLeish stopped by,” he said, “if you don’t mind. Tell her I’d be real happy if she gave me a call.” There was a message that would never get delivered.