“Why don’t we pick up some liquor on the way? Get us in the mood. A private party is way more fun.”

He winked and pressed his crotch discreetly against her hip, making it clear he was already in the mood.

“Sure thing.”

She moved away from Frank’s excitement and placed the glass on the bar. The cute bartender caught her eye.

“Leaving so soon?” he asked.

“I guess so.”

“Shame,” he said with a shy smile.

“Yes, it is.”

She followed Frank to the exit, feeling like a woman walking to her own execution.

Frank’s Corvette convertible was parked half a block away. Amy lowered herself into the passenger seat and glanced in the side-view mirror. The soft top was up, and she twisted around to look through its tiny rear window.

She’d noticed a black SUV on two occasions recently, while out with other clients, and she was worried about being tailed by a disgruntled wife. Not Frank’s, though. The poor woman apparently had no idea what her husband was getting up to while he pretended to work late and attend business conferences.

“Something wrong?” Frank looked antsy. Maybe his wife wasn’t so oblivious after all.

There was no sign of a black SUV with tinted windows.

Amy said, “No, just thought I recognized someone from college.”

She fastened her seat belt as Frank started the car and eased into the evening traffic. She zoned out as he bragged about a big insurance deal he’d landed at work.

Neither of them noticed the red Ford Focus that had been parked three spaces behind the Corvette follow as they turned onto Hollywood Boulevard.

11 JESSICA

11

JESSICA

The vehicle was big and wide with a silver grille on the front and tinted windows. Probably a Ford or a Subaru. It remained five cars back as Jessica continued along the freeway, her eyes flitting between the road ahead and the rearview mirror.

She took the next off-ramp, as advised by the GPS, and as she turned onto York Boulevard, Jessica saw the black SUV follow. It was now three cars back. Instead of staying on York, she hooked a quick right onto North Figueroa Street, and the SUV stayed with her. Jessica’s heartbeat punched against her ribs, and her breath quickened. She signaled a left turn onto Yosemite Drive and glanced in the rearview mirror again.

The SUV was gone.

Jessica heaved a sigh of relief but remained alert for the reappearance of a tail as she continued her journey back to the motel. By the time she pulled into the Blue Moon Inn’s lot several minutes later, she was sure she was no longer being followed.

If she was even being followed at all.

Maybe the SUV’s driver had simply been taking a similar route to her own. Even so, Jessica decided she would keep her weapon within easy reach at all times from now on.