Running Hot

on the desk. “What do you say we pull up those reservations and see what time our plane leaves?”
    Reality sluiced through Grace, leaving her chilled.
    “Okay,” she said quietly.
    She got up and crossed the room to the desk. Quickly she entered the address for the travel agency. When it came up, she keyed in the code for Luther’s reservation.
    “You’re leaving at two-fifteen,” she said.
    “Great.” He collected the cane. “Time for lunch.”
    “Not for me.” She straightened slowly. “My flight to Portland leaves at one o’clock.”
    Luther looked at her, expressionless.
    “Portland,” he said. “Forgot about that part.”
    She nodded, afraid to say another word, terrified not to speak.
    There was a short, heavy silence.
    “I’ve been thinking,” she started carefully.
    “What a coincidence,” Luther said. “So have I. What do you say we both go to Portland—”
    “I could pack a few things—”
    “You could pack everything you own. Then you could fly home to Hawaii with me.”
    She smiled, her eyes misting.
    “Yes,” she said. “Yes, I could do that.”
    His hands settled on her waist. He drew her to him. “You do know where this is going, don’t you?”
    She put her arms around his neck, happiness soaring like a glorious operatic aria through her. “I think so, yes.”
    “I love you,” he said. “But you probably already know that also, what with you being such a hotshot aura talent and all.”
    “I love you, too.” She brushed her mouth lightly against his and drew back slightly “And for your information, no one can see actual love in an aura, not even a high-grade aura profiler like me. That’s why you have to say the words.”
    “I can do that,” he promised. “And I will. Often and always.”
    “Often and always,” she vowed.

FIFTY-ONE
    The knock on the door came just as Grace was wedging a pair of boots that she would probably never wear in Hawaii into a suitcase.
    “I’ll get it,” she said to Luther.
    He straightened from the box of books he was taping and glanced out the window. “Looks like an old lady in camouflage, dark glasses and a black raincoat. I think she’s carrying.”
    “My landlady,” Grace said. “And it’s not a gun, it’s a special camera.”
    “Interesting landlady.”
    Grace opened the front door. “Hello, Arizona. Come on in. It’s wet out there.”
    “You got that right.” Arizona stomped into the small foyer, shaking water off her black raincoat. “I’ve been out doing recon all morning. Days like this I’ve got to stay extra alert. Folks up at the institute like to schedule a lot of clandestine deliveries on rainy days. Probably figure there’s less chance that someone is doing surveillance.”
    “I’d like you to meet Luther Malone,” Grace said. “Luther, this is my landlady, Arizona Snow.”
    Luther nodded politely and held out his hand. “A pleasure, ma’am.”
    Arizona took off her mirrored glasses and gave Luther a squinty-eyed look. “So you’re the one, huh?”
    “The one what?” Luther asked.
    Arizona snorted, stripped off her thick leather gloves and shook his hand with great vigor. “No need to play games with me, young man. I recognize another pro when I see one. Minute I spotted you coming up the walk with Grace, I knew you were the one she’s been waiting for all this time while she was lying low here in Eclipse Bay.”
    Luther smiled at Grace. “Actually, I think I was the one doing the waiting.”
    Arizona winked. “Got it. Going undercover is a real pain, isn’t it? But since you’re here now, I reckon it was mission accomplished, eh?”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Luther said.
    Grace went into the kitchen. “How about a cup of coffee to warm you up, Arizona? I just made a fresh pot.”
    “Thanks. I could use it.” Arizona surveyed the boxes and suitcases. “Well, looks like you two are shipping out together this time.”
    “We’re going to get married,” Grace said. “We’re moving to Hawaii.”
    “Still working for the agency, though, right?”
    Luther raised his brow in silent inquiry. Grace smiled.
    “Definitely,” she said smoothly. She handed the filled mug to Arizona. “But we’ll also be running a little restaurant on the side in Waikiki.”
    Arizona looked down at where their fingers had brushed. Grace followed her glance and suddenly realized she had felt nothing unusual when she accidentally touched the older woman.
    “My little phobia seems to have finally