The Private Eye

in the darkened room. Maybe one day his book would be on her shelf. She liked what she had seen so far of it. It had been an enormous relief to hear that this afternoon.
    “Tell me about your plans,” Maggie urged softly.
    He went over to the bed and stood looking down at her. “I'm going to need your cooperation,”
    “How?”
    “I want to make it look as though the two of us have left town for a few days. I want people to think we've gone off together. Seattle or Portland. Anywhere. It's important that everyone thinks we're out of the area.”
    “I see.” She sounded thoughtful and distant. “I suppose this is what you meant when you said a phony engagement would be a useful cover story?”
    He forced himself not to react to that. “Let's not talk about the engagement. Just tell me if you'll help me make it look as though we've taken off for a few days.”
    “All right. I might as well. My reputation is in shreds, anyway. What does it matter if everyone in Peregrine Point thinks I'm off having a wild weekend. Heck, it may do wonders for my image around here.
    What happens after we take off for a passion-filled holiday?”
    “I come back here at night and set up a stakeout.”
    “A stakeout!” Now she sounded genuinely interested. “A real stakeout? Just like in a mystery novel?”
    “A real stakeout,” he confirmed, amused by her en “You think the intruder will strike when we're out of town?”
    “I think it's a good possibility. I think the guy is getting desperate and frustrated. I think he'll make a move with a bit of encouragement from us.”
    “This is exciting,” Maggie said. “I'll help you bait the trap. Josh, on one condition.”
    “What condition?”
    “That you let me come with you on the stakeout.”
    He winced. “Stakeouts are not a lot of fun, Maggie. They're incredibly boring, for one thing. And I'll be doing it in a car. There are certain, uh, physical
    needs that have to be attended to from time to time. It's easier for a man to handle a stakeout like this, if you see what I mean.”
    “Nonsense! I used to go camping when I was a kid. I can use the bushes when I have to.”
    Josh sought for a stronger argument. “I'm hoping to catch the guy, Maggie. If he shows up, I'm
    going to try to grab him. At the very least, I plan to get dose enough to ID him. Things could get rough.”
    “Then you'll need a partner along to cover your back,” she declared. “You can't talk me out of this, Josh. I'm the client, remember? I'm giving the orders around here. If you're planning a stakeout, I insist on being allowed to help.”
    He eyed her narrowly. “You promise you'll follow orders?”
    “I promise,” she said eagerly.
    “I mean it, Maggie. If you come with me, you'll do exactly as you're told and you won't take any risks. Understood?” Josh swore softly. “All right, you can come along.”
    “Oh, Josh.” Maggie leaped out of bed and threw her arms around him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't tell you how much this means to me.” She hugged him fiercely. “A real stakeout.”
    The feel of her soft breasts pushing gently against his chest was enough to turn the smoldering need in Josh into a raging fire. After his first startled reaction to her hug, he recovered instantly and started to pull her closer.
    But Maggie was already dancing out of reach. “You'd better get some sleep, Josh. Sounds like we might be up all night tomorrow. We'll both need plenty of rest. See you in the morning.”
    She was right. That was the hell of it. “Yeah. Sure. See you in the morning,” It took an astounding amount of willpower to let himself back out the door and into the hallway.
    It was better this way. Josh told himself as he stalked back to his own room. At least she was feeling enthusiastic and friendly again. If he was careful, he could recover the territory he seemed to have lost this morning with his brilliant notion of a phony engagement.
    A thought struck him then that made him smile. Stakeouts were usually very long and extremely dull. A man and a woman trapped for hours together in the front seat of a car had to do something to pass the time.
    Josh was feeling much more cheerful—even optimistic —when he finally undressed and got into bed. He fell asleep at once.

Chapter 10

    JOSH WAS WAITING a discreet distance down the hall from Odessa's bedroom door the next morning at five. He cleared his throat politely and glanced pointedly at his watch when the Colonel