Part 25 (1/2)

He was going to have to get out of here. If he b.u.mped into them now, while the two women were together, Kelly might think it odd that he was on such friendly terms with Mary Lou.

”She's just started walking,” Mary Lou said. ”Getting into everything, you know?”

”Oh, yeah,” Kelly said. Even though she didn't have any children of her own, she was a pediatrician. ”Time to childproof the house. Lock up that cabinet under the kitchen sink in particular.”

”I already did,” Mary Lou said.

”That's good. Well, it was nice seeing you.” Kelly's words were a polite dismissal, and he knew he had to get out of there before they went in two separate directions.

But Mary Lou kept the conversation going. ”I never know what to buy for food when Sam deploys,” she said. ”I never know when he's going to be back, so I don't want to buy my regular amount of food in case he's gone for a while. But if I buy only a little, that almost guarantees that he'll be back tomorrow.”

He took a quick look around the corner to see where they were standing, to try to figure out which was his best way out of the storea”front door or back. Both women had shopping carts. Haley was strapped into the seat of Mary Lou's. Kelly's was filled with food.

”I always just buy a little,” Kelly admitted. ”For exactly that reason. I'm sorry, I'm running a little late. I better get onto the checkout line. I hate to have to run, buta””

”Are you having a party?” Mary Lou asked. ”Or do you just like chips and salsa a whole lot?”

”Oh,” Kelly said. ”No, not a party. Nothing official, that is. I'm just having a few friends over tonight to watch a video. It helps to do that when, you know, Tom's out of town.”

”Oh,” Mary Lou said. ”Yeah. I know what you mean. It's kind of hard not knowing exactly where they are or what they're doing, or... what have you.”

”Yeah,” Kelly said. ”It is.”

Mary Lou's voice sounded a little tight. ”Well. Have a nice time. Like you said, you're running late.”

”You know, you could come, too,” Kelly offered. ”I mean, if you're free tonight. If you can find a sitter.”

So much for tonight's plana”there was no way Mary Lou was going to turn that invitation down. So unless he could figure out some way to intercept her on her way home...

”Oh,” Mary Lou said. ”Wow. That's real sweet of you. Thanks. Wow. I'm sure I can find a sitter. What time?”

”Five-thirty. I'm afraid it's on the early side,” Kelly told her. ”I have an early morning tomorrow.”

It was pretty close to 4:30 right now.

”Five-thirty's great,” Mary Lou said. ”I'll see you then.”

”Great,” Kelly echoed. He'd spent enough time watching her to know that her enthusiasm was forced.

As she headed for the checkout, Mary Lou headed for produce, leaving him a clear exit route out the back.

It was time to regroup, rethink, recalculate.

In a way it was refres.h.i.+ng, because up to this point, Mary Lou and her humdrum life hadn't been very much of a challenge at all.

Joan answered her cell phone on the first ring. ”DaCosta.” ”Hey, Joan,” Muldoon said, sitting down on the dusty ground because out here a step in the wrong direction could make the signal fade. ”It's Mike Muldoon. How's it going?”

”Everything is incredibly groovy, Mike Muldoon,” she answered. ”I'm about five minutes from some kind of social thing at Commander Paoletti's house. Some kind of wives and girlfriends hanging out, drinking lots of wine, and watching Jane Austen movies while you brave gorilla he-men save the world thing. Personally, I think we'll be having more fun.”

Muldoon laughed. ”I'm not so sure about that. We're using some pretty cool toys tonight and tomorrow. I can't tell you about it, but trust me. The fun factor is high out here.”

”Said the man who's definition of fun has nothing to do with Colin Firth,” she countered.

A wives and girlfriends gathering. Wasn't it interesting that she'd been invited to that? And wasn't it twice as interesting that she'd go?

”So you're going to this thing because... ?”

”I've accepted Jenk's marriage proposal.”

”Ha-ha,” he said. ”Very funny.” She was kidding, wasn't she?

”It's work, Mike,” she told him. ”I thoughta”if Kelly and the other women are okay with ita”we might set up a similar get-together when Brooke comes to town. I know it's not on her planned schedule of events, but it would make for a great photo op.”

”Except for the fact that there's not a man on this team who would want his wife or girlfriend's picture on the front page of a newspaper,” he pointed out. ”You know, for the same reasons they don't want 'em wearing Navy SEAL T-s.h.i.+rts or hats. There are enough people on this planet who would love nothing more than to retaliate by targeting the loved ones of the Spec War team members who are making their lives so miserable right now. Let's not make it any easier for that sc.u.m to ID them, please ”

”Oh, s.h.i.+t.” He could hear Joan's good mood evaporate. ”You're right, Super SEAL. G.o.d, I never even thought of that.”

”Sorry,” he said.

”No,” she said. ”Don't you dare apologize. What a mistake that would have been. I would have put those women in danger and had a team of p.i.s.sed off Navy SEALs coming after me. I think you just saved my a.s.s.”

Now was when, according to words of wisdom he'd recently received from Sam Starrett, he should make some kind of comment broadcasting his interest. Like, And a mighty fine a.s.s it is, well worth saving.

”What did you just call me?” he asked instead.

”Nothing,” she said. ”Probably Muldoon. Or Michael. Or Mike. Ora””

”Super SEAL?”

”Oh, that.”

”You've called me that before.”

”Yeah. You have a ... man of steel thing that you sometimes get going. It's... amusing.”

That wasn't the word he'd hoped she'd use. ”Gee, thanks. Nothing I love more than amusing you. Ma'am.”

”Watch it, Baby Huey.”

”Oh, my G.o.d. How did you... ?”

”People like me,” Joan said, laughing. At him. ”People talk to me. People tell me all their secrets.”

”And all of everyone else's secrets, too, apparently.” Muldoon amused hera”wasn't that just great? Still, he had to laugh. His luck was just unendingly bad. ”Who told you about Baby Huey? Because now I have to go and kill him.”

”So it's true,” she said. ”That really was your nickname while you went through BUD/S?”