Whatever else might be said of Paul Harshman, Pal decided, he couldn't be called cheap. Their drinks and dinners cost him over one hundred dollars, and he was going to drive them in his rented car to a road company performance of a current Broadway production. Having checked ticket prices the previous week, Pal knew that the seats Paul had reserved added another sixty dollars to the evening's tariff.

As he tipped the doorman of the exclusive club, where they had dined, Paul shifted his wallet under the blue-white light of the neon sign, frowned, and then tucked the obviously expensive leather folder in his jacket pocket.

Their car was driven up to the door, Paul helped Pal in, and went around to get behind the wheel.

"Hang on tight, beautiful," he told her. "Have to stop at the hotel on our way to the theater. It seems I forgot to change the tickets from my card case to my wallet. If we don't waste any time on the way, we'll still make the curtain."

He was also a good driver, Pal learned, as the car sped through traffic at magnum speed limits, maneuvered deftly in and out of lanes to avoid delays by slower vehicles. But she closed her eyes a few times, as they came close to brushing other cars during the frenzied race against time.

Though Paul had used the term "hotel" to describe his lodgings, when they wheeled into the beautifully landscaped driveway, Pal saw that it was more truly a motel. The larger part of the rooms and suites were separate units, with maximum privacy assured by the ingenious layout and judicious use of shrubs and trees.

Paul parked the car behind the end unit – the most distant from the central facilities of the complex. He excused himself, and started to go inside. Then he halted, turned, and came back to the car. He leaned to place his head at the level of Pal's eyes, and opened her door.