I tell her I'm done for the night, and she says "Good. Go on and wait in the living room, would you? I'm going to get her undressed and make sure she's okay. Go ahead and make yourself something to drink, if you want. I'll be right there."

I tell her sure, and clear out – Edith is a looker, but I don't think she wants me looking at her too much, you know?

Back out in the living room, I get the chance to notice that it's a real nice place before I find the liquor cabinet. She's got my brand of rum, and mixers in a mini-fridge, so I make myself a rum and Coke. I'm quarter of the way through my drink and looking out the glass patio doors at the city when the friend comes in a while later.

She gives me a look and says "Thanks for bringing her home the way you did. I'll be right back." before she goes back to her place. She's back in a minute with a stethoscope and a couple of other things; she tells me "I'm a nurse, and I'm going to check her out. Please, stay, and make yourself another drink if you want."

Since the only one I've got at home is my cat Demosthenes, I'm not in any pressing hurry to leave. I've got time to finish my drink, and make another one before the woman comes out again. The stethoscope is hanging around her neck, and she's wrapping up some doctor-looking stuff when she tells me "She was definitely drugged. She's starting to come out of it, and she asked me to ask you to stay, if you will. Judging from what she was able to tell me when it started, and how she felt then and now, I'd say she's probably going to be pretty close to back to normal in an hour, or so. I'm Denise, by the way."

"Nice to meet you – except for the circumstances. I'm Jim.", I tell her.

She gives me a half smile and says "I think the circumstances are perfect. Edith has told me that you're the one cab driver she trusts when she has to work late, and you've shown she was right to. Let me put this stuff away, and I'll be right back."