"It doesn't sound silly. Tonight'll be boring, anyway. All I'm going to do is look at the house and walk around the neighborhood." I picked up my drink, observing its pleasing color. "Friday's when I could use company, but you're tied up with GurlyGurl."

"Wait a minute. I thought Marty was going with you."

I shook my head. "He'd be willing, but there's no way I'd want to take him along. Remember, he knows Mapes. If he's spotted in the area, if there's anything at all to connect him to the burglary-"

"And you were going to ask me to come with you? Why didn't you say something?"

"Well, as soon as I found out you had a date…"

"I'd have broken it. I can still break it, I'll just e-mail GurlyGurl and tell her something came up."

"No, don't do that. This'll be your third connection through Date-a-Dyke, and everybody knows the third time is the charm. Besides, I always feel a little guilty involving you in my crimes."

"As long as we don't get caught," she said, "you've got nothing to feel guilty about."

"That's not the way they teach it in Sunday school."

"Too bad." She frowned. "What time?"

"I really don't want you breaking your date."

"I got that part. What time are you gonna be doing it?"

"I don't know. I haven't worked that out yet. The Mapeses have tickets for the Met. There's an eight o'clock curtain, so they'll most likely leave the house around seven."

"And that's when you'll go?"

"No, that's a little early for me. I figure I'll set out around nine. They're seeingDon Giovanni, and that lasts close to four hours, and by the time they get home-"

"I can come," she said.

"But your date with GurlyGurl-"

"Didn't I tell you I'd be skipping the Bum Rap Friday? I'm meeting her in the lobby of the Algonquin at 6:15. That gives me plenty of time to run home and put on jeans and sneakers and meet you wherever you say."