All she had to do was check the doors to see that the locks had engaged properly. That left only two doors for entry and exit the side door for employees and the huge door to receive merchandise. The side door could be opened from the inside or outside, but only by using special keys carried by Willie Quentin and the assistant manager. The loading dock door couldn't be opened at all from the outside, but had to be unlocked by throwing a series of three switches in the proper sequence, inside.

Only a few lights were on in the store proper. A single light burned in the stockroom it lit the passage from the loading dock to the stairway to Willie's office. With her uneasiness mounting, Mavis lurked near the entry to the stockroom, waiting for the armored van to arrive. She wished that Dell had remained behind-but he hadn't spoke five words to her since what Connie and Miriam had forced him to do! Mavis shrugged.

She couldn't blame him. And she doubted that he even suspected that Becky was fucking Willie!

She wished the van guys would arrive. As soon as they rang the bell for entry at the loading dock, she would go in back, trip the switches and admit them. Then all she had to do was stand by until they took all that money, loaded it in the armored vehicle, and she could go home.

She wondered whether Phil was already there. She had left him a note on the breakfast nook table, explaining where she was.

As she thought about her husband, warm anticipation pulsed through her.

When he had called the night before, she detected a sexy promise in his voice. He had said they would have a couple of drinks and hinted at a long night of romping between the sheets.

She was startled when a faint bell sounded and she looked up to see a red light flashing beside it. The armored van had arrived. It would only be a few minutes before she could leave, get in her old car and hurry home to her husband's arms.