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Otis allowed her to tuck him under her arm. They walked toward the front door of the lobby.

The door opened before Lucy could punch in the code. Mrs. Briggs stood in the opening, a picnic basket in her hands. That was disconcerting enough, but it was the fact that Briggs was smiling that sent a chill of alarm through Lucy.

“Uh, hi, Mrs. Briggs,” she said. “Going on a picnic?”

“No.” Mrs. Briggs’s smile did not waver. “Waiting for you to get home, dear.”

Dear?The situation was becoming more unnerving by the moment.

Gabriel nodded. “Hello, Mrs. Briggs. Nice to see you again.”

“It’s lovely to see you, too, Mr. Jones.” Mrs. Briggs’s welcoming smile abruptly switched to a frown of concern and, finally, shock. “You’re covered in soot and ash.” Her eyes widened. “Both of you are. And so is the dust bunny. Were you in a fire?”

“No, ma’am,” Gabriel said. “We got too close to a building that had recently been burned out.”

“Was there a major fire in town today? I didn’t see anything on the rez screen.”

“The fire occurred months ago, Mrs. Briggs,” Lucy said quickly. “We happened to walk down the street in front of the damaged building. Accidentally brushed up against the ashes and soot. A shower will take care of everything.”

Mrs. Briggs scowled at Otis. “See that your dust bunny gets a bath, too. Don’t let him get his filthy paws on the lobby floor or the stairs or the hallway.”

Otis ignored her, as was his habit.

“We’ll be careful,” Lucy said.

Mrs. Briggs scrutinized her and Gabriel. “I see you’ve both taken off your shoes. That’s good. Don’t touch anything on the way up to your apartment.”

“We won’t,” Lucy promised.

Mrs. Briggs recovered her composure, rezzed up a surreal smile, and held out the picnic basket. “I’ve been waiting for you and Mr. Jones to return. I know the two of you have been very busy lately. I thought you might like a break from takeout and delivery. I made my special stew and corn bread for you. Just heat and serve. There’s a lovely cheesecake for dessert.”

Lucy managed, just barely, not to appear completely stunned. She handed Otis to Gabriel and took the basket. It was heavy. “Thank you so much. I’ve got diddly-squat in the refrigerator.”

“You’re quite welcome.” Mrs. Briggs turned back to Gabriel. “It’s so nice to have the director of the new Guild visiting in our neighborhood. Will you be staying with Lucy until you find a place of your own? We would be thrilled to have you as a permanent resident here in the Dark Zone. I’ve got a vacancy coming up soon. It’s on the second floor, not far from Lucy’s apartment. Very convenient.”

“Thanks,” Gabriel said. “I’ll certainly keep that in mind.”

“If you decide to buy instead of rent, I can give you my son’s card,” Mrs. Briggs continued. “He’s a real estate agent who specializes in this zone. Outside agents can’t find their way around our neighborhood. You’ll definitely want an expert who is local. He’ll get you the best price, too.”

“I will remember that,” Gabriel said.

Lucy tightened her grip on the basket and flashed Mrs. Briggs another smile. “Got to run. Sorry, can’t chat. Thanks again for the meal. Have a good evening.”

“You, too, dear,” Mrs. Briggs said. “Oh, one more thing. Don’t forgetthat according to your lease you can’t have a guest staying in your apartment for longer than a week. After that there will be an extra charge. If Mr. Jones moves in with you, we’ll need to sign a new lease, one with both your names on it. The monthly rent will be adjusted accordingly.”

Lucy forced herself to smile. “Thanks for the reminder.”

Mrs. Briggs stood back to allow them into the lobby. Otis waved his dust bunny, eager to get upstairs. The action raised a small cloud of ashes, most of which landed on Mrs. Briggs’s face and the front of her blouse.

She gave a yelp of dismay, stepped back quickly, and brushed frantically at her clothing.

“Gentlemen, let’s move,” Lucy said. She sprinted toward the stairs. “Fast.”

Gabriel followed, taking the stairs two at a time with an easy stride. Otis chortled, sensing a new game.

Lucy was panting by the time she reached the landing. The picnic basket felt as if it was loaded with rocks. It was also awkward.

Down below in the lobby a door slammed. Mrs. Briggs was not happy.