"No shit," muttered Stan. Two brunettes came into the pub as Mandi broke the rack. They approached and stopped at a distance as Mandi shot, then angled around the pool table. One went to Stan; the other went to Mike, who stood up with Cade as she approached. Stan introduced them as Susan and Sara, then Cade and Mike pulled up two more chairs for them and everybody sat down to watch the game. "Will talking disturb her?" asked Sara. "I seriously doubt it," said Cade, with a shake of his head. Turning to Mike, Sara said, "Sorry we couldn't get loose earlier. We got kind of busy in the ER. Do you think this game will take long? We're starving." Mike laughed shortly and said, "No, I don't think it'll take long. She's good." Shaking his head slightly, he added, "She's real damned good. Five games and she hasn't missed yet." "Not at all?" asked Susan. "Not once." Appropriately impressed, the newcomers watched Mandi quickly pocket her last three balls and the eight. "Make that six games," said Mike. "Damn!" After Mike and Stan had left with their starving ladies, Mandi leaned her rump on the pool table and asked, "Well? We still have time for a game, too. Want to try your luck again?" Grinning wryly, Cade said, "Sure, if I break." Unassing the table to reach for her beer, Mandi said, "No problem. Go for it." After a long sip while watching Cade rack the balls, she asked, "How old are you, Ed?" "Fifty-three. Why?" "Just curious. If you had any health problems, you wouldn't be working with John's group, would you?" Lining up to break the rack, Cade said, "Nope." Sipping her beer again, Mandi said, "After the show tonight... Well, I'm thinking that I'd rather not be where anyone is likely to look for me." Pausing to look at her, Cade asked, "Reason?" Mandi shook her head and said, "I'd just rather not have anyone knocking on my door after the show." With a shrug, Cade said, "We'll tell John. He'll tell the others to leave you alone." Giving him a studious look, Mandi sipped her beer again as Cade sent the cue ball through the rack. "I didn't say I wanted to be alone," she said. "I said I wanted to be where I wouldn't be found." Looking up from the table, Cade set the butt of his cue stick on the floor, regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, then asked, "Would it be too much to hope for that you're referring to my room as your sanctuary?" With a small shake of her head, Mandi smiled slightly as she said, "No, Ed. It wouldn't be too much to hope for." She sipped her beer and quietly added, "But it might be all you could hope for." "Uh, huh. Does that mean I'd have to behave myself or that you'd have your way with me and then discard me like a used paper towel in the morning?" Laughing, Mandi said, "No, it just means that... Well..." she hesitated