Alex was waiting for Amy when she and Barb arrived at their apartment a half hour early. It was already dark, but Amy could tell he had changed into the spare clothes he carried in his trunk.

“Hi!” he greeted them when they got out of the car.

Barb studied him. “You’re pretty awake for someone who’s been up since yesterday morning.”

He grinned at her, surprising Amy. “Adrenaline. It’ll wear off soon enough.”

“Amy told me you’re taking her out. Are you up for that?”

“I thought we’d go to my house and have a home-cooked meal I saved for last night.”

“Sounds great,” Amy told him, grinning. “In the worst case, as you like to say, I could drive your car back here afterwards and pick you up in the morning.” Then she had a thought and suddenly felt guilty. “How are Derek and David?”

Alex’s grin disappeared. He looked around, which Amy assumed was to make sure no one else could hear them. In a lowered voice, he said, “The Air Force filed a formal complaint against their company for what they, we, did yesterday, and they were both reprimanded. Mostly David, since Derek works for him.”

“Is there anything you can do for them?” Amy asked, matching his volume, while Barb moved closer to listen.

“I already did it,” he said. “I took responsibility for asking them to help find out what was going on. It didn’t help much, although I am getting a new partner out of it.”

“That was fast,” Amy said.

“‘Someone to help keep me in line’ is the way my commander put it, though technically I’ll be in the lead.”

“When is Mark’s funeral?” Amy asked in a normal voice. “I’d like to be there.”

“His family is working that out. Wednesday at the earliest.”

“We should go,” she said, handing Barb the keys to her car, and whispered, “Don’t wait up.”