Free Thou Art With Me by Debbie Viguié

tonight the office will be closed. You don’t have any kind of a search warrant or legitimate police backing so it’s not like you can just go in and find what you want. You’re going to have to find someplace to stay the night and then go the office first thing in the morning.”
    He paused as he felt frustration sinking in. “You’re right.”
    “Of course I am.”
    “If you take a plane you can make it before the end of the business day and be back tonight. In the long run that will be cheaper than a hotel, several meals, and the gas you’ll use.”
    “You’re a genius.”
    “I know. I’m also a very tired mom who wants you on diaper duty tonight.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” he said as he changed freeways to head for the airport.
     
     
    Cindy was in the bathroom of the bungalow she was sharing with Jeremiah, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked good, great even. She was surprised to admit it. She was wearing the black dress that Wildman had helped pick out. She was worried that she might be a little overdressed for the meet-and-greet. This was the most conservative of the dresses she had brought with her, though. She was beginning to wonder if it had been a mistake to let Wildman talk her into it.
    She had done her hair up because it felt more appropriate to wear her hair that way with a dress like this. She was wearing more makeup than just her usual lipstick. She had on blush and had even gone as far as eyeshadow and mascara.
    “Are you almost ready?” Jeremiah called.
    “Yes,” she said. She gave herself a smile, turned, and exited the bathroom.
    Jeremiah was standing up from the table and he froze partway up. His eyes widened and quickly swept her from head to toe.
    “How do I look?” she asked as she did a quick turn.
    “Stunning,” he said, his voice sounding a little deeper. He finished standing up and quickly walked over to her, a smile spreading across his features.
    “Absolutely stunning.”
    “Thank you. You look very handsome.”
    He was wearing a black button down shirt and a pair of khaki colored slacks.
    “I wish you’d told me we were dressing up. I would have packed a suit.”
    “I think you look perfect the way you are. Besides, it’s perfectly acceptable if the woman dresses more upscale than the man but not the other way around.”
    “Oh really?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
    “So I’ve been told.” She glanced over at the table and the papers he had spread across it. “Did you find anything?”
    “Not yet. I’m making sure I’ve memorized the area, just in case.”
    “Sounds like a good idea. I probably should, too,” she said.
    “We can talk about that after dinner. Shall we?”
    “Yes.”
    They exited the bungalow and then Jeremiah offered her his arm. She took it and as they walked she couldn’t help but feel like this whole twisted thing was a real date.
    They walked toward the glass building and Cindy suddenly realized that her choice of attire might have been a bad one after all. She tried to imagine how she was going to get up and down off one of the cushions on the floor without flashing everyone let alone maintaining some semblance of dignity and grace.
    When they reached the building she saw to her relief that the pillows had been stacked up along the one wall, clearing the floor. Apparently the meet-and-greet would be more like a mixer where everyone stood and milled around.
    A table had been set up along one wall with glasses of champagne on it. The man they had met earlier, Arnold, was standing near it wearing casual slacks, a white shirt with the top button undone and a sports jacket. He was chatting to an older couple. The man was wearing a suit and the woman was wearing a dress and some very expensive looking pearls. The couple didn’t strike Cindy as the type to go in for a retreat like this.
    Two other couples were already there as well. They were standing together. Or, rather, the men were standing together and the women were standing a