Free After Hours by Rochelle Alers

and town houses to reach her public housing development. The motel was in an industrial area five hundred feet from a Home Depot, a Staples and a Sam’s Club. The nearest residential area was half a mile away.
    â€œWhat are you doing living—”
    She put up her hand in front of his face, cutting him off. “Please don’t ask.”
    He glared at her until she lowered her hand. “Okay, Dina, I’ll stay out of your business.” He’d only conceded because he knew when to advance and when to retreat when it came to women. “May I at least walk you to your door?” The motel wasn’t in the best neighborhood and probably wouldn’t garner a half-star rating even with a new paint job.
    Her smile was slow in coming. “Yes, you may.”
    Lance walked into the motel with Dina, following her down a hallway to her room, and waited until she unlocked the door. At least the lobby and halls were clean and well lighted. She handed him his cell phone.
    â€œThank you for everything and a memorable afternoon.”
    He stared at the back of Dina’s head, wondering why she wouldn’t look at him. He actually didn’t know much more about her than her name, age and that she lived in Irvington, not in a house or apartment but in a seedy motel. He wanted to know her marital status, whether she had children or where she worked.
    More questions bombarded him like missiles: who was the man at the track who’d walked away with his approach? What was his connection to Dina and what had he said to her to make her cry? Lance knew his questions would remain questions if this was to be the last time he saw Dina.
    â€œIt was my pleasure,” he said to her back. Turning on his heel, he retraced his steps, walking away from a woman who’d stirred up protective instincts he hadn’t known he had.
    Dina stood motionless, watching Lance until he disappeared from her line of vision, then walked into the room and closed the door. The threat against her life had changed her. Two weeks ago she would’ve seen Lance Haynes as the perfect mark. It wouldn’t have mattered if he was married or single because she would’ve pimped him for everything he had and walked away without a modicum of guilt. Her rationale would’ve been if he’d been dumb enough to let the head between his legs do the thinking for him, then he deserved whatever he got.
    What she couldn’t understand was that she liked Lance. But, then again, she was Dina Gordon, not Adina Jenkins—who would’ve messed him over royally. Lance Haynes didn’t know how lucky he was that he’d escaped Adina Jenkins’s clutches unscathed.
    She slipped out of her shoes, sat down and reached for the cell phone in the drawer of the bedside table.
    She checked her voice mail.
    Her heart sank.
    No one had called.

CHAPTER 17
    K arla lay on a chaise on the shaded patio of the Oldwick, New Jersey home she shared with her husband, Ronald, sipping from a glass of iced green tea. Ronald had gotten up early to play doubles tennis with three of his fraternity brothers. He’d invited her to come along and hang out with the other wives, but she’d declined.
    She probably would see the same women the following day at a cookout hosted by mutual friends. Interacting with some of the women for two consecutive days was not what she thought of as entertainment. There were a few women who didn’t like her, and the feeling was mutual.
    It felt good to sleep in late, lose track of time after she’d lounged in the Jacuzzi before eating a cholesterol-laden, calorie-filled breakfast—something she rarely did. It was Sunday, a day of rest, and Karla intended to do just that—rest.
    Her gaze narrowing, she stared at a bird circling lazily overhead. She sat up and watched as it appeared to stop in midair, then fell out of the sky in a burst of speed, disappearing from sight. She waited, counting off