Free Back Talk by Saxon Bennett Page A

woman’s best friend.”
    Hilton smiled and began typing.
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Chapter Five
    It was two o’clock in the morning by the time Hilton had completely repaired the Web site. The graveyard D.J. in the next studio waved as he walked past with a cup of coffee. Anne had worked out two complete opening monologues for the show. They looked at each other with bleary eyes.
    “Okay, that was fun,” Anne said facetiously. She straightened up her notes. She tried to crack her neck, which felt permanently cricked. Actually, the night had been rather pleasant as they chat-ted about Anne’s ideas for the show and Hilton gave Anne a quick lesson on computer programming. Most of it was way over her head, but Anne enjoyed seeing Hilton thoroughly enthused about something. Anne realized she missed the closeness of having someone to exchange ideas with. It was times like these that she missed Gerald. They had spent evenings in like fashion.
    “I think we’ll pass on breakfast,” Hilton said, rubbing her eyes.
    She got up and stretched.
    Shannon barked in apparent protest.
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    “The McDonald’s drive-through closed at one-thirty, as if I needed to remind you.”
    Shannon slumped down and let out a heavy sigh.
    “I’m sure we can go out to breakfast with Anne some other time,” Hilton told Shannon.
    “We will. I swear,” Anne said, holding up her three fingers in a Girl Scout pledge.
    Shannon turned her head away.
    “That was rude. Now, you go and apologize,” Hilton reprimanded.
    Shannon looked guilty. She got up and licked Anne’s hand.
    “That’s better.”
    “Come on, let’s get you two home,” Anne said, searching for her car keys.
    Hilton picked them up from beside the computer. “I’m going to get you one those electronic key finders for Christmas.”
    “What a lovely idea,” Anne said. She slipped her car keys in her blazer pocket.
    They left the building and woke up the security guard on the way out. He had been noticeably absent on their way in, Anne noted. She made a mental note to mention this fact to Veronica, who would look into the habits of the security guard with the tenacity of the former KGB.
    “Did you want anything?”
    “You mean to steal?” Hilton asked, apparently taken aback.
    “Yes.”
    “Well, maybe something of Veronica’s.” Hilton smiled mischievously.
    “Hilton!” Anne said. She opened the big glass doors of the building. The street lamps shone dimly, making white circles over the courtyard.
    “She hurt my feelings with her comments on my attire. I actually started to question myself.”
    Anne put her arm around Hilton’s shoulders. “Don’t give her a second thought. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
    Hilton blushed. “Thanks.”
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    Shannon jumped in the backseat and sighed contentedly.
    “I’m not getting you a Hummer,” Hilton told her.
    “How do you know she wants a Hummer?” Anne asked as she got in the driver’s seat. She had yet to figure out the language that Hilton and Shannon used but they appeared to communicate better than most people did.
    “Every time we walk past one or sit in traffic next to one, she gazes at it longingly and then gives me a look indicating that her current mode of transportation is completely inadequate due to her size.”
    “You should be a pet psychologist. I’ve never known anyone who could read animals like you do.” Anne started the car and they made their way out onto the empty city streets. It had started to rain and everything was shiny as if covered in a thin coat of veneer.
    “It would be a great job, except that you have to put up with owners. I’m not much for people, in case you haven’t noticed.”
    Anne stopped at the light and then looked over at Hilton.
    “Now, let me get this straight. You live with three other women.
    You have two girlfriends and you like talk radio, which is