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waving a french fry between two fingers but not eating it. “You said you followed her?”
    â€œYeah. I followed her,” he replied, chewing as he talked. “I’m pretty sure she didn’t notice me.”
    â€œYou were careful?”
    He nodded, wiping his chin with a paper napkin. “I stayed pretty far back. She didn’t see me. I’ve been following her all week. You know, getting her routine down.”
    â€œAnd?” Diane asked impatiently, dropping the french fry, her gray-blue eyes trained on him.
    He swallowed a mouthful of hamburger. “Here’s the scoop,” he replied, lowering his voice and leaning across the table even though there was no one near. “Dalby leaves the house for work every morning promptly at seven. You can set your watch by him.”
    â€œDoes Reva go with him?” Diane asked, whispering too.
    Pres shook his head, his black hair falling over one eye. He pushed it back off his forehead. “No way. The princess leaves around nine, sometimes a little later. She drives a new car. A little red Miata.”
    Diane gazed at him thoughtfully. She grabbed a french fry and shoved it into her mouth, chewing rapidly, like a rabbit, not taking her eyes off Pres. “What about servants? Is there a maid? A housekeeper?”
    He took a long sip of Coke. “I crept up to the house yesterday morning after Reva left and checked it out. There’s no live-in help. A maid arrived about ten minutes after Reva headed off to work. That’s all. No one else.”
    â€œIt can’t be that easy,” Diane said, trying to tuck her hair under the kerchief.
    â€œCan I have some of your fries?” Pres asked. He grabbed a handful before Diane could reply. “I’m starving tonight.”
    â€œDo we have any money to pay for this?” Diane asked, glancing toward the waiter, who was at thefront near the door, leaning against the wall, reading a newspaper.
    â€œI’ve got a few bucks left,” Pres told her, patting his back jeans pocket. He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “In a few days we won’t have to worry anymore.”
    He grinned at her with his Elvis grin. Diane could never resist that sexy grin. She smiled back at him. “As soon as we’re rich, I want to go to every movie in town. Ten movies a day! I want to see everything five times!”
    He raised a finger to his lips, motioning for her to lower her voice. “There was just one minor problem at Dalby’s house,” he told her, his grin fading.
    â€œWhat minor problem?”
    â€œThe guard dog,” he replied. “A big, ugly monster.”
    â€œHuh? Did he go after you when you went up to the house?”
    Pres shook his head. “He was on a chain. I think they only unleash him at night.”
    â€œThen he’s no problem?” Diane asked anxiously.
    â€œProbably no problem,” Pres replied.
    Diane narrowed her eyes, thinking hard. “Let’s go over this carefully,” she said, resting her chin in one hand. “After her father leaves at seven, Princess Reva is all alone in the house for two hours.”
    â€œYeah. That’s right,” Pres said, greedily finishing off her french fries. “She must be asleep until at least eight-thirty. She doesn’t open her bedroom blinds until then. And there’s no one else there.”
    â€œSo the best time to grab her is at her housebefore she wakes up,” Diane said, thinking out loud.
    â€œYeah,” Pres quickly agreed. “Piece of cake.”
    â€œThen let’s kidnap her tomorrow morning,” Diane said, an eager smile spreading across her face.

Chapter 6

DOWN, BOY!
    T he windshield and windows were clouded over with thick white mist. Pale light filtered in from the full moon above.
    Outside the small car, the air hung cold and still. The bare tree branches clung together as if trying to keep warm.
    Victor had