Even if they manage to fight their way through, they forget why they came over once she starts up.'
April adjusted her reading glasses with one finger and looked beyond Gretchen. 'Uh-oh,' she said. 'He looks exactly like his picture.'
Gretchen followed April's gaze.
Steve was weaving through the hall.
'Uh-oh is right,' Gretchen said.
Steve wasn't alone. As unlikely as it seemed, Matt Albright strolled along next to him, scanning the crowd. Matt had dark, wavy hair and a great build. He wore a white T-shirt that accentuated his tan arms.
Gretchen and Matt's eyes met from a distance. Matt nudged Steve and pointed in Gretchen's direction. She could see beads of sweat glistening on the detective's forehead even from here.
'What's Matt doing at the show?' Gretchen muttered.
'I thought he had pediophobia.'
April shot an angry look at Gretchen. 'That's how rumors get started. Detective Albright would never assault little kids.'
'Not pedophilia,' Gretchen said. 'Pediophobia. It means he's afraid of dolls.'
'Well, that's silly.'
'You're afraid of clowns,' Gretchen pointed out.
'That's different,' April said. 'Clowns really are scary. I'm going back to my table. If you need me, holler.'
Matt gave Gretchen a wave and turned away. She had noticed a nervous tightness along his jaw.
Steve steamed toward her like a runaway train.
'There you are,' Steve said, huffing a little. 'This place is enormous. I had to ask that guy to help me.'
'Where did you run into him?'
'He was helping little old ladies carry bags of dolls in.'
Steve laughed. 'Must have been a Boy Scout at one time. Got all nervous when we came inside, though. Funny thing.'
Gretchen couldn't believe that Matt was even near the doll show.
Steve noticed the shoppers at her table. 'You're doing well.'
'I'm amazed at how many people like Ginny dolls. I'll have to pull more stock from storage for tomorrow's show.'
She edged toward the center of the table, hoping someone would interrupt.
A uniformed police officer sauntered past, and Gretchen wanted to call him over to referee.
'We need to talk,' Steve said to her. 'I know this isn't the best place, but it has to be right now.'
'I can't discuss anything now. I'm working.'
'You're killing me, Gretchen. I came all this way from Boston to convince you that I need you. You have to listen.'
Steve grabbed her arm.
'I'm busy.' She wrenched away. 'Nothing you can say will change my mind.'
'I can change your mind.'
'I'm not interested in changing my mind. I've started a new life.'
'We'll talk tonight.' It wasn't a request. 'I'm going to insist, Gretchen.'
'This guy bothering you, princess?' came a voice from behind her.
Ronny Beam's narrow Wile E. Coyote face glared at Steve.
Steve looked him up and down, then jabbed a thumb toward Ronny. 'You know this character?'
'You're looking at Cupcake's sugar daddy,' Ronny said.
'Keep your mitts off if you don't want trouble. I could be your worst nightmare.'
Gretchen's mouth dropped open. Ronny gave her a wink. Her skin crawled.
Ronny reached out with a microphone in his hand and tapped it on Steve's chest. 'Take off,' he said. 'Scram.'
Then Ronny made the mistake of pushing Steve. Microphone curled in one hand, the other hand balled into a fist, he thumped Steve on both shoulders and shoved.
Steve stumbled, then grabbed Ronny by his shirt and backed him into the table. Several Ginny dolls fell over.
'Take your mic someplace else,' he said. 'Gretchen doesn't want your company.'
People near Gretchen's table backed away from the two men. Others moved closer for better views.
Gretchen heard Nina's voice rise in the background.
'Steve and Ronny are fighting over Gretchen,' she shouted.
'Let him go, Steve. Ronny's harmless.' Gretchen spoke nervously, hoping the police officer she'd seen earlier was on the far side of the hall.
'You better listen to her,' Ronny said. 'Otherwise, you'll be the feature story on page one. I ought to file a complaint against you for battery. Page one, I'm telling you. That would increase circulation.'
Steve didn't release Ronny's shirt. 'Gretchen, should I remove him for you?' His eyes never left Ronny.
'I hardly know the man,' Gretchen said. 'And I don't want any trouble.'
'What are you saying?' Ronny said, risking a glance at Gretchen. 'Is that all I mean to you? A one- nighter?'
Gretchen felt like braining Ronny with her toolbox while Steve had him cornered and defenseless. Instead, she placed a hand on Steve's arm. 'He's a creep,' she said.
'Let him go.'
Steve released Ronny.
Ronny made a big show of rearranging his clothing, then turned to the crowd that had gathered. He smiled crookedly.
'I'm taking statements over by that door,' he said, pointing to a back exit. 'Anyone see the whole thing, I'll be waiting to interview you. It's going to be a big story.'
Turning to Steve, he said, 'You're lucky I'm on a story that's about to blow this place sky high. It's going to be better than those old-time horror flicks about them dolls that come alive and start murdering people. Yup. Even better than killer dolls. Even better…' he motioned at Gretchen with his head.'… than the story about what just happened here.'
'Get lost,' Steve said.
Ronny looked at Gretchen. 'You'll be sorry you passed up a good thing.'
Steve took a step forward.
Ronny scurried away.
'Boy, oh, boy,' April said for the third time. 'Two guys fighting over you. Wow. That was something.'
'Just great,' Gretchen said, squirting mustard onto a hot dog with one eye on her table. 'My cheating ex- boyfriend and the biggest slime in town. How lucky can a girl get?'
The crowds had thinned at noon as most visitors filed into an attached room for fast-food lunches. The two puppies were exhausted from the morning's attention and napped inside their respective purses. Tutu curled up under a chair and snored loudly.
'Good thing Ronny was distracted by Steve,' Nina said from her table. 'Or he would have been after me.'
'He has a petition going on the other side of the hall,'
April said.
Nina paused, a nacho close to her open mouth. 'What kind of petition?'
'Ronny wants you thrown out of the doll show. He says all that dog hair can't be good for the dolls. Six vendors have signed already.'
'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' Nina said.
April shrugged. 'I just heard.' She reached in a pocket of her enormous muumuu and grinned. 'Here's the
