A smiling Dodger staring back at her through the fish-eye peephole. He had to stand on his toes to get up high enough.
“Compliments of the house!” he announced cheerily.
Courtney couldn’t help but smile. The guy was either a sincere goof, or Saint Dane was better than she imagined. She hesitated, then unlocked the door, and threw it open. Dodger stood there behind a dinner cart loaded with plates of food that were covered by silver warming domes. Courtney’s stomach rumbled.
“How did you get here so fast?” she asked suspiciously.
“I called you from the house phone in the laundry back there,” Dodger said, pointing to a door a few yards down the hall. “I figure you gotta be hungry after rocketing through the universe. Pluto, right?” He gave her an innocent, sincere smile.
“Come on in,” she said. “If you’re going to give me trouble, it might as well be on a full stomach.”
“Oh, no,” Dodger said. “It ain’t right being in a lady’s boudoir.”
“Ain’t that your, I mean… isn’t that your job?”
“Yeah, but I ain’t here on official business. I’m here on Gunny business.”
Courtney gave Dodger a good long look. The delicious smells rising up from the covered plates made her mouth water. “Tell you what,” she said. “If you’re telling the truth, I guess you’d call it being ‘on the level,’ I’m sorry for being so mysterious. If you’re not telling the truth, you know exactly where I’m coming from, so back off.”
“Jeez, you’re confusing me,” Dodger said. “You gotta understand. I owe Gunny a lot. I wasn’t the best kid growing up, you know. Gunny took me in and gave me a job. He trusted me. Nobody ever done that before. I think I did all right, too. All because Gunny gave me the chance. So if he asked me to swim over to Germany and give old Adolph a smacker on the lips, I’d be swimmin’ and puckerin’ up. The way I see it, helping you is easy-peasy.”
“All right! I give up! Jeez, you’re making me cry here… and now I’m starting to sound like you. Unbelievable.”
“I grow on people,” Dodger said with a sly smile.
“Look, it’s got to be on my terms. Don’t ask questions. Don’t follow me. And only do what I ask. If that’s okay with you, I welcome your help.”
Dodger let out a big, genuine smile. He tipped his bellhop cap and said, “I am at your service, ma’am. When do we start?”
“Tomorrow morning. Nine o’clock. And don’t call me ‘ma’am,’ either.”
“What should I call you?”
“‘Courtney.’ No title. No colorful slang. Just ‘Courtney.’”
“Done. Nine o’clock it is. Meet you in the lobby?”
“Done.” She couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you, Dodger. And just know that if you’re Saint Dane, I’m ready for you.”
“And maybe someday I’ll know what the heck that means,” Dodger said. “Until then, enjoy this delicious meal. I’ll see you bright and early!”
He tipped his cap again and left Courtney to pull the cart of food into the room. All thoughts of Dodger and Saint Dane and Ibara evaporated for the few minutes it took her to enjoy the feast. Dodger had brought her a fabulous dinner of sliced turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy, nut stuffing, cranberry sauce, and buttered green beans. Thanksgiving had come a few weeks early. Courtney was all set to chow down when the thought crossed her mind that somehow Saint Dane knew how much she liked Thanksgiving dinner, and this meal was another way to earn her trust. Was he that incredibly devious? She decided she was too hungry to care. She put her fear of manipulation-by-turkey out of her head, and tucked in. It was delicious. She ate too fast and ended up feeling totally bloated, but she didn’t care. Dodger had thought of it all, including the pumpkin pie and milk. Courtney decided to hold off on eating the pie until she digested a little. That held her back for a whole five minutes. It was too tempting. She downed the pie and enjoyed every last decadent crumb.
It was late. Courtney didn’t finish feasting until nearly ten o’clock. She knew it wasn’t smart to go to bed on such a full stomach, but she was dog tired and the tryptophan was working its magic. She could barely keep her eyes open long enough to brush her teeth and pull off her clothes, before she fell into bed and dropped off to sleep. One of her last thoughts before nodding off was that Dodger’s thoughtful meal had an added bonus. She was going to get a good night’s sleep without all the tossing and turning she usually had to endure while her mind raced and worried. She was on her way out. That was good, because she knew the next day would be busy. She was going to begin her quest to find Mark in this alien world.
The next morning she was woken up by the jangling telephone. She leaped up, ready to grab her clothes and run out of the building to escape from the fire. It took her a second to realize it was only the annoying phone.
“What’s with these old-time people?” she asked herself. “Are they all deaf?”
She answered the phone and heard Dodger’s friendly voice. “Change your mind?”
Courtney glanced at the bedside clock. It was nine thirty. She had slept nearly twelve hours.
“Yikes, sorry. I’ll be right there.”
Courtney didn’t bother with a shower. She her woolen pants and white shirt. She threw on socks, tied up the leather shoes, and slipped into the green sweater. The finishing touch was the floppy hat that she tucked her hair into. She had no idea what she’d find on First Earth, but there was one thing she knew for sure. She didn’t want anybody treating her like a “skirt.” Satisfied, she left the apartment and headed upstairs.
The hotel lobby was bustling with people. Courtney saw Dodger leaning against a big, marble column near the lounge. She watched him for a moment. He looked innocent enough, she thought. He wore plain black pants and a short charcoal gray cloth jacket. Without his bellhop uniform, he looked even younger. Being short added to that impression. He stood watching the hotel guests as they passed by, waving and smiling to those he knew. One elderly woman was having trouble getting the attention of the busy bellhops, so Dodger jumped in and helped her carry her suitcase to the front desk, even though he wasn’t on duty. There was nothing about Dodger that made Courtney think he could be Saint Dane, other than the fact that she thought everybody could be Saint Dane. She wasn’t going to let her guard down, but she needed help finding Mark. She decided it was worth the risk. She left the doorway, stuck her hands in her pockets, and walked toward him. When Dodger saw her, he brightened up.
“There you are!” he said. “Good afternoon!”
“Yeah, very funny,” Courtney said, all business. “Let’s go talk.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dodger said obediently, then winced. “I mean, yes, Courtney.”
Courtney led him into the lobby lounge. It was loaded with people chatting and socializing.
“No good,” she said, putting on the brakes. “Is there some place private?” She thought a second and added, “But with other people around?”
“You want private but with other people?”
“Uh, yeah.” She realized how ridiculous that sounded.
“Still don’t trust me? Even after the turkey dinner?”
“Especially after the turkey dinner,” Courtney said. “But thanks anyway.”
“You’re welcome. Follow me.”
Dodger led Courtney through the opulent lobby. The short guy walked with a cocky strut, like he owned the place. He brought Courtney through the hotel restaurant and into the bustling kitchen.
“Hey, Dodger!” one of the cooks called out. “Ain’t this your day off?”
“Nah, I’m always workin’,” Dodger shot back quickly. Another cook whistled and yelled, “Dodger! Whose the Kewpie?”
“That’s ‘dame’ to you, pal!” Courtney shouted back.
The cooks laughed in mock fear. Dodger laughed too. Courtney could see that he was well liked. Would Saint Dane be well liked? She shook off the thought. It was making her nuts.
Dodger brought Courtney to the back of the kitchen, where the dishes were washed. It was hot and steamy, with only a few dishwashers at work.
“How’s this?” Dodger asked. “Quiet but not too quiet, nobody to bother us, and a couple of witnesses in case I do something you don’t like. All you gotta do is put up with a little steam and some dirty dishes.”
“This is fine.”
“Now, how can I help you?”
“If you are who you say you are, you won’t understand what I’m about to tell you. If you aren’t who you say
