Until You

"I ate," she said defensively. "I finished almost half my McMuffin."

Jean-Phillipe looked at her. Then he collected everything except their coffee cups and dumped it into the nearest trash bin.

"Now," he said, sitting down not across from her but beside her, "tell me what is wrong."

"Am I that transparent?"

"To me, yes. Tell me what troubles you."

She hesitated, looked up at a grinning Ronald McDonald again, and took a deep breath.

"Someone broke into my apartment yesterday."

Jean-Phillipe's face went chalk-white beneath its year-round tan.

"My God," he whispered, reaching for her hand.

"I don't know exactly when it happened but I suspect it must have been in the evening, after Madame Delain locked the front door." Miranda tried for a smile. "You know how she is. She'd never have let anyone slip past her."

Jean-Phillipe's hand tightened on hers.

"A burglar, in your apartment?" He shuddered. "Thank God you were not home when it happened."

"I know. I keep thinking that, too."

"What was taken, cherie? Not that it is of any importance. Possessions are always replaceable."

"That's just it," Miranda said quietly. "Nothing was taken."

"Nothing?"

She shook her head.

"The thief was surprised in the act, then?"

"I don't think so. Whoever broke in just poked around in my bedroom, went through my things..."

"He touched your possessions?"

She nodded. "My clothing. And—and apparently, he lay on my bed."

Her voice quavered and she fell silent. Jean-Phillipe let out a string of French oaths she barely comprehended. His hand tightened around hers, hard enough so it hurt, but she didn't mind. The pain was an anchor to reality.

"Did you call the police?"

"No."

"And you did not call me. Why not? I would have come to you at once, you know that. Mon Dieu, you should not have been alone!"

"I wasn't. Do you remember that man at the showing yesterday morning?"

"What man?"

"The one I was talking to when you came backstage to wish me luck."

Jean-Phillipe frowned. "The one who looked as if he would have liked to carry you off?"

"Don't be silly."