, as Paul looked around the auditorium. "I
may as well get underway, too. What's a good time for the show? Ten? Eleven?"
"Uh... around midnight, actually," said Paul, scribbling his cell phone
number on his notepad and handing it to Cade. "We always run a little late and
she'll be the last act. What's your cell number?"
"Can't give it out; it's an agency internal number. Doesn't matter; I'll be
here and you can give me fifteen minutes notice to let Mandi and WNN know when
to show up."
"How can you be sure WNN will show up?"
With a small grin, Cade said, "I know a few of the news people." Shifting
his backpack to his left shoulder, he added, "See you later," and headed for the
doors.
On his way to the escalator, Cade took out his cell phone and called John.
"It's a go, John. Mandi's chunk of the show will start around midnight. I'll
be able to give you about fifteen minutes notice."
"Good enough. We'll have people in the crowd on general principles. Do you
want me to notify WNN?"
"Fine with me. We'll give them ten minutes or less to get over here. Good?"
"Good. Anything else, Ed?"
"Nope. I'm gonna find some dinner and get the hell away from all these
people for a while."
"Later, then."
"Over and out and stuff like that."
Cade made it as far as the second-level escalators before Mandi stepped out
of a phone alcove and said, "Hi, there."
"Hi, yourself, milady. Superpeople changing in phone booths isn't exactly an
original concept, y'know."
"Then it's a good thing it doesn't have to be, isn't it? How'd the rest of
the visit go?"
"Good. You'll go on stage around midnight. Paul's gonna give me about
fifteen minutes to set things up. You'll be the last part of the show."
Mandi nodded. "Sounds fine. What about the car?"
Leading the way to the parking area, Cade said, "That's where we're going
now. I've got the keys to one of John's agency rentals. It's got about an eighth
of a tank, so we'll siphon it dry and give it a wash before we take it inside."
"A wash? At this hour? Where?"
"Around back at the loading docks. That's where they wash the hotel vans.
Manuel said he'd meet us there at eight and spiff it up inside and out for
twenty bucks."
"Manuel?"
"He's a hotel employee. He gets to keep the gas, too; all but enough to get
the car moving again later. How's your stage makeup holding together?"
"You tell me. The