Chapter One

“No, I’m sorry… that’s not right.” Reena Mackay’s soft blue eyes were wide with confusion. “I gave Wendy the money two days ago, and she said that she’d given it to you. Everything’s set for me to move in. Isn’t it?”

Eddie Solis looked at Reena and shook his head. “Nope. I have no money from you or Wendy.”

“But I gave her my share of the security deposit, and the full amount for first and last month’s rent – she was supposed to pay me back her share! I mean… it was thousands of dollars. And you’re saying that she hasn’t given any of it to you?”

“None.”

“OK, wait. I’ll call her and see what’s going on here.” With shaking hands, Reena pulled her cell out of her purse, and scrolled through her phone book looking for Wendy’s number.

Eddie crossed his arms and watched her, knowing damn good and well what was going on here. In his thirty-seven years as a landlord, he’d seen every scam out there and this one was an oldie but a goodie: it never went out of style to rip off your potential roommate. Eddie sighed. He liked Reena a lot – far more than he had ever liked Wendy, if he was being honest – but the fact was, if she couldn’t pay what she had legally agreed to, he’d take her cute little ass to court.

Reena disconnected the call. “It says that this number is no longer in service.”

“Yeah.” Eddie waited.

“OK, I’ll… I’ll call her work.” She plucked a business card from her purse and resolutely dialled the number.

Eddie admired her faith in Wendy, no matter how misguided, and he nodded. He knew full well that Wendy would no longer work there. If she ever did.

“Hello?” Reena fought to sound calm. “Could I please speak to Wendy Chilton?” She paused and when she spoke again, her voice was a few octaves higher. “When did she quit?”

Eddie sighed again.

“I… I see. Thank you.” She turned to Eddie. “She got her salary yesterday by direct deposit and didn’t show up this morning. Left a message on the office machine that she quit.”

“Yeah.”

She blinked at him. “You don’t seem all that surprised.”

“I’m not.”

Reena was silent for a few seconds, trying to get a grasp on the situation. “OK, so. So… can we just – I don’t know. Like, annul the rental agreement?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re supposed to move in this weekend, Reena. If we annul now, that apartment will stand empty for at least two months. Probably three, since chances are a new tenant would need to give sixty days’ notice on any place they live in now. That means that I’m out three months’ income, and I can’t do that. You need to move in, and that means you need to come up with security, and first and last months’ rent.”

“By this weekend?” Reena asked.

“I can give you a few extra days to sort it out, but yeah. It needs to be fast.”

“What if I can’t?”

He shrugged. “Then, I’m sorry kiddo, but I’ll need to pursue it in small-claims court.”

She stared at him in total shock. “You’d – you’d sue me?”

“I’d expect you to fulfil your legal obligations. You did sign the agreement.”

“So did Wendy.”

“Right. But since you’re here and she’s not, you’re now on the hook for the full amount plus any penalties or interest for late payment.” He looked at her and softened his voice. “I’m sorry, Reena, I really am. You’ve been royally screwed by that bitch. She signed an agreement she had no intention of honoring, then she stole your money and then probably blew the hell out of town. You did nothing to deserve it and I’m sorry for you, but the fact is, you can’t move into my apartment without giving me that money first.”

She gasped as something else occurred to her. “But I have to leave my apartment on Saturday! The new people are moving in on Sunday… I have nowhere to live if this all falls through.”

Eddie nodded. “Then you’ve only got two choices.”

She stared at him, panic all across her pretty face. “What are they?”

“You either find the money or you find a new roommate.”