Morning finally arrived and Peter was sweating bullets. He'd lain awake most of the night trying to figure how he could extricate he and Mary from their predicament. The bank sounded good in a moment of panic last night, but today he had to actually go there, and he had absolutely no idea as to what might happen.

His only hope was that Dylan and Harv could come up with some kind of plan for a rescue. The bedroom door opened and a sullen looking Mary led Vera into the room.

"Good morning, Peter. Are we all ready to go to the bank?"

"It's only seven-thirty, could we at least have something to eat?"

"Sure, let's go to the local coffee shop; Mary can stay here until you get back and then I'll go with her."

"That sounds okay, eh Mare?" He hoped she would realize that she could take off as soon as they were gone.

"Sure it does." Vera pulled out a pair of handcuffs from her jacket and waved them at Mary. "Over by the radiator, Mary."

"Hey, wait a minute! You can't leave her here like that, it isn't safe." Peter saw the grin on Vera's face and he slouched into a deep sigh. "Fine, we don't eat out. Can I at least see if there's something in the fridge?"

"Make some coffee and toast, Peter." Mary said. "That'll be enough."

Vera nodded at Mary with approval. "That's the stuff, Mary. Get the man to do the domestic work for a change." Peter stomped off to the kitchen.

At nine-thirty Vera ushered the couple out of the apartment and down to the street. The question of her short phone call before they left was solved when they saw the limo pull up, and the two men inside watched them through the tinted windows as they approached.

"Good morning, boys, have a good night?" Vera slid into the back behind Peter and Mary.

"Austin wasn't pleased." Douglas grumped. Harry flayed him with a look and glanced nervously at Vera.

"And I'm sure he will be even less thrilled when he hears you gave his name." Vera's voice chilled the interior and Douglas avoided the mirror, his hands twisting the wheel with jumpy movements.

"Where to?" Harry asked, breaking the grim silence.

"Scotia Bank. Just a few blocks east." Peter said. He took Mary's hand and gave it a squeeze.

******

Julia answered the intercom and stuttered slightly in surprise as Austin's voice echoed through the speaker. She turned and looked at the mantle clock and saw that it was only nine forty-five in the morning.

"Julia? Are you there?"

"Austin? This is definitely a surprise."

"May I come in?"

"Oh, yes. Certainly."

She pushed the buzzer to open the door and then hurried back to her bedroom. The black lace gown over the white teddy just covered the main points and in a moment of carefree boldness she left them on, giving her hair a quick brush and her lips a light coat of new paint before hurrying back to the entry. The rap on the door was light and drawing in her breath, Julia unlatched the door and swung it open.

Austin stayed in the entry, his face blossoming with surprise at his hostess's garments. "Have I presumed rudely?"

"About?" She stepped back and beckoned him inside.

"Well time of day for one."

"It is earlier than I expected. When I said seven-ish I wasn't really referring to the morning." She closed and locked the door then swept past him leaving a wake of seductive perfume.

"I know that, Julia," he said following her. "But I'm anticipating good news this morning and I wanted to be with you to share it." She carried on right to the kitchen and he stayed right with her. "I brought this as promised."

Julia turned and accepted the bottle of champagne, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You really do anticipate a party." Austin opened and closed his mouth awkwardly. "This looks lovely, Austin. Thank you. I haven't eaten yet so would you care to join me with some sweet rolls and coffee?"

"Delighted. What can I do to help?"

Julia stepped around the table and took his hand. "You can tell me how much you admire my outfit; I didn't have any time to change when you arrived." Her mouth toyed with a smile and she captured his eyes with a flirty look.

"I'm absolutely dumbfounded by your beauty, Julia." He pulled her closer. "I always have been. Your relationship with Ralston has always made me jealous." He moved right next to her and slipped one arm about her waist. Julia leaned into him and then lifted her lips to his and they locked together in a warm, tender embrace.

******

Cheryl and Catlin took up their positions near the front of the bank. Under her jacket, Catlin carried one of her son's cap pistols. When Dylan protested, Harv said it was strictly for show, that the bad guys wouldn't know it was phony from a distance. It didn't occur to him that they might have guns of their own and decide not to take a chance on its reality. Cheryl brought a wrench she found at work and held it in a death grip in her pocket.

"When they arrive we'll see the deployment and then we'll move in on my signal."

"Can you forget the military jargon and just tell me what the hell we're supposed to do?"

Harv was about to go into another discourse when Catlin gave a rather shrill and professional whistle through her fingers. The limo had arrived. Harry stepped out of the vehicle and opened the back door. The group saw Mary exit and then Peter and then another woman. The one Cheryl had described. She said something to the man and he pushed Mary back into the car, getting in with her.

"Now what? She's trapped in the limo with that guy?" Dylan griped.

Harv quickly made a series of hand signals to Catlin and Cheryl, told Dylan to follow up with getting Peter and that he would look after the men in the car.

Vera steered Peter toward the entrance just as Catlin came alongside. They all stopped waiting for someone to open the door and when Peter reached out, Catlin pressed her toy gun into Vera's back.

"You move and I shoot." She whispered.

Cheryl came up on the other side and pulled Peter from Vera's grasp.

"Well, well, if it isn't the trembly little thing from the hotel."

"Get inside the bank and don't turn around." Catlin gave her a shove. Vera complied with an arrogant insouciance, stepping through the entry and then deliberately turning around and giving Catlin a searing look.

"What are you guys doing? They have Mary in the limo. That one will take her apart."

"You called for help, Peter and this is it. Now let's go!" He glanced back at Vera, who was standing casually with arms folded, then followed the two women to Harv's car.

"C'mon! C'mon! This isn't a promenade day." Harv threw open the rear door and the trio piled in.

"Peter! Thank God!" Mary leaned over the seat and took his hand, grinning into his bewildered face."

"How-?"

"You should see this guy in action, Pete," Dylan praised Harv profusely. "He walked up to the limo, yanked open the door and before either guy inside could react, they were both nursing sore heads and Mary was running to me."

Peter looked curiously in the mirror at Harv's face. "Harv?"

"Special Forces training. They were pussycats." The big car zoomed through the city and picked up the Gardiner heading west.

"Where are we going?" Cheryl asked.

"I know a place on the lake in Mississauga. Friend of mine has several apartments in an old house. I think we should hole up there and refine our plans."

"Dylan and I can't be holing up anywhere! We have kids to look after." Catlin looked to Mary for support.

"I didn't mean move, just for the day until we get organized."

"I'll have to call my company and tell them I won't be available for driving." Dylan said.

"That what you do? Drive? What?"

"Limos. Celebrity transportation around town. It's my company."

"My job's pretty much screwed," Mary complained. "Late one day now absent another; I'll be back fetching coffees pretty soon."

Peter leaned on the back of the seat and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Things'll work out, Mare. It'll be okay." He sat back again. "Guess I should call the show and tell Wendell not to count on me tonight."

"Show must go on, eh, partner?" Dylan teased.

The traffic slowed to a crawl and as soon as he could, Harv took an off-ramp and headed up to the Queensway then west again. When he reached the street he wanted he hung a left and drove straight for the lake. Ten minutes later they pulled up a long, hard packed dirt drive lined with huge evergreens and some ancient oaks.

"Wow!" Was the consensus as Harv pulled under a brick and stone portico and stopped.

"Used to be one of the city's industrial biggies country house. My chum picked it up for taxes and turned it into a rental property. There's one vacant apartment we can use for the day." He opened his door and climbed out. The rest all followed obediently.