"It's getting dark," Maria Delgado said, pushing her long black hair away from her face. "We should be

"It's getting dark," Maria Delgado said, pushing her long black hair away from her face. "We should be

"Not yet," replied her boyfriend, Andy Brewer, a husky, young athletic type with the build of a football

player. "It's still early."

"I've got to work tomorrow. Besides," she added nervously, "I don't want to be alone in the streets after

dark."

"You're not alone, angel. You're with me. We're perfectly safe here. There's all these people around."

"We still have to walk back to my apartment," she said. "And I don't want to be out after dark, with

what's been going on."

"Hey, there's cops all over the place," said Andy. "I've seen about five police cars pass since we've been

sitting here."

He put his arm around her and pulled her close, to kiss her. She pulled away.

"Please, Andy. I'd really like to go."

"Oh, Jesus Christ," he said petulantly. "Nothing's going to happen while you're with me."

She got up off the bench. "Come on," she said. "Walk me home."

He sighed with resignation. "Okay, okay. I tell you what, we'll pick up some wine, then when we get

back to your place, we'll send out for a pizza."

"Andy . . . we're doing inventory at the store tomorrow. It'll be a long and very boring day. I have to get

some sleep."

"So? We'll sleep."

She glanced at him with an expression that said she knew perfectly well what sort of sleep he had in

mind. "Yeah. Sure."

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Don't give me that innocent act," she said with a smile. "The minute we get in the door, you'll want to

jump my bones and I'll want to let you and we'll be up half the night. Then, tomorrow, I'll be walking

around half dead and yawning all day. Wait till Friday night. I'm off on Saturday and we can party all

through the fiesta."

"I don't know if I'll make it till Friday," he groused.

"Take a cold shower and do some push-ups before you go to bed."

"I'd rather do push-ups with you," said Andy with a grin.

They were heading east on San Francisco Street, about ten blocks away from Maria's apartment.

Suddenly he grabbed her and pulled her into a narrow alley.