“I think this dress looks better…don’t you think?” Tina critically eyed the dress she had just purchased.

The two women were at the mall, shopping for clothes. All the walking made Tina exhausted, so they had stopped at the food court. Meliza was sipping an iced mocha, staring off into space.

“Meliza?” Tina spoke up, noticing her friend’s silent mood. “Meliza?”

The woman looked up, blinking. “I’m sorry…What did you say?”

Tina grinned. “You must have had a really good time a couple days ago…Anytime I ask you a couple questions…”

“Oh…” Meliza smiled ruefully. “Sorry. It isn’t that…”

“Hey, you like the guy…it’s only natural that you think about him.”

Meliza smiled wryly. “He’s pretty unforgettable.” Her eyes turned serious. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about him.”

Tina’s brows arched. “In terms of what?”

“Well, we both know that we only have now until you and I leave, but…” Meliza trailed off.

“You don’t think it’s enough?” Tina supplied.

Meliza nodded.

“Did you ask him what he thinks?”

“Of course not. I don’t want to get attached to him, but-”

“I think it’s too late for that, dear.”

Meliza sighed. It was one week until the gambling tournament. Tina had paid her one hundred dollar entry fee, and she felt like she was ready to go. Andrew had called several times to chat with Meliza. Primarily at night, just before she went to sleep. “I know. I can’t help myself. I don’t like feeling this helpless…”

Tina smiled softly. “It’s not that bad...”

Meliza wasn’t so sure. She never saw herself the type to get so attached to someone in such a short time.

“Anyway, you’ve been zoning out the last few minutes. Did something happen that I should know about?”

Meliza started, “On our date, one of the hotels caught on fire. I heard from the grapevine that it was the second one of that week…”

Tina’s eyes grew troubled. “You think it’s arson?”

“The grapevine thinks it’s arson.” Meliza frowned slightly.

“Are you sure he or she isn’t being paranoid?”

Silence filled the food court as Meliza watched television showing from the nearby electronic store. Her eyes widened when news flashed on the screen, displaying the Marriot Atlantic City in flames. Meliza quickly rushed over to the television, Tina hot on her heels.

“Just one hour ago, the Marriot Atlantic City set fire. The Atlantic City Fire Department has not released information regarding the cause of the fire. This is the third hotel this week that has caught on fire…On to other news…” the brunette reporter rambled on.

Tina looked at her friend, her eyes stricken. “Oh no…third hotel this week?”

“Someone wants to hurt the businesses in Atlantic City,” Meliza mused. “It’s too much of a coincidence if three hotels in the same week go in flames…”

“I don’t understand why anyone would want to set the hotels on fire…”

In a dark room, two figures sat across from each other.

“You did a good job,” one man commented as he removed the fat cigar between his lips, thick smoke swirling in the air.

“Is that all?” the other spoke quietly, avoiding looking him in the eye.

“No. Just a few more, and then we create the big one.”

“I can’t do this anymore. People are getting scared…police…firemen…are getting too close…”

“Stop being so paranoid. They’d never suspect you…”

“What if I mess up? The fires are supposed to scare people, not hurt them!”

“You won’t mess up. You know what will happen if you do.” The first man pulled out a manila envelope. “Your wife might find these…what would that do to your precious family?”

“You can’t!” the other choked out.

“Just these last few…and I will no longer need your services.”

The other man sighed in defeat. “All right. You win. But just these last few, and that’s it. No more?”

“No more. We had a deal, after all…and I do keep my word…”