Puela came around the corner and gave a start, dropping her cleaning basket with a noisy clatter.

"Oh shit! I mean- oh--" Deborah turned crimson and shoved Gordon away, offering Puela a shrug and a weak smile. "We were just folding the laundry."

"C'mon Deb. Puela isn't blind or stupid." He laughed and held out his hands. "You caught us red handed, Puela. I'm just so stricken with Deborah here I had to act on my impulses."

"I don't need to know nobody's business, Mr. Hardy. I jus don want to get into any trouble."

"You aren't in any trouble, Puela. If anybody is it's me." He laughed again and put an arm around Deborah, who immediately shrugged it off.

"See."

"I shore am sorry, Miss Deborah."

"Don't be silly. It's something I have to put up with every day." She went to the young girl and took her hand. "I really like him but he can't know-- yet." She whispered. "So I find myself in these situations from time to time." She winked and smiled and Puela managed a wink back.

"Hey, no fair teaming up on the boss."

"Who?" Deborah turned and raised her eyebrow.

"One of the bosses."

Deborah humphed and with a pat on the arm for Puela, went back into the house.

"By the way," Gordon said before following her inside. "Miss Cowls' room can be left until tomorrow."

"I thought so, Mr. Hardy." She grinned as she retrieved the cleaning basket and carried on with her chores. Gordon just stared and experienced a feeling of inadequacy among all the women.

Deborah was fiddling around at the kitchen sink, wiping the counter and straightening utensils. Gordon closed the door and crossed to the table and sat against the back of a chair.

"What do you think she does that she would have stuff all over the room?"

"First of all you'd have to know what kind of stuff, Hardy. Questions like that are unanswerable."

"Probably some woman thing-- makeup or clothes." He yawned and stretched, catching the dark look and deciding further comment would be unwise. "I'm gonna check the mail."

Deborah stayed silent, still puttering at the counter, until he left and then she wiped her hands and went out the back door and out to the patio. Puela was winding the cord around the vacuum cleaner and she walked down to talk to her.

"Everything okay?"

"Fine, Miss Deborah. Just the one room to go and then I'll start the laundry."

"Miss Cowls leaves tomorrow morning and we are going to be completely empty unless business picks up. I don't want to lose you, Puela, Gordon and I are very pleased with you and your work but there is little to do for a maid service when we have no guests."

Puela stood and clasped her hands in front, staring at Deborah with concern. "I needs this job, Miss Deborah. I can do lots of things besides cleanin'. I can do the pool for instance, or cut grass . . . "

"Puela." Deborah took her hand. "I have no intention of letting you go but while we don't have business I just can't afford to pay you and if you need the money, well . . ."

"I understands, Miss Deborah."

"I want you to call me every night and if we get bookings you can come in the next day, okay?" Deborah glanced past the dejected maid and saw Mindy Cowls leave her room. She patted Puela's hand and told her to wait a second.

"Miss Cowls? Have you got a minute?"

"Something I can do for you?" Mindy strolled slowly toward the two women.

"I'm Deborah West, Gordon's partner. I didn't get a chance to meet you when you arrived. Is everything satisfactory?"

"Everything's great. The room is lovely and the place is as advertised."

Deborah licked her lower lip. "Yes, Gordon mentioned that you had friends who came down and recommended us. What was their name?"

Mindy glanced at Puela and then back at Deborah. "Can I speak with you privately?" She started toward the office without waiting and Deborah followed, after telling Puela to carry on.

Mindy chose a spot beside the outdoor library in the shade and took a deep breath.

"I'm afraid that was a bit of deception. I found your place in an L.A. hotel guide."

"Why bother saying that then?" Mindy leaned against the wicker bookrack and with another long inhalation, went about explaining who and what she was, and why she was in Santa Gordo. When she finished her story, Deborah's mouth was resting on her chest and her face was the definition of total disbelief.

"It's very important that nobody else know about this, that's why I asked the maid to stay out of my room; I have all my research spread out all over the place."

"Jeannette Whyst is a common thief!" Deborah goggled.

"Zarkowski is the name I'm tracking, but yes, she married Clifford Whyst on a cruise ship. They did it like maybe you or I would decide to go swimming."

"Jeannette Whyst?"

"Listen, Miss West, this obviously sounds incredible to you but believe me, I've been following her trail for some time and there is no mistake; Jeannette Whyst is Jeannette Zarkowski, the woman who stole the donation money from my employers."

Deborah just shook her head and did a slow rotation before staring at Mindy and asking if she was sure. Before Mindy could reply, Gordon came onto the patio and saw the two of them together.

"Ah, I see you two finally met. Everything satisfactory?"

"Everything is fine. I was just telling Miss West. She gave Deborah a warning look and then smiled at the couple and excused herself to take care of some business.

"Nice woman." Gordon offered. "You like her?"

"Very much. She's considerably more than she seems."

Deborah headed back to the laundry area and Gordon trotted behind.

"What's that mean? What did she say?"

Puela appeared right behind them and began sorting laundry from the last room.

"Are you okay, Puela?" Deborah asked, ignoring his questions. She nodded and continued working.

"What? Is something wrong? What's wrong?" Gordon looked back and forth between them.

"I was telling Puela that without any bookings we really couldn't afford to pay her to come in every day."

"We paid Nita?" Gordon blurted and immediately chomped down on his tongue.

Puela looked up and recognition shone like a star in nova. "That's true, Miss Deborah."

"Nita was on a weekly salary. We agreed to pay you by the hour, Puela." Her look fried Gordon's liver.

"I could take a weekly salary."

"It wouldn't be as much money and when we got really busy it wouldn't change. Once the amount is settled it stays that way for at least a year, Puela."

Some of the light went out but she stubbornly agreed to less money for guaranteed employment.

"Okay, that's settled. Beginning Monday, you will get the same money weekly as Nita received. Fair?"

"Fair, Miss Deborah, and thank you, Mister Gordon."

Deborah stalked into the house with a hangdog Gordon in her wake. "Right. I'd like a word inside, Mister Gordon."