Okay, for those of you who've wondered how this saga came about, pay attention, there may be a test later on...nah, I'm not a teacher, I wouldn't do that to you! Anyway, late one night (or early one morning, depending upon the time zone), my friend Olga and I were talking, God knows about what. We somehow (I think) came up with the idea of bringing Mike Logan to Baltimore, then, boy did our little creative minds go to work! We then came up with names for the characters: Tara Burns (Olga), Mikayla Fitzgerald (me), and Penny Graham (at that point, unknown). FYI, Penny Graham was a character mentioned in my original story, The Boys of Summer. She's a detective that Mike and Lennie have become acquainted with through her grandmother, Zelda. Anyway, we narrowed the casting down to a couple of people, with Brenda being cast as Penny and Alison playing the part of Felicia Stevens, Mik's best friend from childhood. Once the female leads were settled, we then had to decide how to pair everyone up. Well, I figured I'd already written a story pairing Mike Logan with someone, so we decided to give him to Tara (so to speak!). I'd just starting watching H:LOTS on Lifetime and was fascinated with Tim (and who wouldn't be?!), so we matched Tim and Mikayla up, which left Kellerman and Penny together. We, of course, had to have Felicia with someone, and who better than our favorite Bagel Delivery Stud, Tony Profaci (who I refuse to believe was dirty!--sorry, still bitter over Exiled...grrr!) So, that's the way ATM came about originally. It has truly become a saga, with Bren focusing on writing about Mike & Penny, me writing about Tim & Mikayla (& Profaci & Felicia), and Olga writing about Tara & Mike. The quirky thing is, our writings are actually fitting together, even if we don't know the details that the other two have in mind! Do I hear the Twilight Zone theme song? Okay, enough about the beginning of the beginning...on to ATM: The H:LOTS Saga!

Mikayla Fitzgerald was perched on a barstool at her favorite Baltimore hangout, The Waterfront. She had a contemplative look on her face, which was unusual, so the bartender, John Munch, though. "Hey, Mik, you OK? Anything I can do?" She took off her Braves baseball cap and ran her fingers through her thick chestnut brown hair. John was actually the uncle of one of Mikayla's roommates, Tara Burns, but he'd unofficially adopted Tara's two roommates, Mikayla and Penelope Graham. He was just pleased that the trio was finally in Baltimore where he could keep an eye on them. The three girls had met when Tara and Mikalya were roommates at NYU. Tara was a film student, Mikayla was a drama major and the two had become fast friends. While students at NYU, their apartment was broken into and Penny had been the investigating officer. She linked up with the two friends and when they moved to a larger apartment, and needed a third roommate, Penny was their first choice. Another common bond between Tara and Mikayla was the fact that they were both late bloomers. Mikayla had started college at the age of 30 and Tara was 25. During their senior year, Mikayla's parents died in a plane crash. The year was rough, but she made it through with the support of her two 'soul sisters'. After graduating, the pair decided to take a year off before entering the real world. Tara spent her year backpacking across Europe, journalizing her trip with her cameras. Mikayla went back home to Atlanta and settled her parents' affairs, or so she though. A letter had arrived two months ago, right before they moved to Balitmore. She didn't tell her roommates about it, but invented a flimsy excuse about being homesick and went back to Atlanta for a short time. "Uncle J? Can I tell you something in strictest confidence? Promise me you won't tell Tara and Penny?"

"Scout's honor," Munch said as he held up two fingers.

"Were you ever a scout?" Mikayla asked, but figured she already knew the answer with his unique sense of humor.

"No," he smirked, "but I chased after a few girl scouts in my day. That should count for something." Just then, the door to the bar opened and someone came in. "Timmy, my boy, it's about time you got here. You were supposed to relieve me 15 minutes ago." Mikayla looked up to see who Munch was talking to and came face to face with Detective Tim Bayliss. He was about 6'2", 6'3", thin, but not too thin, brown hair, and baby blue eyes that looked like they'd seen every horror known to mankind. He looked wise beyond his years, especially with the silver wire-rimmed glasses perched atop his nose, which was a little long, but it seemed to add to his character. He took off his brown leather coat to reveal a dark blue sweater and gray slacks.

"Sorry I'm late, John. Frank and I got tied up with questioning a suspect." Bayliss nodded to Mikayla, who was absentmindedly twirling a lock of her hair.

"Where are my manners?" Munch said. "I know, like I have any. Tim Bayliss, this is my adopted niece, Mikayla Fitzgerald. Mik, this is Timothy Bayliss, another illustrious Baltimore Homicide detective."

Tim stuck out his hand and Mikayla shook it. "Nice to meet you," were the only words the spellbound detective could muster. However, he did have thoughts...like taking off the ball cap to see what was underneath, getting lost in those deep brown eyes, or imagining what she looked like under the Braves sweatshirt and snugly fit blue jeans.

"Timmy," Munch snapped, lightly slapping his cheek, "would you like to put your eyes back in your head, or shall I do that for you?" He laughed and looked at Mikayla. "You'll have to forgive Mr. Bayliss here. He's our resident wide-eyed little boy."

"No problem, I can do that." Mikayla looked at her watch. "Well, I'd better be getting on home. Gotta get my beauty rest so I can go job hunting again tomorrow. See y'all later," she said with a southern accent and left the bar.

Bayliss shook his head. "Where did that bolt of lightning come from?"

Munch purposely answered evasively. "I don't know, but something tells me you'll run into her again." Bayliss cocked his head at Munch. "Don't ask me how I know. Just don't doubt the word of the great John Munch."

Mikayla arrived back at the house she shared with Tara and Penny. She loved living in a house again. She hated apartment living. It always felt restricted, like someone was always looking over her shoulder. She was still trying to figure out how to pay Tara and Penny back for moving her into the loft while she was back in Atlanta. "Hey, guys, I'm home!" She announced as she entered the living room, only to find it empty. "Tara? Penny? Anyone home?" No answer. She walked into the kitchen, set her purse on the bar and check the message board on the refrigerator. "Got called in on a case, be back later."

"That explains why Tara's Bug wasn't in the driveway," Mikayla thought to herself. She opened the fridge, grabbed a Zima, and went up to her room. She thought about how they'd gotten down to Baltimore. She could still remember that night about two months ago. Penny had come home from the 27th Precinct and went straight to her bedroom, where she slammed her door and hibernated for a couple of hours. She finally came out of her room, looked at Tara and said, "Does your Uncle John still work in Baltimore?"

"Yes, he's still a detective there. Why?"

"You think he could get me on there?"

Tara turned off the TV, Mikayla put down her book and they both looked at Penny. "Okay, that's it," Tara remarked. "What's going on?"

"Whaddya mean?"

Tara chuckled. "Excuse me, but aren't you the born and bred New Yorker who swore she'd never live anywhere else?"

Penny walked over to the patio and gazed out on 'her' city. "Well, I can change my mind, can't I?"

"As long as you have a good reason, sure," Tara said.

Penny turned around and tears were beginning to form in her baby blue eyes. "Lance and I are finished. I caught him cheating on me with another ME."

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry," Mikayla said, "is there anything we can do?"

Penny lifted her head and asked, "How would you feel about moving down to Baltimore?"

Mikayla didn't hesitate. "Move closer to home? I can do that. Besides, I'll have an easier time and more fun rooting for the Orioles than these Yankees." Her two roommates snickered. Leave it to Mikayla to find the sports angle in the the whole situation. Tara proceeded to call her Uncle John Munch of Baltimore Homicide and was able to finagle jobs for herself and Penny. The department was in desperate need of another detective, which worked out well for Penny, and Tara would be able to put her degree to use as the second department videographer. Unfortunately, there was nothing available for Mikayla, so she'd have to work with temporary agencies for a while. Interestingly enough, a few months prior, Baltimore had just hired another detective previously employed by the 2-7, Michael Logan, which made Penny's decision easier. She'd worked with Mike and they'd become friends, but lost touch when Mike punched a politician and was transferred to Staten Island. Mike had felt it best not to remain in contact with anyone at the 2-7. He didn't want to involve them in any of his battles. Once he 'did his penance', he found an opening in Baltimore and took it. Tara and Mikayla had never met Mike, but were always regaled with tales about his womanly escapades, which they entitled 'The Mikey Chronicles'. So, the girls tied up loose ends and moved to Baltimore; well, Tara and Penny, anyway. That's when Mikayla got the letter from the Atlanta attorney and made her mysterious trip back home, but her roommates filled her in on all the fun she'd missed.

"Now, let me get this straight again," Mikayla said as both girls stepped on each other trying to get the story out. "Tell me if I make a mistake. Uncle J cajoled three of his fellow detectives into helping you move: Frank Pembleton, Mike Kellerman and Tim Bayliss. Am I right so far?"

Tara laughed. "You always do have a knack for remembering guys' names."

Mikayla continued. "So I need to personally thank them for moving my stuff. Now Penny, what's this I hear about you and a secret rendevous in the moving van?"

Penny looked at Tara. "Tara!"

"Well, I couldn't resist that tidbit, now could I?" Tara had a devilish grin on her face. "You should've seen her and Kellerman. I didn't think we were going to get them out of the van."

"Can I help it if I'm irresistable?" Penny replied. The act was still a touchy subject with her.

"Man, I can't wait to meet these guys. I've got to come in sometime when I drop off you two. Of course, I'll have to make sure and look my best, if these detectives are that hot."

"Just keep in mind that Kellerman only has eyes for Penny," Tara nudged her.

"And I repeat, can I help it if I'm irresistable?" Penny said.

"By the way, guys, I haven't heard the one and only Mike Logan mentioned. Did I miss him already?" Mikayla was curious to see if he matched his reputation.

"Nope, he and Tim have been on night rotation. They're scheduled to come back to days in a couple of weeks," Penny replied.

By then, however, Tara had picked up a used Beetle, so Mikayla didn't have to play taxi driver anymore. She spent the time between then and the present looking for jobs, but hadn't landed a permanent job yet. She heard the front door open and heard to unmistakable voices: Tara's lilting Irish voice and Penny's obvious New York accent. She came down the stairs, having already changed into her usual sleepwear, a Braves jersey. "Hey, gals, how'd it go?"

Penny shook her head. "Another murdered drug dealer. It'll be open and shut, thanks to Tara's timing with her video camera."

"Oh?" Mikayla came and sat down at the dining room table. "Do tell. I live for these moments."

"It was nothing, Mik. I just happened to turn the camera on and caught the culprit on tape. It was another drug dealer, they're out searching for him now. But that's not all that happened."

"Really?" Mikayla stifled a yawn as she laid her head on the table.

"Yes. Apparently you're the talk of the precinct," Tara said.

Mikayla jerked her head up off of the table. "Me? What did I do? Get another ticket added to my collection?"

"Nope," Penny said as she came back down the hall, having switched to her NYPD shirt and sweats. "You've caught a certain tall, thin detective's eyes and he hasn't shut up about you, at least that's what Munch says."

"Now, how could I get someone's attention I don't even know?" This perked Mikayla's curiosity. She hadn't remembered meeting anyone who worked at the station.

"Well, rumor has it Tim Bayliss saw you at The Waterfront and was instantly smitten."

"Penny, I'm sorry to say, I completely forgot about running into him at the bar earlier. My mind was elsewhere," Mikayla replied.

"Yep, he's trying to dig up any information he can find out about you."

"And, Tara, I'm sure you were forthcoming with all the sordid details."

"Just the good ones, Mik. I told him I knew you, told him about your modeling days--"

"Tara!" Mikayla cried out. "I hate it when you bring that up!"

"Well, Timmy certainly didn't. I thought his eyes would pop out of his head."

"Thanks, Tara. Now everyone will think I'm an airhead, word will get out, and I'll never get a job in this blasted town." Mikayla let out a sigh of disgust.

"Not necessarily," Penny said. "I heard a rumor going around today that they're trying to get Gee a permanent secretary. I, of course, put a bug in his ear about your excellent secretarial skills."

"Well, thank you very much. That should counteract the rumors that'll start thanks to Tara."

"Just consider me your personal agent," Tara joked. "Well, me friends, I'm off to bed. See you two in the morning." Penny looked over at Mikayla. "What are your plans for tomorrow?" Mikayla looked at the calendar. "I have a couple of job interviews. One in the morning & one in the afternoon, why?"

"Wanna have lunch?" Penny asked. "Sure, what time you want me to pick you up?" Penny thought. "How about 11?" Mikayla nodded. "I'll be there."

"Okay, see ya tomorrow." Penny went off to bed.

"Night, Pen," Mikayla went back upstairs, crawled into bed & picked up her book, Ancient Medieval Western Civilization. Before going to bed, she turned on her stereo & popped in a CD, Songs Without Words. She read a couple of pages, then let the book drop to the floor as she fell asleep.

By the time Mikayla awoke the next morning, her roommates had already left for their shifts. Mikayla went to her closet & threw open the door, trying to figure out what to wear for her interviews. "Hmm, let me see. My morning interview at 9 is with the department store for a modeling position, & my afternoon one is with the city for an administrative position." She finally spotted what she was looking for, a short-sleeved peach colored sweater with a matching lace collar, & a black skort that hit her mid-thigh. She rummaged through her dresser & found her black hose, then dug underneath her bed to find her black pumps. She threw on the outfit & put on her makeup. "Now, what to do with this mop," she said to the reflection in the mirror. She fussed around with her hair & finally decided to pile it on top of her head & let a few stray ringlets hang around her face. "Well, this will just have to do," she muttered as she headed out to her car. She made it through the interview fine. In her car, she looked at her watch. "10:45. I'd better call Pen to make sure we're still on for lunch." She dialed the precinct's number & a soothing voice answered. "Homicide, Detective Bayliss." Man, she was running into this guy all over the place. "I thought Baltimore was a bigger city than this," she thought. "Yes, Detective Graham, please." Penny came to the phone. "Graham here."

"Penny, it's Mikayla. Just checking to make sure we're still doing lunch."

"Yea, we're still on. Tara's out on a call, so it'll just be the two of us."

"Okay, I'll be there in about 5, 10 minutes. See ya then." She clicked off her cell phone. True to her word, she pulled into the parking lot 10 minutes later. She remembered her comment about looking her best for these guys, so she glanced in the mirror & touched up her makeup. She headed up the stairs & into the precinct. She knew where Penny's desk was & looked over there but didn't see her, so Mikayla walked over to the bulletin board next to the Xerox machine & scanned the job postings. Unbeknownst to her, Tim was reloading the copy machine with paper. As he went to stand up, something caught his attention. He found himself ogling the most gorgeous sight in the world--a woman's legs. This pair of legs, however, was exquisite, he thought to himself. He just loved women in dress shoes. Pumps, flats, spiked heels, he didn't care, just as long as the shoes were dressy. This woman obviously knew how to take care of her legs. She was wearing 1/2-inch heels with straps circling small ankles, which were attached to well-shaped calves. It was all he could do to restrain himself from reaching out & caressing them. A song from his childhood came to him. "The foot bone's connected to the leg bone, the leg bone's connected to the hipbone…" He silently chuckled to himself. Tim couldn't let himself think any further than that. All of a sudden, he felt a pair of eyes boring into him. He looked up & saw the largest, deepest brown eyes staring at him.

"Can I help you with something?" Mikayla watched with enjoyment as Tim's face turned various shades of red. Luckily for Tim, Penny happened on the scene. "Tim, Tim, Tim," she said, shaking her head, "I thought you stopped trying to look up women's skirts years ago." Tim stammered, trying to come up with a retort, but could think of nothing. "Well, we did it again," Penny remarked, "left another one speechless. We should be registered with the FBI as some sort of torture device." Mikayla looked at the figure struggling to get up from his kneeling position. She sort of felt sorry for this guy. He had such a boyish, aw-shucks look about him, so she reached her hand out. "Here, let me help you up, Detective--Tim, is it?" He looked up. "Don't worry, I won't bite, at least not on the first date," she grinned & tried to put him at ease. Tim, after a few awkward moments, broke into a sheepish grin, took her hand & got up. "Tim, my friend & I are on our way to lunch. Would you like to join us?"

He brushed off his dark blue slacks & replied, "I'd be honored to accompany two beautiful women to lunch." He offered his arms to Mikayla & Penny.

"Watch out, kiddo, he's pulling his 'charming guy' routine on us." Penny joked as she took Tim's arm.

"I think I can handle him, Pen," Mikayla remarked as she grabbed Tim's other arm. "By the way, where are we going for lunch, anyway?" She looked at the other two.

"Tim, you know this city better than we do. What do you suggest?" Penny asked him. "I know I'm not in the mood for Chinese. Other than that, I'm open to just about anything."

Tim thought about it as they strolled to the parking lot. "How about Carlucci's? In the mood for Italian, ladies?"

"Sure, I can do Italian," Mikayla said. "Just tell me how to get there. I'm still not familiar with the city yet, but I'm working on it." They arrived at the parking lot. "Hold on, let me dig my keys out." As they stopped in front of her car, Tim let out a whistle of admiration. "This is your car?" He asked, as he walked around the 1969 sparkling green GTO in mint condition. "Where did you ever get a gem like this?"

Mikayla, still digging through her purse, replied, "My parents bought it for me. It was an early graduation present." She started tearing up remembering her parents. Penny leaned over & whispered in Tim's ear about Mikayla's parents dying in a plane crash. Changing to another subject, Tim asked Mikayla, "Where have I seen you before?"

Mikayla, who was by now sitting on the ground going through her purse, looked up. "You mean before last night at the bar?" She stood up & brushed herself off. "I guess I should reintroduce myself. I'm Mikayla Fitzgerald, Penny & Tara's--"

"Roommate!" Tim slapped himself upside the head. "That's where I've seen you before. Well, I've seen your picture before, anyway." He smiled mysteriously as he remembered back to the day Munch propositioned him…

"Timmy, my boy, have I got a deal for you," John Munch said as he sauntered into the precinct. Bayliss looked around for a place to hide with no luck. "What now, Munch? I'm not buying any more shares of stock."

Munch waved him off as he leaned against Tim's desk. "Bayliss, this deal is much better than that & it won't cost you any money."

"What's the catch, John?" He said skeptically as he tossed his pencil on the desk & put the crossword puzzle down.

"No catch, Tim. All I need is one day of your time. You've heard me speak of my niece Tara Burns & her roommates, haven't you?"

Bayliss rocked back & forth in his chair. "Yes, I have. Go ahead, I'm listening."

"Well, it seems one of her roommates, Penelope Graham, has been hired as the latest detective to join the renowned Baltimore Homicide Squad & Tara herself is our new videographer."

A sandy-haired man stuck his head around the wall from the break room. "She'll definitely be an improvement over Brodie to look at," Mike Kellerman replied. "But didn't you always talk about 3 girls? So far, I've only heard 2 mentioned."

Munch glanced at Kellerman. "As I was saying, Penny & Tara have jobs, but their other roommate, Mikayla Fitzgerald, hasn't been as lucky yet, but she'll find something, I'm sure of it."

Bayliss sighed. "So, where do I fit in the picture, Munch?" He was getting irritated. All he could think of were all the red cases under his name & how much work he had yet to do before he went on night shift rotation with their latest addition, Detective Michael Logan. "Great, just what we needed, another Mike around here. Are we running a special on them or something?"

"I'm glad you asked, Tim. Let me get to the point. The girls are obviously going to be moving to Charm City & will be requiring assistance in moving their belongings."

"Count me in, Munch," Tim volunteered. "Anytime I can lend a hand to beautiful women, I'm there." His blue eyes twinkled as he replied with a smirk on his face. "And Frank will be able to help, too."

Mike knew he couldn't let Tim get ahead of him in meeting these women. He knew they'd both been in somewhat of a dating slump lately, but maybe things were about to change. "Whaddya say, Mikey? I only need one more guy now that Timmy's volunteered himself & Frank…"

"Okay, okay, I'll do it. Where do I need to be & when do I need to be there?" Munch gave them the details & the trio of Tim, Frank & Mike (Munch had mysteriously disappeared that day) were waiting for the girls as the moving van pulled into the driveway. After the introductions were made, Tim spoke up. "I'm sorry if I seem nosy, but I was under the impression there were 3 of you."

Penny nodded. "We're missing our 3rd musketeer, Mikayla. She had to make an emergency trip back home to Atlanta; something about being homesick. Don't worry, we'll get her back for this." Then the moving began. Being men, the guys refused to let Tara & Penny lift anything perceived as being heavy, so the girls spent quite a bit of time directing traffic. Tim seemed to draw the short straw & was the lucky one to move Mikayla's belongings into to the loft, so it was up & down, up & down for him. After several trips upstairs, he decided to take a break. He collapsed onto Mikayla's feather soft twin bed, which he found surprisingly long. He put his hands behind his head & stared up at the ceiling for several minutes. He felt like drifting off the sleep so he changed positions & rolled over on his side. As he did, he spotted a photograph in a box. He picked it up & studied it. It had been taken at an amusement park. The girl in the picture was wearing a snug fitting green T-shirt, red & green plaid shorts & sandals. Her brown, curly hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail & she radiated exuberance. She was leaning over & planting a kiss on a giant stuffed panda bear. Tim immediately thought, "Boy, would I love to be that bear." He wondered if this was the mysterious Mikayla from Atlanta. If so, he knew he'd definitely make it a point to visit the girls on a regular basis. Suddenly, a voice jolted him back to the present. "Uh, Tim, you can wake up now. I found my keys." She glanced at her watch as she unlocked the car doors. "And look, we still have most of the lunch hour left," she chuckled as she slid behind the wheel. Penny conveniently climbed into the back seat, which left Tim to sit in the front with Mikayla.

"So, Tim, how's the night shift going?" Penny asked, after Tim finished giving Mikayla directions.

Tim turned around to face Penny. "Only 1 more week, Pen & then I can go back on a real schedule; well, as real as a detective can have, anyway."

"I know what you mean. I had an idea. Since not everybody's familiar with everybody else, what say we get together next Friday night at the Elephant Run? It's karaoke night & what better way to get to know each other then hearing how bad we all sing? Well, everyone except my roomie here." Mikayla looked in the rearview mirror & raised her eyebrows to try to shut Penny up, but it was no use.

"Oh, really, you sing?" Tim asked as he put his arm across the back of the bench seat.

"I can hold my own," Mikayla replied, trying to ignore the long fingers stretching across the seat. She glanced in the mirror again & saw Penny trying to hide a smirk. Mikayla shot her a look that seemed to say, "I'll get you for this."

"So, Mikayla Fitzgerald, how did you ever end up in Yankee country?" Tim had to know more about this intriguing female. He knew there was more to her than just the legs & the hair; he wanted to spend lots of time getting to know all about this southern girl.

Mikayla bit her lip as she tried to think of a witty response, but couldn't come up with a retort, so she decided to answer him with a straightforward response. "Well, I always wanted to be an actress, so what better place to be than New York City. I enrolled at NYU & graduated--"

"With honors, I might add," Penny interrupted.

"Thanks, Pen." She turned & smiled at Tim. "It's always nice to have your own press agent. Oh, look, we're here," she said as she pulled into the parking lot. The trio entered & was seated in a booth. Naturally, Penny arranged it so Mikayla & Tim would be sitting next to each other. The waitress took their orders & left the 3 to chat. Penny & Tim exchanged notes about the various cases they were working on, with Mikayla interjecting questions from time to time. To Mikayla's surprise, the lunch went quite nicely. Tim seemed to have a calm, reasonable head on his shoulders, though he did get quite animated at times. He was one of those people her mother described as "landing planes with his hands," the kind who couldn't talk if his hands were tied behind his back. It was an interesting contrast to Penny's calm, cool demeanor she had about her when she was dealing with her job. Before they knew it, Penny had to get back to work, Tim, still working night shift, was doing his best to stifle his yawns, & Mikayla had her afternoon interview to make. Penny & Mikayla tried to pay for their meals, but Tim, being the chivalrous guy, wouldn't allow it & treated them to lunch. Mikayla drove them back to the precinct. Tim remembered he'd left something on his desk, so he went with Penny back into the station.

"Penny, can I talk to you a minute?" Tim asked hesitantly as he rocked back & forth on his feet with his hands in his pants pockets.

"Sure, let's go over to my desk," Penny said. She sat down, put her purse in her desk & looked straight at Bayliss. "What's up, Tim?"

Tim perched himself on the corner of Pen's desk. "This may be too soon to ask, but do you think Mikayla would be interested in going out with me?"

Penny inwardly smiled. This was the perfect way Mik could pay Tim back for helping them move. "Well, Tim, I think you two would have a really good time together. She needs to get out & see the sights. Ever since we moved up here, she's spent most of her time cooped up in the house.

Tim understood that. He dealt with things that way sometimes, just sitting in his chair staring a hole through the wall. "So, can you tell me anything about her? So far, all I know is she's from Atlanta, graduated with a drama degree from NYU, & can sing like a bird." Not to mention the fact he thought she was one of the most exquisite females he'd ever met. She had an air about her he hadn't seen in quite a long time.

Penny smiled as she recognized the look of awe on Tim's face. She'd seen Mikayla have this effect on men time & time again. She was apparently unaware of the impression she left on members of the male population. Penny, however, knew there was more to her than just her looks. She had a sharp mind, a good personality, & a great sense of humor. Unfortunately, most guys couldn't get past her looks. For some unknown reason, Mikayla thought the only way to get attention from men was to be an airhead. "It's like she went to the Beverly Johnson school of modeling," Penny thought to herself. "Men don't care about a woman's mind, all they want is her body." From what she picked up from Tim, Penny thought that maybe he wasn't like that, at least she hoped so, for her friend's sake. "As you already know, she's from Atlanta. She very interested in Civil War history; I think one of her relatives was an officer in the Confederate Army. She's a bigger sports fanatic than most men. When we lived in NYC, she was either auditioning for Broadway shows or going to see them. She reads a variety of books, anything from mysteries to romances to biographies; you name it, she reads it. I hope that helps."

Tim stood up & nodded. "Thanks, Pen. I really appreciate your help.

Penny looked at him. "I know another way I can help. If you'd like, I could ask her for you."

"You'd be willing to do that?" Tim asked.

"Sure. I'd really like to see you two go out & besides, she owes you--and her roommates--for moving her stuff when she made her trek back home. I'm thinking this is the perfect way."

"Thanks, Penny, I'd really appreciate that. I don't suppose you'd want to come along & chaperone, would you?" Tim asked hopefully.

"Why, does she scare you or do you not trust yourself alone with her?"

"To tell you the truth, a little of both," Tim replied as he nervously ran a hand through his brown hair.

Penny laughed. "She has that effect on men. I'll see what I can do." She reassured Tim. "Don't worry, Timmy, I really think you 2 would make a good couple & I'll do everything in my power to get you together. Now go home, young man." She shooed Tim out of the office, then returned to her desk & started working on her open cases.

Penny had informed Mike on their date that, as a favor to Tim & Mik, they'd be double dating Friday night with them. It was agreed that Tim would ride with Mike over to the girls' house & the foursome would ride together to dinner & to the club.

Mikayla looked at her watch. "Noon," she said, running her fingers through her hair, "guess I'd better head to the mall to get something to wear for tonight." She threw on a pair of black jeans & a Braves sweatshirt & headed off to the Gallery at Harborplace. Once she finally found a parking space, she slung her purse over her shoulder & proceeded to the mall. She had a no-nonsense mater about her, a deliberate pace to her walk. She didn't know what she was looking for, but she'd know it when she spotted it. She stopped in from of Lerner New York & stared at the outfits displayed in the window. She studied the image reflected in the store's window & pondered the reflection staring back at her. It still amazed Mikayla that someone would hire her as a model, but the agency told her they were always on the lookout for full-figured models. "Well," Mikayla thought to herself, "if it's full-figured you wanted, it's full-figured you got." Her goal, after reaching adulthood, was to be able to shop at any clothing store she wanted. She still hadn't reached that goal, but her modeling stint helped her become more comfortable with her 5'6, 200-lb. frame; most of the time, anyway. "Now if I could just tame this unruly mane," she muttered as she redid her ponytail. "Oh, well, nothing's jumping out at me here." She continued walking through the mall until she came to Lane Bryant. She glanced into the store & immediately spotted the outfit she was looking for. She hustled into the shop, went straight to the rack & looked for size. She kept her fingers crossed as she tried it on. "A perfect fit!" Mikayla wanted to cry out, but just smiled broadly as she looked in the mirror & was quite pleased with her discovery. It was a simple black dress, reaching down to just about mid-thigh, with wide shoulder straps & a scoop neck. To wear over the dress, Mikayla had picked out a teal jacket with black lapels. She took the outfit to the register, made her purchase & meandered through the mall, looking for nothing in particular. A smile crossed her face as she spotted her favorite bookstore, Barnes & Noble. She headed straight for the mystery section & found the latest John Grisham novel. She took it off the shelf & proceeded to the café, where she bought a glass of Blackberry Sage tea & a slice of cheesecake. She settled into a chair & began reading. She was halfway through the second chapter when someone bumped her table & knocked her glass of tea over into her lap. "Oh, great!" she exclaimed as she jumped up & tried to wipe off her jeans. "Thanks a lot, mister," she grumbled as the tall man with raven hair & a long brown leather coat strutted away without stopping. "Some people can be so rude," she complained as she stomped over to the counter to get some napkins.

When she returned, the man was standing next to the table. "Miss, I heard your comments & I just wanted to let you know I apologize for bumping into you. Although," he said with a cockeyed grin, "I'm kind of glad I did. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the pleasure of making your acquaintance."

Mikayla thought to herself, "Lord, who does this guy think he is--Casanova? Well, 2 can play at this game." She cleared her throat & put her hand to her chest. "Why, sir, how gallant of you to come back & check on me. I feel so honored." "I'm gonna gag soon if I don't watch it." "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name."

"Mike Logan, pleasure to meet you," he said as he stuck out his hand. "And you are?" He said quizzically.

Mikayla shook his hand. So, this is the Mike Logan Penny's always talked about. "Mikayla Fitzgerald. I think we have something in common, Mr. Mike Logan. Do you happen to know a Penelope Graham?"

"Sure. I used to work with her back in NYC. You know her?"

"Fairly well." Mikayla returned his grin with a dazzling one of her own. "She's one of my roommates." Penny was right; this guy was too good-looking for his own good. She reminded him of some the guys the other models dated. She could never get too interested in a guy she had to fight with for the mirror, & that's the impression she got from this guy; but, as she well knew, from firsthand experience, first impressions could be wrong. Though, come to think of it, she'd been out with a few of these type guys before. She smiled as she remembered one such guy she'd seen a few times. "Wait a minute, wasn't that guy's name Mike, too? And wasn't he a cop as well? "No," she shook her head, "it couldn't be! Penny will have a cow when she finds out! I wonder if he remembers me? I don't expect him to, since I'd forgotten about him. Come to think of it, did I ever know his last name? I don't think so." She let out a giggle.

"What? Did I say something funny, Mikayla?" He'd been studying her face. The more he looked at her, the more he felt like he'd met her before, but he left before Penny moved in with them & he hadn't met her since the girls had moved to Baltimore. "So, you say you're one of her roommates? That means you lived with her when she was in NYC?"

Mikayla nodded. "Very good, detective. Our apartment was robbed & she was the detective on the case."

"So, what did you do in New York?"

Mikayla grinned. "Here we go," she said to herself. "I was a drama student at NYU." It finally hit him how he knew her. "Yes, Mike, we dated. Although, I don't know if you'd could call it dating. We only saw each other 2 or 3 times & then, you just never seemed to call again, which really didn't bother me. I just figured it was one of those flings. Life goes on, you know." She glanced at her watch. "Would you look at the time? I do hate to leave at this opportune moment, but I've got to finish my shopping for my date tonight."

Mike looked at her. "So, you're the girl Tim won't shut up about. Now I can see why. Everything he said about you is true."

Mikayla blushed. "Thank you, Mike. Oh, & you will be at the Elephant Run tonight for karaoke, won't you?"

Mike replied, "Wouldn't miss it. Don't expect me to sing, though."

"I don't know. You'd be surprised what people will do after a few drinks." Mikayla stood up & held out her hand. "Well, Detective Logan, it has been quite an interesting conversation. I'm glad I got to meet you--again, I should add." She smirked as he released her hand. "See you tonight."

"Yeah, see you tonight," Mike answered. He shook his head in amazement. "I can't believe I let that one get away. What was I thinking? Oh, well," he shrugged his broad shoulders, "what's meant to be, will be, I guess."

Mikayla picked up her sacks & left the café, chuckling to herself as she pictured Penny's face when she told her about Mike. She made her way out to her car, threw her purchases in the back seat, then headed for home. She decided to swing by the precinct to see if Penny needed a ride home. As she entered the station, a voice called out from down the hall, "Nice choice of clothing for this evening's festivities. That'll definitely leave a lasting impression on our fair Tim Bayliss." She whirled around & faced Munch. "Uncle J! You should know me well enough by now to know that I do get all spiffed up for a date."

"Mikayla," he replied as he approached her & put a fatherly arm around her shoulders, "I don't think Timmy would care if you showed up wearing a potato sack."

"Is he always this--enthusiastic--about a first date?"

Munch shook his head. "I can't recall him ever being this giddy over a female." They walked into the office & Munch looked at Mikayla. "You haven't met our distinguished superior officer yet, have you?"

Mikayla shook her head. "Not yet, just you, Tim, Mike, & I ran into Logan at the mall earlier. Am I dressed properly to meet him?"

Munch grinned. "Don't worry, you look just fine, my dear. Now, come on & we'll see if he's in his office." They made their way to Gee's office & Munch knocked on the door. "Lt., are you in?"

A strong voice came from behind the door. "What do you want, Munch?" Munch opened the door. "Lt. Girardello, there's someone here I'd like you to meet." He took Mikayla's hand & brought her into the "inner sanctum" of the precinct. "May I present my other beloved niece, Miss Mikayla Fitzgerald of Atlanta, Georgia. Mikayla, this is Lt. Al Girardello, affectionately knows as Gee."

The large black man stood up, offered his hand, & in a dignified voice replied, "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Fitzgerald. I've heard many good things about you."

Mikayla laughed as she shook his large hand. "Probably from Tim, no doubt. Although, I'm sure Munch has put forward some opinions as well."

Gee laughed as he motioned for her to sit down. "Yes, but I take what he says with a grain of salt. However, I believe that he's been right on the mark when describing you."

She smiled. "I hope that's a good thing. And, please, call me Mikayla."

"Yes, Mikayla, it's a good thing. It's fortuitous that you made an appearance today. I have something I need to speak with you about." Uh oh, she thought, "don't tell me he's going to give me words of advice about tonight. Gee looked up at Munch. "Thank you, John. That'll be all for now." Munch bowed as he left & shut the door behind him.

"Don't tell me I'm in trouble already? I've only been in the building twice," she joked.

Gee put up a hand. "No, not that. Your roommates tell me you've been job hunting in our fair city to no avail."

Mikayla nodded. "I've had several interviews, but so far no offers. I've been keeping busy with the temporary services, though."

"I see," he replied. "What type of work are you looking for?"

"Well, I worked my way through school working in offices & doing clerical duties. You know, secretary, administrative assistant, data entry clerk, that sort of thing." Mikayla then remembered Penny told her Gee might be getting a permanent secretary.

"Ah, yes, I believe your roommates mentioned that a time or two."

Mikayla smirked. "Knowing them, you've probably heard it at least once a day from each of them."

"And then some, Mikayla. You have quite a little fan club out there. I'm impressed, & believe me, I don't impress easily." He paused, then clasped his hands & leaned on his desk. "I would like to offer you the position of administrative secretary. Would you be interested?"

"Yes, sir, I'm definitely interested." Her face lit up at the prospect of a job. "What would the job entail?"

"A cornucopia of duties. You'd be responsible for answering the phones, filing, typing, etc. You'd report directly to me."

Mikayla looked directly at him. "I wouldn't have to make coffee, would I? I don't drink it very often, so mine never turns out right."

Gee shook his head & laughed, his merriment booming through his office, "No, Mikayla, we let Kellerman handle that task. Everyone seems to enjoy his coffee the most, so he won the privilege of that duty." His face became serious. "Would you be able to start Monday at 7?"

"Definitely, Lt.," Mikayla said happily, "and thank you, sir."

He stood up & offered his hand again. "You're welcome, Mikayla. I'm sure you'll fit in splendidly, as your roommates have."

Mikayla shook his hand. "I hope so, sir. Will we be seeing you tonight at the Elephant Run?"

"I haven't decided yet whether or not I'll make an appearance. I might just so I can hear you sing."

"Penny & Tara have been at it again, haven't they? I'll get them back," she grinned devilishly. "Well, if I don't see you tonight, I'll see you Monday morning."