Yes, but she's in a worse pickle

She took many rapid, shallow breaths as she rushed back home. Her heart in her throat really wasn't helping. She waved to the neighbors who saw her, acting calmer than she felt.

"Mama, why is that lady naked?" she heard a tiny voice ask. Her head jerked around in the direction it came from and she saw, to her horror, a woman of about 30 walking down the sidewalk across the street, hand in hand with a little boy who was pointing at her.

"Don't look, sweety," the woman said, trying to turn him away from her. She was glaring at Mackenzie, her free hand reaching for the rectangular bulge in her pocket.

Crap. She needed to hurry. Mackenzie's feet pounded against the pavement as she broke into a jog. Not too much further.

She rejoiced in the sight of the tan bricks and overhanging tree of her house. As she scurried up the driveway to the door, she crossed her hands behind her to cover at least some of her bare ass. Once she was safely ensconced in the little divot that held the front door, hidden behind a wall, she took a deep breath. Then, she turned the doorknob.

*Click.* Uh, okay. Right, she locked it. That was fine. She'd done this plenty of times before. She knelt down and rummaged under the doormat.

The key wasn't there. Hands trembling, she looked around. It wasn't on the office windowsill. She searched the potted aloe plant next to the door. Not there either.

She tiptoed to the corner of the wall, eyes fixed on the mailbox all the way at the end of the driveway. In plain view of the woman and her kid. The woman was snarling angrily at her phone. Gosh. Where else did she usually hide her spare keys? Where did she hide them last time?

Her heart sank into her toes. That's right. She gave them to Matthew! She was going to retrieve them from him! She was such a moron! She should have done this tomorrow!

Well, nothing for it. She'd have to sneak around to the back and jimmy open that window that was always a little loose, and —

WEEWOOOOOO!

Shit. It was distant still, but there was no mistaking that sound. The cops were on their way. She needed to be quick.