Excerpt. Again.

"There are two types of people one must always be cautious of. Smart men and beautiful women."

Lisa looked at Frank questioningly.

"Smart men know what others don't, and use it to their advantage. They become unpredictable for they rely on the existence of secrets. Beautiful women know what everyone knows - that they're beautiful. They become unpredictable for they rely on other people changing their normally predictable behavior to impress them or to avoid being seen in bad light."

"What about smart women?" Bob retorted.

Frank decided to wait until a moment of silence had passed before replying. It gave his words more gravitas, he thought.

"Smart women take care of themselves, they do not bother with schemes or ploys. They have no need for them."

"Unless they're pretty?"

"Unless they are pretty."

Frank gave Lisa a long and hard look, signifying that he thought she was pretty. She felt it as an insult, as he hadn't done so when he was talking about intelligence.

"So you think of good looks as a handicap? That's... unusual."

"Not really. You see, Bob, a pretty woman can woo a lesser man into submission, which has little effect on third parties. A smart woman can work her way up herself, again not bothering others. But a beautiful girl with wits... well, there's nothing more enticing for a smart man than a woman of equal or greater measure. It's in our biology and we cannot fight it. We want the best. A smart woman knows how to use our biology to circumvent our minds. There's nothing more dangerous for a man than a woman, smart and beautiful."

He didn't move his eyes off Lisa's for the entirety of his response. It made her feel awkward about being stared at, and Bob awkward for being in a conversation where the other two conversers were just staring at each other. An awkward silence followed. Finally Lisa broke the silence with a smug voice.

"Do you consider yourself a smart man?"

Frank smiled. "I can't say that. Others can, if they like."

Cocky, she thought. Especially for someone who didn't do much that they could notice. He'd put them all up for the night and covered all of their necessities. But nobody really knew why he did it, or what he was up to. All they knew was that George trusted him, and so would they. Why did George trust him, when he so obviously disliked him? Why did Frank risk exposure by helping them hide?

What bothered Lisa most of all was that for her, Frank did not seem like the type to do anything without personal gain, even if it was for a friend. And it did not seem like he had owed anything to George. So Frank had to have his own agenda that he would not reveal, something to gain from being helpful. They were but pieces on a chess board, being manipulated by Frank to some kind of purpose. She hated being used.

"I'll keep that in mind. Be cautious of smart men, I think I can remember that."

She gave a quick smile, and left the two men by themselves. She wanted rest, for tomorrow was probably going to be a long day.

"See what I mean by women who are equal measures smart and beautiful?"

The question was aimed at Bob, but Frank's eyes were still fixated at the door through which he had watched her exit. Bob knew well enough not to answer.

"There is nothing more dangerous than a woman who knows she has you by the short and curlies."