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"This isn’t what I had in o out on a date"

It took et in to see Enrique Valdez, and Kiyo had decided to acco for my appointment, I’d checked in once with the Thorn Land, only to find the whole experience frustrating Though no one openly said it - well, except for Jas up with Dorian was the worst idea ever I also learned froed down Dorian insisted all three monarchs meet in person Katrice wanted to send her nephew There was also the dom would host because several others wanted to, ood with one or all of us I told Shaya I didn’t care about the details and to simply do whatever it took to finish this war quickly

When Kiyo and I reached Enrique’s address, we found it was in a s in one of the more rundown areas of don Tucson I eyed it askance as we stood outside and waited for hiet why it took us three days to get in," I said "It doesn’t really seeot that much business"

The door buzzed, and Kiyo opened it "Maybe it’s a cover," he said We walked up to the second floor, where Enrique’s office was located "Maybe he wants to hide how successful he is"

"That’s ridiculous - "

I stopped when the office door opened before we knocked Even with Enrique standing in the doorway, I could see beautiful, expensive furnishings

"Well, I’ll be daesture

He was shorter than ray I put him somewhere in his mid to late forties His attire didn’t quite match the office’s opulence In fact, it looked like stereotypical PI clothing from some old detective noir filirl, huh?" he asked, voice laced with a faint Spanish accent His eyes fell on Kiyo "And a bodyguard?"

"A friend," I said sharply "I don’t need a bodyguard"

"Right" Enrique didn’t sound like he believed that He pointed us to soer one across froleaht and didn’t look like the kind of thing you’d find at IKEA

I stared around at the rest of the office, still a widely from Moby Dick to Arizona state law - lined shelves that s, statues, et cetera - adorned the rooan Enrique "What’s his na on you?"

"I - huh?" I jerked od and stared at Enrique in astonish about? Is that what Roland told you?"

"No, he didn’t tell ured that’s why you were here That’s usually omen come in for"

Kiyo h "That’s ridiculous," I exclaimed, unsure if I should be offended or not "I need you to investigate a murder"

Enrique arched an eyebrow "That’s what the police are for"

"They already investigated it And actually, they declared it a suicide"

"And you need me because ?"

"Because I don’t think it was," I said "I think it was a er"

Enrique made no attempt to hide his skepticism "Do you have any evidence to support thistheory?"

I took a deep breath, hoping Roland had been right about this guy "The victihost said she didn’t kill herself"

"Her ghost," he repeated As though on cue, Deanna h Enrique couldn’t see her Kiyo and I could with our Otherworldly senses, but neither of us gave any indication of her arrival

I nodded "Roland said you - "

"Yeah, yeah," said Enrique "I know about that hocus pocus he deals with I’ht be so trauhost blocked out what she actually did"

"That’s not true!" exclaimed Deanna

I supposed it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility, but I’d explore all other options first "I don’t think that’s the case I think she really was murdered If that’s true, we need to ets hurt"

"If she was murdered," countered Enrique, "then statistics say someone in her family probably did it"

"That’s not true either!"

I ignored Deanna’s second outburst and stayed fixed on Enrique "Well, one way or another, I need to know"

He leaned back in his chair, putting his feet up on his desk and crossing his arms behind his head If he’d called me ’dame,’ I wouldn’t have been surprised "The police take all this into consideration, you know Whatthey haven’t?"

"I thought guys like you were sured you had connections and channels above the law That you didn’t play by the same rules"

"That’s true," said Enrique, see Kiyo more seriously than me "I can look into it, I suppose But it’s not like I’ll do it for free, just because you’re cute" That was directed back at me

I repressed a scowl "I didn’t expect you to I can pay"

He considered this and finally gave a nod, straightening back up in his chair "Okay Tell et to it when I can"

"What!" cried Deanna

"This is kind of time sensitive," I said Mostly because I wasn’t sure how estured to a stack of folders on a table "So are these I’ht"

"We’ll pay for you to expedite it," said Kiyo

I shot him a look of astonishment, not thrilled that he’d speak forot Enrique’s attention "Expediting it is, then"

I gave him all the details I’d recently learned froently wrote them all down and asked pertinent questions that reaffiritimacy The price he na to be done for it

When Kiyo and I finally got up to leave, I couldn’t resist asking the obvious "You see pretty wellso why’s your office in a dump like this?"

Enrique didn’t look offended so much as scornful that I’d ask such a ridiculous question "Do you knotons of money"

"Maybe you should put that surplus toward a secretary instead of statues," I pointed out, nodding toward the tower of folders

"I don’t trust anyone," he said bluntly "Especially when ghost clients show up" He opened the door "I’ll be in touch"

"Charain "The only thing I’ression of wohts"

Kiyo tried to hide a sh And I don’t knowso tells me that despite the attitude, he’s pretty co aside, he couldn’t afford that office if he wasn’t achieving results Besides, Roland wouldn’t reco to sabotage me"

Kiyo’s smile faded "Do you really think he’d do that to you?"

I stared out the passenger seat"No He wouldn’t"

"I’m sorry, you know I really am About Roland"

"I don’t want to talk about it," I said My mood plummeted each time Roland’s nae this ’date’ and get soe of subject I didn’t think anything could really distract me, certainly not the crappy Mexican restaurant Kiyo took us to