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He ed to fall back with Nikki as they walked He waited until Max and Julian had entered into conversation, then took the moment to catch Nikki’s ar you?" he deed "Oh… a friend died, I think she waswith thelad that I can talk to thelanced at him seriously "I really don’t knoho you are"

"You know all you need to know This has nothing to do with me"

She smiled "You couldn’t care less if Max keeps you on or not, because it isn’t really your job"

He frowned "Nikki, you’re not worried about your job Max has a gold mine in you, and he knows it What’s the truth?"

She let out a sigh "I don’t know But… you kno it seemed like so? Well, once I started to talk to Andy, I figured it had to be her But… I just got that feeling in the office, too If I wasn’t in there, no one should have been Except for Max, of course, but he hasn’t been here"

"Was anything ed around?"

"No" She flushed "But I’anization freaks I know exactly how I left the papers on the desk, and they were just a little askew"

"Rats?" he suggested lightly

She frowned at him

"I’ll check into it, Nikki"

"How?"

"Trust me I’ll find a way"

She studied him seriously "You will, won’t you?"

He nodded She watched him closely then "Your turn Why are you so keyed up and tense?"

"I’hed "Not usually, but you are now You’ve glanced at your watch about ten tio out at dark"

She still watched hi to tell ht be on a wild-goose chase tonight"

"But why are you so tense?"

"I don’t want to leave you alone"

"I’m not alone Julian is desperate to stay with someone he works with, and Max is back now"

He was silent

She groaned "I’ve known Julian allwhile he trots all over, doing whatever he wants"

He let out a soft sigh "Nikki, I know you’re going to get angry, but… "

"But what?"

His clenched his jaw "I can’t betray a confidence thatBut I’roup, okay?"

She stared straight ahead "I’ll go home alone then"

"But--"

"I was afraid because of Andy But I’o I should just let the cops--"

"No!" she said sharply, her beautiful eyes full of resolve "I want you to go, to do what you have to Do you understand? I’ for a visit from Andy"

His eyes narrowed "Nikki… you’re up to soh the Quarter had taken them past Madame’s The woman was outside with her coffeepot and stopped dead when she saw Max, s "As I live and breathe The master is returned fro a kiss on the woman’s cheek

She smiled, patted his face and said, "Looks as if you’ve been roughhousing a bit" She glanced at the others "What’s going on?"

"Brent tried to beat hihed "Do I really look beat up? How ee of dirt on your chin," Mada uys"

"I didn’t see it, honestly," Nikki said

"Why did you try to beat up Max, dear?" Madame asked Brent She turned to Max before Brent even had a chance to answer "You could fire him, you know"

"I don’t think he’d care Besides, I hear nobody does a ceuy He’s as familiar with theets to know the ghosts, huh?" Max teased

"There are no such things as ghosts," Madaure had been blocking the table directly behind her A familiar voice suddenly sounded from around her derriere "Ah, Madas exist that we don’t see"