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We both knew that was just an excuse More to the point, I still didn’t trust him Between his control issues, his emotional distance, and his luck, I didn’t knohether I could survive a second try with Chance

"Sure Maybe" As he stepped back, I saw the etched quality to his features

Why did he have the ability tohis heart? Was I supposed to believe he’d pined for me when he could have anybody he wanted? We weren’t soul reat, ito console her after a breakup I said the usual--"You’ll meet somebody else" And she replied: "What does thataway?"

If I got out of thisand everyone behind I’d started a new life in Mexico City, but I hadn’tbut not touching

"I’ anywhere," I told Chance then "So we can sort ‘us’ out after this is done Worry about h"

"I hear that’s what they said at the Alao see if dinner’s done Rereat idea, not just because I didn’t feel up to alone time with Chance I followed our host back to the kitchen, where Eva was pulling the glass dish out of the oven with giant blueI can do?"

The woood dishes Glasses are in the cupboard beside the fridge"

"Jesse’s joining us I hope you don’t ht then?" Eva got out a big slotted spoon and stabbed it into the ht the look Chuch and Chance exchanged They weren’t delighted to have a cop sniffing around, probably for different reasons

"Yeah, it looks like"

We were halfway through the ot up to answer the door before he knocked and waved him in "Everyone’s in the kitchen Come on back Have you eaten?"

He appeared to take stock of the hoht over Will theyme?"

Of course Eva overheard "No, we have plenty Chuch hates leftovers anyway"

The luey"

Reuys shook hands and Eva checked out Saldana like she did Chance Maybe she just liked to look, no matter how much she loved Chuch I could see her point; sos attached

I scraped the last of the casserole onto a plate and warlanced between us, as if he could somehow sense what happened, or almost happened, in San Antonio That surin, considering what I now suspected

Yeah, this et aard You could stir the testosterone soup with a spoon

I sat down at the round glass table to finish my own food Eva either possessed the sensitivity of a tone-deaf airport announcer or she opted to ignore the tension Either way, she chattered to fill the silence I could’ve kissed her for that, but the guys probably would’ve liked it too much

By the tihter At least I no longer thought Chance was seriously entertaining the idea of killing Saldana and asking Chuch to help him hide the body I could’ve taken Chance aside and confided ht he deserved the uncertainty of wondering about Saldana

Like a good hostess, Eva started clearing the table "Dessert, anyone? I have Oreos and Cookies ’n’ Crea a theme here," Jesse said with a killer smile "I wouldn’t say no to cookies As a kid I loved to open them up and lick the crea that Surely he kne it sounded Soed to meet his eyes, and oh, yes, he knew exactly what he’d just said, but he didn’t intend to flirt withChance

Chance didn’t take the bait, just narrowed his eyes "No thanks, Eva We should probably get started"

"I’ll have some ice cream," Chuch said, as if oblivious to the nuances

A glance out thetold me it would be dark soon The sky showed the color of bruised pluo take a look online, see what advice Madame Claudine has to offer"

"Mada Chance do the sa his belly and waiting for his Cookies ’n’ Creae, has a nice little business getting in touch with dead relatives More authentic than John Edward"

"Who?" I turned with a questioning look

Jesse shook his head "Never mind"

Part ofto do this I mean, it would be hypocritical of o buht Shit, soone out of uess I don’t need to because it always seems to find me

As I headed for the office, Chance fell in behind me I expected him to make soe of the desk and let me call up Area 51 Toher basic steps on how to go about contacting a dead loved one I h

"Huh," I said "I wonder if she gives her secrets away to everyone Or perhaps just those she thinks can succeed at it"