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15

Sanchez and I were in the backroohth and Turner We had convinced the reluctant owner, a small Vietnamese man naht of Amanda&039;s murder We informed him that he had sold alcohol to a e for his cooperation, he would receive only a warning He obliged

When Phan was done setting up the VCR, he handedunder his breath

"You speak Vietnamese?" asked Sanchez

"Nope"

"What&039;s the chances he&039;s praising us for our diligent investigative work?"

"Slim to none"

We both leaned back in a worn leather love seat, the only seating available in the back room

"Just because we&039;re in a love seat," said Sanchez, "doesn&039;t mean I love you"

"Sure you do," I said "You just don&039;t know it yet"

I had the reh the day of her ht corner was the time

At seven thirty I let the tape play in real time Sanchez put his hands behind his head and stretched

"Should have brought some popcorn," he said

"They have soive us some on the house"

"His name was Phan, and that would be abuse of power We would be on the take"

"For some popcorn, it would be worth it"

"But only if buttered"

We watched the cos of many different people of arettes and Lotto tickets, all slapping their led down fro us a clear shot of each customer&039;s face

"Oh, she&039;s cute," said Sanchez

"The brunette?"

"No, the blond"

"What is it with you and brunettes, anyway?" he asked

"Brunettes are beautiful Blonds are pretty There&039;s a difference"

"You&039;re blond"

"There always an exception to every rule"

At seven thirty-eight a youngtwo cases of Miller Genuine Draft Tall and lanky The owner studied hied, and took the kid&039;s money

"That our boy?" asked Sanchez

"Yes"

"The time of death was seven thirty?"

"Yes," I said

"Kid can&039;t be in two places at once"

"No," I said

"The kid didn&039;t do her"

"No, he didn&039;t"

I stopped the tape and we sat back on the sofa

"Whichfor her at her house," I said "So how did this so the party early?"

We were silent Two great investigative minds at work

"Don&039;t know," said Sanchez

"Me neither," I said

"Maybe she was followed ho"

Sanchez looked at ot your work cut out for you, kiddo"

16

It was a late April ton Beach, California, which meant, of course, that the weather was perfect

Why the hell would anyone want to live anywhere else?

I was sitting at ers playbook, a sa that Rob, Cindy&039;s brother, had just faxed to hly Classified material, and that his job was on the line I re his sister, and that practically made me family He toldand his sister in the saet drunk at our wedding and make a nuisance of hi because his sister wasn&039;tup

The plays were complex, but not rocket science The majority faxed to me involved the fullback position, which wasthe borders