Page 10 (1/2)

"Why LA?"

Kelly shrugged "Why not? It’s kind of like Texas, right?"

"Not really"

"Well, but, I , and everyone knows people are pretty laid back out there, so she figured it’d be easier to, you know, get a job, get a place"

"Did Jaht about it He wanted her to stay here, but Liz was totally set on getting out of Texas I ave her to Jabril in the first place, so ould she trust ‘eo with her?"

"His ot a little sister who lives with his aunt I think he feels responsible"

"So Liz is alone out there Can you get in touch with her?"

"She checks this web site we use, but" Her voice trailed off and her gaze skittered away uneasily

"But?"

"I haven’t heard from her I mean it’s only been a few days so far, but she left asince then"

"Perfect Good planning" Cyn rubbed tired eyes, trying not to snap at Kelli, trying not to is that could happen to a seventeen-year-old girl on her own in LA "All right, listen--" She stopped as her phone rang, then frowned at the display It was a local number, and not one she knew On the other hand, it definitely wasn’t the vahton"

"Ms Leighton, Ramona Hewitt here Can we meet?"

Cyn’s eyes widened in surprise That didn’t take long "Sure," she said to Hewitt "Name the time and place, preferably before dark"

Hewitt ?"

"Four Seasons"

"Well, well Fine They’ve got a lobby bar You can buy a public servant a well-earned drink"

"What time?"

"Let’s make it four-thirty The sun sets early this ti up without saying good-bye, so Cyn snapped the phone shut and turned back to Kelli "Where was I?"

"You were about to co like that, but done is done If you hear froive youin the backpack and pulled out one of her own business cards, writing on the back before handing it over "If anyone asks, you tell theave it to you when I was out at the estate In case you thought of anything that could help ive me a number where I can call her Will she believe you if you tell her it’s okay, that she can trust ht, but if not, give her that address" She indicated the address of Jessica’s House she’d written on the back "The phone nuers on the west side of LA, run by soet there, they’ll take care of it"

"What’re you gonna do now?"

"That phone call was froree that Liz trusted her, so I’ that can help et Mirabelle on a plane withto find your friend Liz"

Kelli’s eyes were big as saucers "He’ll never let her go Not Mirabelle Even if Liz gets away, he’s already got Mirabelle and her money You don’t knohat he’s like, what he’ll do to her"

"Actually, I have a pretty good idea, but I’ll figure so out I can’t abandon her there"

Kelli was looking at her as if she’d grown another head "Why’d he call you? I mean, you sure don’t seeain, herthe problem of Mirabelle "Like I said before," she said distractedly "He thought he could use et back at soive a shit, so it won’t work out the way he hoped"

"A boyfriend, huh?"

"No!" Cyn focused on the girl, surprised "Why would you say that?"

"Yeah, I can tell," she said s"

"Whatever Listen, you’ve got a cell phone, right?"

"Sure"

"Giveout another card, watching as the girl wrote her name and number in a childish hand, then took it back and looked it over "Good I’ve got to go You’ll be okay?"