Page 7 (2/2)

"No No ah She didn’t tellis wrong here, and if I wait too long, I’ll never--" Her voice broke as she fought back tears Why couldn’t she make anyone understand? Lacey was so much more than a roommate They were best friends, sisters in every way that counted They were all each other had in the world, and Lacey would never have done this to her!

Duncan didn’t htfully "I believe you," he said unexpectedly

"Thank you," E to force its way up her throat

"Mind you," he cautioned, "I’ dire has occurred, but I do believe you know Lacey quite well, certainly better than I do And if you say so into"

She nodded, biting her lip to keep froaze sharpened on her mouth, and he stiffened froain faced her across the desk "As I said earlier, Ms Duquet, we’ve only just arrived in this city Last night, as a matter of fact Victor departed rather unexpectedly, which leaves us to dig through his records on our own"

"Can’t you call hi?"

"I’m afraid he’s not reachable, but I’ll do what I can"

E to find Lacey He wasn’t even willing to call Victor,this to appease you," he insisted, and she frowned That was the second tihts Was it possible?

"And I’ "What I have ishuman expressions, and your face is very expressive"

E--"

"I know you’re anxious, but give et back to you, I promise"

Emma wanted to protest Two more days! But it was better than she’d honestly expected before she got here, and it was probably the best she was going to get She drew a deep, calht Thank you," she said, and reached into her pocket to pull out her cell phone "I left my purse in the car, so I don’t have any business cards with me, but I can text my numbers to you, or--" She raised her head to meet his very hurinned "We do indeed All the modern conveniences" He slipped a hand into his jacket pocket, retrieved his own phone, and rapidly tapped a few keys Then he slid it across the desk to her

"You can enter your nulanced down at the screen Her na for a nu some invisible line, she entered in her cell and work numbers, then put the phone back on the desk

"I have a land line at home, but I never use it Just the cell," she said "And ood, I’ll--"

"Shouldn’t I take your number?"

Duncan had already pushed away from the desk and stood, as if the intervieas over He stopped and gave her a beuel"

Euel to do it for hi out a thick, white business card Emma looked down as she took it There were two lines on the card Duncan’s name, which apparently included a last nah he hadn’t introduced hi affiliation of any kind

"Okay," she said "Thanks"

"Miguel, walk Ms Duquet out to her car, would you? It’s dark and slippery out there"

"Oh, no, really, I’ she wanted was a stroll in the dark with the growler, Miguel

"Of course, you are," Duncan said iuel"

Duncan stood at an upstairsand watched as Miguel escorted Eate and down the street to her car, which was an older model Honda, he noted A reliable car, but not an expensive one

She said souel as she opened the car door Probably thanking hiuel, or maybe she sensed his distrust of her Whichever it was, Duncan didn’t et closer to Ms Duquet it would be him He was attracted to her in a way he hadn’t been to any wo to do with the gentle hint of a drawl in her voice, one she’d clearly worked hard to lose But it was still there to anyone who’d grown up in the South and knehat to listen for It was said that a man’s taste in wo before that taste was ever acted upon If so, it was entirely possible that, even now, Duncan’s taste in women was a throwback to his youth in Tennessee nearly two hundred years ago But he suspected it was le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>