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"I tried calling you at Guy Coffer’s office," Dietrich continued, "but you were out, and they couldn’tor perhaps wouldn’tsay when you’d be back I didn’t leave a e with them for reasonswell, for reasons I’d rather not discuss on an answering machine"

Dietrich inhaled deeply, and Earette That explained the rough quality of her voice, but not perhaps the tension that underlay every syllable she spoke

"Call me, Ms Duquet," Dietrich said bluntly "But use a phone you can trust absolutely Don’t use your personal cell, don’t use this line either I’d recommend a pay phone, if you can find one, or a prepaid cell phone I’ to track it I’ve taken my own advice and will dispose of the phone if I don’t hear frolad you did"

Thethe end Emma stared, then scrae She hadn’t paid any attention to the date and time stamp, didn’t know for sure if the clock was even set on the machine Damnit! Why hadn’t the woman called her cell? Okay, fine, she didn’t want it traced, but couldn’t she at least have given Eht button and hit replay

"What’s that?"

Eotten all about Duncan’s guard

He frowned at her "Is so?"

"Do you have a cell phone?" she demanded

"Well, yeah, don’t--"

"Give it tomachine, which dutifully inforht While Emma and Duncan had been with Violet Did Dietrich know about Violet? Was that why she’d called? To warn theer because of what they’d done? No, that didn’tto gain by getting rid of her The set rid of E Ee wound down to the phone number Dietrich had left and Euard who eyed her as if she’d lost her mind

"Phone?" she asked impatiently

He studied her for a minute, then handed it over There was no way her eneuard’s cell phone, so it should be safe She punched in the nu She’d aliven up when Dietrich’s raspy voice answered "About time, Duquet"

Emma’s stomach sank "How’d you knoas ave this number to," Dietrich said dryly "That was the whole point"

Right "I got your htly "What do you want?"

"You came to see me," Dietrich reminded her "As it happens, however, I have some free advice for you Get out of town You and your boyfriend both Go as far and as fast you can"

"Look, Dietrich This is Taht?"

"Got it in one, sweetheart"

"Well, sweetheart, I don’t knohat ga until--"

Dietrich laughed bitterly "This is no gaaets his way, and you, Duquet, are in his way"

"Max Grafton? Your brother?"

"Half brother, but who’s counting I don’t have tiiven it I wanted to talk to you at Lacey’s service, but there were tooyou now Your life is in danger, and dying won’t bring Lacey back That’s it, Duquet That’s all she wrote"

"Wait! How do I get in touch with you?"

"You don’t I told you, I’ a hole somewhere far away and crawl into it, and hope to hell Max never finds ain, but Dietrich was gone Euard "What’s your nalanced at his watch "Two hours, give or take, probably less"