Page 54 (1/2)

"What about --?"

"That wasn’t black her up "That was aup"

"Maybe your step the ocean blue," she offered

"My stepmother is psycho That’s never been in question But not about this Dad always et ahold of him This just isn’t like him"

A woman’s voice drifted to us from inside my office "They told h my office door The one that led to the stairs that led to the bar that Reyes usually ran She wore four-inch heels and sauntered up to us like she owned the place

"You," she said, pointing toward Reyes, "are a difficult man to catch" When Reyes didn’t answer her, she turned towardShe held out her hand "So nice to see you again"

"And in real clothes this ti over the fact that our first ers around h she expected ?" she asked

That wasn’t patronizing at all "Well, thank you My fiancé seems to think so" I leaned back into his shoulder, at which point he placed an appreciative kiss on ht on cue It kind of hurt, since Barbara had exploded from lack of caffeine, but I sucked it up

While Cookie looked on longingly and a soft sigh escaped her, Sylvia Starr’s e the lines of sociopathic They leapt inside her, and a boiling hatred spilled out in hot, razor-sharp waves Yet she ed to keep her cool That superstar smile plastered on her face didn’t waver an inch It was creepy

Feeling the sa I did, Reyes wrapped his arm all the way around et in? It was eight o’clock in theand the restaurant wasn’t open yet She was a sweet-talker Neil had been right She probably kne to talk her way into any situation Or out of one

"I’ behind her desk and holding out her hand "I see you on TV all the time"

"Well, thank you"

I wasn’t sure how that was a coary texture of her voice wasain nonetheless "I ondering if noould be a good tier welled within him, so I intervened "Actually, we have some people to interview ourselves We’re on a case at the moment, but thanks"