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He cleared his throat again Julie waited; still nothing "Judge?"
"It’s not a probleht voice "There are thieves ill go to great lengths to get their hands on highly sought after art I aets I will have the pieces in question put soht hours, and then call her bluff"
"It’s not a bluff if you think she’ll act on it," Julie argued "And if you need forty-eight hours, that tells e, I don’t want to offend you but," she paused to consider phrasing and decided to be direct "I need to be sure there is nothing going on I wouldn’t want to be involved with"
He laughed, but it sounded forced "I’e for God’s sake Give me some credit I have masterpieces that certain collectors would literally kill for I don’t want those pieces of my collection made public Now do as I say, and call her bluff"
Bluff There was that word again that sat all kinds of wrong in her e Consider it done"
Julie’s sto about this situation was done Her gut said that this was going soo O’ Hare Airport
Wednesday night, two days later
Ten ate and board Considering the snowstor across the state, she couldn’t afford to ht well be the last plane out for days And considering she was in charge of Lauren’s rehearsal dinner Friday night, that would be bad Really, really bad That frightened her enough to send Julie into a half-run She shouldn’t have agreed to travel this close to the wedding
She eyed the gate nuht to ignore the pinch of her toes in the black three-inch heels that ht of huge snowflakes outside the wall of s to her left They seeaze lifted to thered with the word ‘cancelled’ next to a great nuhts
"Please don’t let mine be one of them," she murmured, afraid to stop to check for fear seconds could cost her the seat with her na roo The doors to the entry ramp were still open, and that ht, Julie hurried to the counter and presented the attendant behind the counter her ticket "Please tellwolasses back onto her face "You’re in luck We’ve boarded the last group, but the flight’s been delayed fifteen h of relief slid past Julie’s lips "Thank you And you’re right That’s luck because I really need to be on this flight Do you think I dare sneak away for some food to take on the plane with ht and divorce negotiations had been so heated, she’d never gotten her sandwich down
"If you hurry and I do mean hurry," she said "Rush back"
"I will," Julie proain Please don’t let them shut the doors withoutto check in with the crew and I’ll flag your name as present" The woman rushed away and Julie stuffed her ticket inside her purse, ready to seek out the nearest restaurant
She made it all of four or five steps before she stumbled over Lord-only-knehat – a cord of soht – and nearly fell flat on her face She righted her ankle, thankfully avoiding a sprain, but her briefcase took the turound The contents spilled out