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She didn’t exactly perk up and pant, but that’s the iht I wouldn’t do that for anyone

13

I waited in the living room while Olive stepped into the kitchen The place was handso, a fieldstone fireplace, traditional furniture in da was rose and dusty pink The rooine the two of theood taste, there was no indication that they listened to music or read books No evidence of shared interests There was a current copy of Architectural Digest on the coffee table, but it looked like a prop I’ve never known rich people to read Popular Me-chanics, Family Circle, or Road 6- Track Coht

Olive returned in ten minutes with a tray of hors d’oeuvres and a silver cooler with a wine bottle nestled in ice Her entire ed since Terry walked in the door She still had an air of elegance, but her ed noith servitude She fussed with s the plate she’d placed at one end of the coffee table She’d prepared ripe figs stuffed with les of phyllo, and chilled new potato halves topped with sour cream and caviar If I called this my dinner, would all of my nutritional needs be met?

Olive crossed briskly to a sideboard and set out liquor bottles so we’d have a choice of drinks The roo to darken and she turned on two table la sound every tis ell h relief

I glanced over to see Terry standing in the doorway, freshly showered and dressed, his gaze lingering on the picture she presented He caught estion of proprietorship He didn’t look like an easy eous house," I said

Olive looked over with a rare smile "Thanks," she said

"Have a seat," he said

"I don’t want to hold you up"

Terry waved dis conversa-tion took precedence The gesture had the sa effect as someone who tells his secretary to hold all the calls It’s probably bullshit… ives the visitor a feeling of impor-tance

"He’d never pass up a chance to talk business," Olive said She handed hilanced at me "What would you like?"

"The white wine, if I lass for me and then one for herself She handed me mine and then eased out of her shoes and took a seat on the couch, tucking her feet up under her She seeotistical The role of helpmeet suited her, which surprised me, somehow She was a wo herself and pa "her man" The notion seemed outdated in a world of career women and super at e of the conversation, a ave his narrow face a brooding look, but his ital reference to the fact of his moustache I’ve seen men who stroke their facial hair incessantly, as if it were the last re and soft "Lance says someone tried to frame you," he said He ate a new-potato half and passed the plate toHeaven on the tongue

"What do you need fro you can fill ot to do with it?"

"She was there the day I did the fire-scene inspection She also saw Heather give me the envelope full of inven-tory sheets, which have since disappeared"

His gaze shifted and I watched him compose his reply before he spoke "As far as I know, Ava’s straight as an arrow Hardworking, honest, devoted to the co with hie a cross word He’s the one who hired her, as a er"

"How long ago was that?"

"God, it must be two, three years now," he said He looked down at Olive, sitting close by "What’s your i accurately?"