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She opened her top right-hand desk drawer and took out the log for inco telephone calls It was a carbonless system with a perinals If a call came in for someone out of the office, she made a note of the date and ti off one of the responses to the right, "Please call," "Will call back," or "Message" The top slip was then torn out and given to the relevant recipient Darcy turned back to Dece the log of Andy ’s calls with the calendar pad, we came up with one repeat caller who left a number, but no nanations… if indeed that’s what they were

"Do you keep crisscross around here?" I asked

"I don’t think so We used to have one, but I haven’t seen it for ot last year’s in my office Let’s see who’s listed at this number We better hope it’s not a business"

I pulledas Darcy followed me

"You were supposed to turn those keys in," she said in mild reproof

"Oh really? I didn’t know that"

I unlockedthe crisscross from the bottoed to last na, first name Lorraine

"You think it’s her?" Darcy asked

"I know a good way to find out," I said The address listed was only two blocks from my apartment, down near the beach

"Are you sure you’re okay? I don’t think you should be running around like this"

"Don’t sweat it I’ all that terrific, but I didn’t want to lay my little head down until a few questions had been answered first I was running on adrenaline-not a bad source of energy When it ran out, of course, you were up shit creek, but for the ti it seemed better to be on the move

18

I had Darcy drop me off In an interview situation I prefer to work alone, especially when I’ with People are easier to e one on one; there’s otiate

The apart froed to the color of rust and the stucco had mellowed fro bird of paradise plants in front A towering, sixty-foot pine tree enveloped the yard in shade Bougainvillea was enta blossoutters and trailed like Spanish moss Wood shut-ters, painted dark brown, flanked the s The loggia was chilly and smelled of dan of Andy ’s car on the street, but there was still a possibility that he was here I had no idea what I’d say if he appeared at the door It was nearly six and I could s with onions and celery and butter The door opened and I felt a little lurch of surprise Andy ’s ex-as staring out at me

"Janice?" I said, with disbelief

"I’ for an to fade She had to be in herto dehydrate She had Janice’s blond hair and the saer and her ht, probably ten pounds heavier, and I could see where she carried the excess Her eyes were brown and she’d lined the false lashes as dense as paintbrushes She wore snug white twill shorts and a halter top Her legs had been shapely once, but the y look that connotes no exercise Her tan looked like the co salon- the electric beach

Andy must have been in heaven I’ve known men who fall in love with the saain, but the sily like Janice The difference was that Lor-raine was voluptuous where the former Mrs Motycka tended toward the s from Andy ’s letter, Lorraine was freer with her affections than Janice ever was She did things to him that made his syntax turn to hiccups I wondered if his affair with Lor-raine came before or after his divorce Either way, the liaison was dangerous If Janice found out about it, she would extract a pretty price It crossed e to secure his cooperation