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"Yes" His expression grew aze "That's it? Yes? Do they know you found your sister's child?"

"Yes" His jaw tightened, almost imperceptibly

"Yet they aren't here with you"

He paused, then said, "We thought it best I come down and check out the situation first" The tick in his jaw became more pronounced

She made a mental note to have Quinn look deeply into their family history If he had been thirteen when his sister ran ahat had his parents done about finding Faith before the trail had grown cold? Ryan Baldwin's silence spoke louder than any words could and perhaps whatever was behind that reticence would provide her with the leverage she needed to stall his revelation to Sam

She sidled up beside hine, a scent that under other circuet used to "I'd like to propose a deal A quid pro quo of sorts"

"Again, I' this on et to know you first"

He nodded in understanding, his expression softening "That sounds fair What are you proposing?"

" Katherine , the social worker, has put off the final evaluation a feeeks while she's away on a faency They're so overburdened they can't spare anyone for this case I suggest you hold off telling Social Services or Sam who you clai to accept hi is that you continue your charade Pretend to be a social worker and co these last feeeks of the evaluation period You'll get to know Sam and see her in her element here"

He frowned "That sounds awfully one-sided What do I get out of this?"

"My cooperation in getting to know Sam If you dump this news on her, I can promise you every defensiveher over will be sliment Like it or not, you need me, Mr Baldwin So do we have a deal?" She held out her hand

He hesitated for a second, before grasping her hand If Zoe thought the first sparks between them were a fluke, she iht have lied froest threat to the Costas family since her father's bout with cancer, but soathered her cos he evoked— and yanked her hand back "One ers as if he needed to shake himself free of her touch