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Despite it all, he grinned "I didn't know I needed one"

"Well, I can't have you thinking I', now can I?" She patted his cheek and strode past him up the stairs

He appreciated her sass and the way she didn't treat hiloves or pity Another reason this woman was a keeper, whether she knew it or not

BALDWIN'S DEPARTMENT STORE was located in don Boston With traffic and construction ha them, the trip took over an hour A silent hour that left Ryan alone with his thoughts and Zoe with hers

Faith's words had been a boh that Ryan wanted her by his side when he confronted his uncle, a man he'd always trusted and loved like the kind of parent he should have had The kind of parent he'd deserved, she thought

Finding out his idol and mentor had feet of clay had obviously hurt him badly Zoe saw the pain in his eyes, the disappointment in his expression She'd even felt the desperation in his kiss She couldn't deny hih this difficult tiin the painful process of separation— Zoe and her family from Sam— and Zoe fro on a hunch, placed a quick call to Quinn He'd been looking into the Baldwin faht before and after Faith had run away and she wanted to knohat he'd found out Sure enough, the guy in custody in Boston who'd been following Sam was connected to theof the Baldwin's trucks years before Zoe was certain Uncle Russ had hired the ed through her

Uncle Russ had a lot of explaining to do and Zoe kneould take all of her restraint to allow Ryan to deal with his uncle without her going after hiround parking structure and took the elevator to the main floor Since they hadn't yet taken Sa trip, this was Zoe's first excursion into one of their stores and she was impressed with the upscale establishment

They made their way to a bank of private elevators that led to the office level, and once there, Ryan asked to see his uncle He was granted i hall to a corner office He knocked once and walked inside

Since Russ's secretary had called ahead, the otherwhen they entered "Well this is a nice surprise" His gaze shifted from his nephew to Zoe "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Zoe merely waited

Ryan shut the door behind him "It's time we talk"

She heard the strain in his voice and her heart went out to him, but all she could do was stand there and listen

"I always have time for you, but we talk all the tilanced frorew suddenly wary, shuffling papers on the desk for no apparent reason

When Ryan didn't answer right away, Uncle Russ gestured to the chairs circling his desk "Shall we sit?"

"I'd rather stand" Ryan rolled his shoulders and Zoe could only i upon theht you had an unusual interest in the keys around Saination, but she thought the olderat Ryan's words as he eyed Zoe with barely concealed anger before shifting his gaze back to his nephew

"Even when I agreed to look into the keys, I was huured best-case scenario, Sam finds out a little more about her mother, and worst case, I waste an afternoon Not once did I believe you'd been involved in Faith's disappearance Not you, the ation to find her" His voice rose with all the hurt, anger and betrayal he

Zoe sensed the power behind Ryan's words Her stomach jumped with equal doses of anticipation about what his uncle would admit to, and empathy for Ryan's obvious pain