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"Okay So Michael and I aren’t allowed to lie about you? Vow of silence then?"

Søren s a vow of silence, Eleanor, is as likely as you taking a vow of celibacy No, I think it’s best that you both leave tohile this is going on Together"

Silence descended on the room like a shroud

"Can I talk to you alone for one minute please, sir?" Nora asked, and Søren released a h

"Michael, would you mind?"

Michael stood up and left the office

"Are you insane?"

"Little one, ns you?"

Nora sunk back into her chair

"You, sir But you really want--"

"Eleanor, if a reporter asked you if ere lovers ould you do?"

"I’d tell hisley freeze his credit cards and bank accounts for the week just for fun"

Søren raised his eyebrow

"Okay Point taken," she said

"I need to able to deal with this situation without worrying about you But the most important reason is Michael He needs you"

"Needs me for what?"

"What you are best at," Søren said sihast "I was a pay-for-play do wasn’t my area Surely there’s someone else--"

"There’s no one else I trust And no one else Michael trusts He starts college in the fall This su underneath Søren’s words, and a shiver of worry rippled through her She hadn’t really talked to Michael since their one night together, but she still cared about the kid

"Help him? The last ti to try to kill hi I can tell you, I’, Nora stood up and wandered over to the stained-glassthat adorned the back wall of Søren’s office Unlike the stained-glass s in the sanctuary, thisdepicted no saints or biblical scenes but instead a bursting bloodred rose Nora traced one of the cool er