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“Can I ask why not?”

“Because it’s too clean Everything points to you If you’d done this, you’d have things pointing in a million different directions”

&nb

sp; “And froe base do you draw that conclusion?”

“I did my homework The smart way to run a Ponzi scheitimate ones with the phony ones that are then nearly impossible to trace When it comes to business, you are a smart man”

Her implication—that he wasn’t smart in another area—lay clearly between them

She hadn’t called to insult him But the way this man treated Liaue

“You’ll pardon me if I find no merit in your opinions?”

“Yes, sir Thank you for your time”

She hung up before he could dismiss her as easily as he’d dismissed his son

Just after three that afternoon, she received a call froranted li at for any potential connection to Lia made available to her by five o’clock that afternoon

She was there at four forty-five

And ho copies with Liam, by five

He greeted her at his door with a long, grateful look, eye to eye

She felt it heart to heart And brushed past him to open her briefcase