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The saht in oversize china plates heavy with sizzling rilled potatoes

Eve waited until they were alone again, then cut into her steak “When a reat deal of reat deal to lose”

“Noe’re speaking oftheory” He sat there, his eyes interested, yet still amused “She threatened me with some sort of blackmail and, rather than pay or dismiss her as ridiculous, I killed her Did I sleep with her first?”

“You tell me,” Eve said evenly

“It would fit the scenario, considering her choice of profession There may be a blackout on the press on this particular case, but it takes little deductive power to conclude sex reared its head I had her, then I shot herif one subscribes to the theory” He took a bite of steak, chewed, sed “There’s a problem, however”

“Which is?”

“I have what youwomen, in any form”

“It’s old-fashioned in that it would bepeople, in any form”

He ant shoulders “As I say, it’s a quirk I find it distasteful to look at you and watch the candlelight shift over a bruise on your face”

He surprised her by reaching out, running a finger down the ently

“I believe I would have found it even more distasteful to kill Sharon DeBlass” He dropped his hand and went back to his h I have, occasionally, been known to do what is distasteful to me When necessary How is your dinner?”

“It’s fine” The rooht, the food, was allin another world, in another time “Who the hell are you, Roarke?”

He sure it out”

She would, she promised herself By God she would, before it was done “What other theories do you have about Sharon DeBlass?”

“None to speak of She liked excite those who loved her embarrassment Yet she was”