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“I have no idea” He blew out another stream of smoke “It was on the floor inside the door I picked it up”

Eve knehat it was—the size, the shape, the weight And she knehen she viewed the disc she would see Lola Starr’s murder

Soain, had his voice gentling “What is it, Eve?”

“Official business Excuse me”

She walked directly to the bedroom, closed and secured the door

It was Roarke’s turn to frown He went into the kitchen, located glasses, and poured the burgundy She lived siht Very little clutter, very little that spoke of background or family No mementos He’d been tempted to wander into her bedrooht have discovered about her there, but he’d resisted

It was not so e she presented that provoked him to discover her fros

Still, he found the plain colors and lack of fuss illu She didn’t live here, as far as he could see, so much as she existed here She lived, he deduced, in her work

He sipped the wine, approved it After dousing his cigarette, he carried both glasses back into the living roo to solve the puzzle of Eve Dallas

When she came back in, nearly twentysetting up dishes on a slorious the scents, they failed to stir her appetite Her head was pounding again, and she’d forgotten to take medication

With auntil the door closed and he was alone with Eve again “I’m sorry”

“For what?”

“For whatever’s upset you” Except for that one flush of temper, she’d been pale when she’d come into the apartment But her cheeks were colorless now, her eyes too dark When he started toward her, she shook her head once, fiercely

“Go away, Roarke”

“Going away’s easy Too easy” Very deliberately, he put his arms around her, felt her stiffen “Give yourself a minute” His voice was smooth, persuasive “Would it matter, really o?”