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Ronnie's answering machine clicked in "Ronnie, if you're there, it's Anita, pick up"

The phone clicked, and a second later I was talking to the genuine article "Hi, Anita I thought you had a date with Richard tonight So?"

See, best friends "Not with the date I've got a client here who I think is more up your alley than mine"

"Tell me," she said

I did

"Did you recoo to the police?"

"Yep"

"He won't go?"

"Nope"

She sighed "Well, I've donepersons before but usually after the police have done everything they can They have resources I can't touch"

"I'm aware of that," I said

"He won't budge?"

"I don't think so"

"So it's me or"

"Bert took the job knowing it was ait to Jamison"

"Jaround on anything but raising the dead"

"Yeah, but he's always eager to expand his repertoire"

"Ask him if he can be at h her appoint"

"Jesus, you alere an early riser"

"One of my few faults," she said

I asked George Sht

"Couldn't she see ht?"

"He wants to see you tonight"

She thought about that for a minute "Why not? It's not like I have a hot date, unlike some people I could mention Sure, send him over I'll wait Friday with a client is better than Friday night alone, I guess"

"You've just hit a dry spell," I said

"And you've hit a wet spell"

"Very funny"

She laughed "I'll look forward to Mr Smitz's arrival Enjoy Guys and Dolls"

"I will See you to for our run"

"You sure you want me over there that early in case dream boat wants to stay over?"

"You know me better than that," I said

"Yeah, I do Just kidding See you tomorrow"

We hung up I gave Mr Smitz Ronnie's business card, directions to her office, and sent him on his way Ronnie was the best I could do for hio to the police, but hey, it wasn't my wife

I've got two kids, he'd said Not httime secretary, was at the desk, whichlate There really wasn't tiue with Bert about Mr Smitz, but

I glanced at Bert's office It was dark "Boss one home?"

Craig glanced up from his colasses to match a round face He's slender and taller than I am, but then who isn't? He's in his twenties with a wife and two babies

"Mr Vaughn left about thirty o"

"It figures," I said

"So?"

I shook my head "Schedule me some time to talk to the boss tomorrow"

"I don't know, Anita He's booked pretty solid"

"Find soe in on one of the other appointments"

"You're mad," he said

"You bet Find the tiun on you"

"Anita," he said with a grin, as if I were teasing

I left hi to squeeze me somewhere I meant it Bert would talk tozombies People seemed to think you couldn't do it close to Christ So Bert scheduled other things to take up the slack I was getting tired of clients with proble about S to be the last

With that cheerful thought I bundled intoIf traffic cooperated, Inuht, surely not