LITMIR.BIZ

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      “I rode in a few rodeos in my time, but sports…” He scoffed.

      “Over here,” she said when he veered toward the path. “Let’s go sit for a while.”

      “Why?”

      “Because I can tell your side is hurting.”

      “Nah, I’m fine.”

      She didn’t believe him. He looked pale, but she wasn’t about to argue. “Want to just walk then?”

      He led her back onto the path and resumed a brisk pace. “I want you to have dinner with me tonight.”

      She looked sharply at him. “I can’t.”

      “Won’t or can’t?”

      “Both.”

      He smiled. “Why not?”

      “I don’t date clients.”

      “It’s only dinner. I hate eating by myself.”

      “It’s really not a good idea.”

      “Why?”

      Dana took a deep breath. She’d have to be out of her mind to agree, especially now that his stay here was extended. She’d broken her rule once, and the lapse in judgment had ended up breaking her heart. The jerk had turned out to be married. With three kids. Although Bradford was from Chicago, his business brought him to New York often and he’d wooed her for months before she’d given in.

      He’d been romantic, sending her flowers, writing her silly charming notes, saying all the right things. They’d had dinner, gone up to his room, had sex. The next morning his wife had surprised them both. It was their tenth wedding anniversary. The look of pain and horror on the betrayed woman’s face had stayed with Dana for the past two years. So had the shame. It hadn’t mattered that she hadn’t known he was married. And that was no way near the worst of it for her since coming to New York.

      “Consider it a business dinner,” Chase said, when she’d let silence stretch. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to talk you into getting back into singing professionally.”

      “Not me,” she said quickly. “I have enough on my plate.”

      “You never know what kind of opportunities could arise.”

      Damn him. He’d piqued her curiosity. Not for herself, but for Kelly. Maybe if Dana made nice she could introduce her friend to Chase. “Where did you want to eat?”

      “Name it.”

      “Not at the hotel.”

      “Fine. You tell me.”

      She swallowed, her thoughts moving so fast she could barely think straight. She could tell herself all she wanted that she was doing this for her friend, but that was a lie. After thinking she was immune to temptation when it came to show business, he’d snagged her like a hog-tied calf at the county fair.

      “FOR GOD’S SAKE, Roscoe, I’ve only been here for two days. No, I haven’t found the ring yet.” Chase held the phone away from his ear for a second and checked his reflection in the mirror. His hair was too long and his shirt collar wasn’t pressed right. It kind of curled up at the tip and touched his blazer. Too late to do anything about it. He had to meet Dana for dinner in half an hour.

      “You talk to the police?” Easy to picture Roscoe’s ruddy face, shock of white hair and more eyebrows than three people put together. He’d made a lot of money pumping oil out of his forty-thousand acre spread, and he never let anyone forget it.

      “Not yet.”

      “What am I paying you for, boy?”

      “Expertise.” If he didn’t have a hefty car payment he wouldn’t have considered taking on the private detective work. Chase checked his fly. All was well in that department. “Don’t go telling me how to investigate this case, Roscoe. You don’t want to get me riled.”

      “See here, that’s the problem. It’s just a case to you. You don’t find that ring, it’s gonna be my neck on Mary Lou’s choppin’ block.”

      He knew Roscoe’s wife, and the man wasn’t exaggerating. Of course that sweet young thing probably couldn’t even boil water or find the kitchen, but Chase got the man’s drift. “I don’t want to talk to the locals until I get my own feel for what’s going on. Tomorrow I’ll meet with security.” Chase went to the window, pushed aside the drapes and eyed the mounting traffic. Good thing Dana had chosen a restaurant that was only a five-minute walk from the hotel. “You know it might help if you tell me why you brought that ring here with you in the first place.”

      Roscoe muttered something profane. “I already told you it ain’t relevant.”

      Chase wasn’t so sure, but no use arguing. The only thing Roscoe had told him was that he’d come to New York for two days to meet with his stockbroker and find something nice for Mary Lou’s birthday. It made no sense that he had the heirloom ring with him, but he wouldn’t explain. Just acted real odd every time Chase questioned him about his trip.

      “One more thing, Roscoe. You having an affair?”

      “Go to hell.” Roscoe slammed the phone down hard.

      Chase flipped his cell phone shut and rubbed his assaulted ear. This case was beginning to stink worse than a pigsty. Roscoe didn’t want anyone else to know about the theft, not Mary Lou, not even his insurance company. Yes, the police here in Manhattan had been given a statement, and Roscoe had painstakingly compiled a pretty good list of potential suspects for Chase to look into.

      Roscoe wasn’t exactly the detailed type, yet he’d included the names of every room-service waiter who had been on duty, every maid, every bellman. Because she’d had a client staying at the St. Martine the day Roscoe had arrived, even Dana’s name had made the list. The guy had done some heavyduty homework. Made Chase suspicious. If that son of a gun knew who took the ring and wasn’t fessing up, he’d have more to worry about than a chopping block.

      Although Chase shouldn’t complain. He was getting paid well, by the day, plus expenses, so if it meant that the less Roscoe told him the longer it took to find the ring, that wasn’t such a bad thing. Except, there were two problems with that. One, Chase had known Roscoe for twenty years and the guy normally couldn’t keep his mouth shut about anything. Now all of a sudden you needed a crowbar to get him to open up.

      Second, as nice as it was shacking up in a fancy hotel and having play dates with a beautiful woman, Chase had to get back to Dallas by the end of the week to meet with IAD again. His gaze automatically went to the screen on his cell phone. Buddy hadn’t called back yet. They’d traded three calls since yesterday afternoon. It was probably nothing or his ex-partner would’ve been more persistent.

      His thoughts returned to Roscoe. If nothing turned up tomorrow after he talked to security and the police, Chase would have to lean harder on the old man. The thing Chase hated most was surprises.

      He took a final look in the mirror and tried to flatten the bent collar. But damn if Dana McGuire wasn’t turning out to be quite a pleasant one.

      If she was innocent, man, he was gonna feel like crap for lying to her.

       4

      “ARE YOU wearing perfume?” Holding a spoon and an open pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream, Lynn, Dana’s roommate, poked her dark head into the bathroom and sniffed the air. “You have a date?”

      Dana glared at her. “I just bought that.”

      “Yeah? Thanks.”

      Dana growled with disgust. She knew better. She absolutely knew better. What a dope. “You’d better leave me some.”

      “Sure.” Lynn dipped the spoon into the carton. “Who’s the guy?”

      “Can

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