ownstone with no sign on

a table in a room that was all white glass and steel. Julian sat in the corner in a leathe

her eyes on

e's clean. And-" a glance at

e came up to

rong file. Then it closed, and he looked at her the way a buye

take her t

Central Park West. From the elevator you could see the wh

ted at a do

nkled, and then she caught sight of herself in the mirror and didn't recognize the girl there - too

ning, the way she had learned to cry in tha

he told herself. Jus

d her, he was at the window with his back

of wanting her. It was

blood came she used it, and she went through the two nam

e. J

e. J

hurt less, th

perfect. He crossed to the heap of wet silk on the floor that had bee

e window and

ce against the sun

ne box out of a drawer an

mine. Use it i

ck card with no name on it.

s. A bonus. For

ed the rob

want yo

rawer, and looked at her properly f

do you

posal, because business was the only

ys. Somewhere nobody fro

ld his

od one. One who doe

ws moved a

s," Chloe said. "Intact. If I don'

out of his face, something sharper coming in behind it. H

hing about her he'

in

one call, and spoke for ninety seconds i

ame and no windows in the waiting room, a surgeo

the inside of the door, in jeans and a sweater someone had left fold

hird day she took a cab

said, without raising her eyes, "Y

desk with her hands flat

en gone th

this in front of the bathroom mirror for two

ick. I went to a friend's house on Long

d nothing f

study doo

d into relief. "Thank God. We've been out of

ched f

pped pa

ped half an inch, and she saw what was u

is quietly. There will be talk. Three days, no word. If we can say there's been a medical exam..." He let it tra

e after th

witnesses. He wanted proof his plan had worked -

Chloe. Chloe loo

Eleanor said. "S

into her palms. H

breakdown. For tears, for a scene, for

" Chlo

pped m

nd a face like a closed door. In the small room off

back,

ack and shu

n Beaumont had hired with one phone call, in a room she had not been allowed to see

snapped o

ar Chase pouring himself a