he cuff of his shirt

n't a virtue of his ,not like h

t for comfort...it was glass, marble, and cold me

a woman...a stranger,who had th

istant said through the interc

the skyline glinted in the mid-morning light. His though

drawn. She had asked him a question at dinner-"Do you think

l sentence she'd sai

had chan

opened be

t turn r

lm, female voice. "Tha

tur

stop

t what he

hed, rehearsed. Desperate f

ied back in a loose knot, simple blouse tucked into modest slacks. She carried no pe

the curve of her mouth. Or the quiet c

ca

coll

ou

e seat across fro

idgeting. No attempt to

," he said, sitting.

ied. "The legal arrangement. T

nd

intimidat

his eyes. "Y

. "Why? Because y

tartle

She'd just called him difficult to his face...with a calm

you're qualified to walk

said, folding her hands neatly. "But I do k

ew hours in a pent

d. "But being

t was... sad. Like she understood

aw fl

t trust easi

her d

n his chair, trying to regain control.He didn't underst

ot a love story. You'll live in my home, support my daug

till unshaken. "And I have

walking in and speaking plainly...she

sked suddenly. "Surely there

Wolfe. I'm here because I think I can help

ied her

energy. Just this maddening, steady calm that scrap

d stiffly. "The staff has been info

ed once

eached the door,

more

d a brow

like me, Mr. Wolfe. But you might want to ask yourself wh

en she

the hall, but her words stayed l

ned seated, sta

n't tr

dn't mean s