was the poor little rich girl, a title she detested, and he -he was
doing something with his life.
"I should be getting back." She turned, smiled. "I'm really glad you
went with me today, that we had some time."
"I'll be around." He took her hand-a friendly gesture, he told
himself The hell with friendly. "I want to see you again, Emma. I need
to."
"I don't know -" "You can give me a call when you come back."
The way he was looking at her had her skin going hot then cold. "I
will. I'd like to-I don't know when I'll make it out here again."
"I thought you might be coming out for the movie."
"Movie?"
They had started walking to the car, but now he stopped. "Yeah. They're
going to start filming in a couple weeks in London, I think, then here.
They're putting on extra security. The movie," he continued when she
just looked blank. "Devastated, you know, based on your mother's book.
Angie's starring in it. Angie Parks." He could see by her face that
he'd made a very large and a very stupid mistake. "I'm sorry, Emma, I
thought you knew."
"No," she said, suddenly tired beyond belief. "I didn't."
HE SNATCHED THE PHONE up before it had completed its first ring.
He'd been waiting, and sweating, for hours. "Yes?"
"I found her." The voice, and he knew that voice very well, trembled.
",lid?"
"She went to see the cop, Kesselring. She was with him for over an
hour. Then she went to the house, she went to the goddamn house where
it happened. We've got to do something, and do it fast. I told you
then, and I'm telling you now, I won't take the fall for this."
"Pull yourself together." The tone was brisk, but his hand shook
slightly as he reached for a cigarette. "She went to the house. She
went inside?"
"The ticking place is for sale. She and the guy she was with strolled
right in."
"What guy? Who was she with?"
"Some guy. The cop's son, I think."
"All right." He noted it down on the pad beside the phone. "Where did
they go when they left the house?"
"They went to a goddamn hamburger joint."
The tip of the pencil snapped off. "I beg your pardon?"
"I said they went for burgers, then joyriding on the freeway. I lost
them. I know where she's staying tonight. I can get somebody to take
care of it, quick, easy."
"Don't be an idiot. There's no need."
"I told you she saw the cop, she went to the house."
"Yes, I understood you." His hand was rock-steady again. He poured a
drink, but not for his nerves. For his pleasure. "Think, for Christ's
sake. If she had remembered something, anything, would she have calmly
ridden off to buy a hamburger?"
"I don't think-"
"That's your problem, and has been from the beginning. She didn't