Fair Game Inc Part 4

oI knew it was you!o Out of the shadows a man walked toward her. Right across the view of the open windows, jeopardizing her surveillance with every step.

Tendrils of greasy hair stood out from his head at odd angles, illuminated by the slanting light of the late afternoon sun. Squinting against the glare, he looked like Mr. McGoo behind a pair of horn-rimmed gla.s.ses. His threadbare suit looked like heAEd slept in it. And he probably had. Dapper would never be a word used to describe James Heck, Amber reflected.

Dragging in a breath, she forced her heart to resume beating. oWhat are you doing here, James?o she hissed, her body still pasted against the wall. Dearly she hoped James followed her example to get out of plain sight.

Her hopes went unanswered as Heck leaned against the building, supporting himself nonchalantly with one arm. oI came to see who got the job over me.o Amber felt her stomach tighten as her body readied itself for the coming confrontation.

oDidnAEt know you were bidding on it,o she said noncommittally.

oYou should have.o Heck had a frown that made him look like a petulant child. A very large, slimy kind of petulant child. oI am the only compet.i.tion in town.o Amber felt the edges of her patience fraying. Long hours spent in a hot car, plus an evening at Barlow & Charles to look forward to put her in a bad mood to start. oMy client didnAEt mention that she was considering other offers,o she snapped.

oShe didnAEt mention you to me, either.o Heck kicked at a tuft of gra.s.s, and Amber could tell he was taking the loss of work really hard. oLed me to believe I had the job,o he continued, still taking out his frustrations on the hapless turf. oPut in quite a few hours on the preliminaries.o oDonAEt you just hate it when that happens?o Looking for a way out of the conversation, any way, she hadnAEt realized how snide that sounded.

oSure do.o If Heck was making a point, she wished heAEd get to it.

oIAEm in for quite a few out of pocket expenses,o Heck said at last.

Amber groaned inwardly. Like she wasnAEt.

oMaybe youAEd like to reimburse me for all that preliminary work, that way we could kind of work together on it.o So that was it. Heck wanted a cut. Even if she had the money, slimy James Heck, proprietor of Heck, Sleuth and Company would not be her choice of a collaborator. Truth was she didnAEt have a dime to spare. Not that sheAEd tell the compet.i.tion that.

oThanks for the offer, James, but IAEve already done my own preliminary.o oFigured you would.o Amber launched herself away from the wall, forcing Heck to follow her if he wanted to keep talking. The longer she fended off proposals from James Heck, the more chance she had of being discovered. oListen, I was just on my way somewhere....o Amber looked around for his car, but the parking lot was virtually empty. oDo you need a lift?o oAh, no.o The question took Heck by surprise, as if heAEd been lost in thought. Or taking her refusal very badly. oBut I was wondering something else....o Please go away, Amber prayed silently. DonAEt ask me anything else. The irony of James Heck thinking she was so successful he could cash in on her action almost made her laugh. For all his sleazy antics, at the moment Fair Game, Inc. wasnAEt doing any better than Heck, Sleuth and Co. If she hadnAEt had Heck in the flesh to deal with, she might have laughed out loud. With a heavy sigh, Amber turned to face him. oWhat is it, James?o oI was wonderinga.o He let the sentence trail off, giving Amber a sinking suspicion of the real reason heAEd tailed her to her own surveillance.

oYes, James?o oSince IAEm the one out of pocket here....o He paused again. Her stomach tightened with tension. oWell, IAEd forgive you if youAEd go out with me on Sat.u.r.day,o he finished in a rush.

Only James Heck would accuse a woman of theft and then ask her out, Amber thought darkly. HeAEd made an equally awkward proposition at the a.s.sociation Christmas party. Rumor had it heAEd propositioned every woman there. And only James Heck of the firm his colleagues laughingly called Heck, Sleaze and Co., would suggest she owed him a romantic favor for his loss of a contract.

oSorry James, IAEve already made plans.o oSome other time then?o Unfortunately a guy like James Heck would never take some other time as the brush off it was. Some other time would become every other time they met.

oI donAEt think so, James.o He took her refusal in characteristic bad grace. oYou seeing someone?o oThatAEs none of your concern.o The words sounded harsh, even through the filter of her annoyance. In truth, there hadnAEt been anyone for a long time. That fact she certainly wasnAEt going to share with James Heck.

oGuess not.o Without so much as a backward glance, Heck turned and walked away in the other direction. Must have parked his car on the street somewhere.

oIAEll let you know if I hear of anything,o she called after him. Heck nodded, but kept walking.

For several agonizing minutes she watched him leave, until he disappeared around a bend in the road. Her heart drummed a staccato beat. Amber glanced back at the building behind her. No one came to investigate. The blinds to all the windows were firmly shut. She heaved a sigh of relief.

That was close. If Heck showed up a couple of minutes before, sheAEd be explaining her presence there to the police. But for once fate had played into her hands.

And Amber Shaw had landed herself another lucrative contract.

Her exhilaration died as soon as she stepped through the door of Barlow & Charles.

Angry voices drifted down the corridor, GraysonAEs and an older manAEs. Amber let herself in quietly. Taking a seat at the secretaryAEs desk, she reached for the last stack of files awaiting organization. SheAEd almost finished the job last night. That was the problem with untidy people, she reasoned, they just didnAEt realize how little time it took to keep things in order.

Snippets of the altercation in progress caught her attention.

oWhat did you expect me to do?o Grayson sounded even more angry than heAEd been in court.

Amber rose silently from her seat. Taking a handful of files on the pretense of returning them to the cabinet, she crept as far down the hallway as she could safely go.

oWhat I didnAEt expect you to do was to hire a private investigator to snoop through our confidential files!o oSheAEs not investigating us,o Grayson thundered back, osheAEs simply putting away all those files that have been sitting around the office since Nicole left. Besides, she isnAEt that type of PI, she has another specialty altogether.o oSo you said.o The other manAEs voice was low, menacing.

WouldnAEt want to run up against him in court. Amber inched further down the hall.

oAnd I donAEt like it one bit,o he continued.

oSheAEs done a great job,o Grayson said, defensively. oHer help is free and we were going to have to hire someone anyway. Is that whatAEs bothering you, John? That you werenAEt in on it?o oMy only concern is for confidentiality,o the other said, now on the defensive instead. Yet there was a hint of malice to his voice that sent a shudder down AmberAEs spine. She hadnAEt even met John Barlow yet, but she knew for certain she didnAEt like him.

oI canAEt see what interest sheAEd have in the contents of our files.o oNo, of course not.o Amber heard him stomp a few feet away, then the impact of his fist hitting the top of GraysonAEs desk. oBlind trust is one of your shortcomings, just like your father.o Silence filled the office. She heard Grayson walk around his desk, pictured him standing before Barlow, anger darkening his face.

oLet me make one thing clear.o He launched the words at his partner, all the more dangerous for the quiet manner in which they were spoken. oI am not my father and neither are you. We are partners in this firm, and I will do what I decide is best for it.o oThatAEs--o He cut the other man off. oYou were the one who insisted in taking time off when it was least convenient. You were the one who left me with not only my own, but your caseload as well not even a week after Nicole left. What did you expect me to do? Work all night and all day? Well, thatAEs what IAEve been doing. And when help was offered free of charge, I took it. If you donAEt like it, thatAEs too bad. IAEm considering offering Ms Shaw some freelance work once her time here is up.o oWe canAEt afford it.o BarlowAEs words practically exploded between them.

oWhy canAEt we?o oIAEve been away. And youAEve done too much charity work!o oIt was for your charity. If youAEve changed your mind about that, itAEs too late.o oI donAEt want a PI in here.o oWhy, John? What are you afraid sheAEll find?o The question hung between them. Finally, Grayson answered it himself. oI donAEt really think you care about the PI. I think youAEre just angry because I did this on my own. Well get used to it, Barlow, because if I want to hire Amber Shaw, I will. Even if I have to pay her myself.o oI wonAEt let you do that.o oTry and stop me.o For a moment there was silence. oAre you here to work? Or did you just stop by to complain about the way things were going in your absence?o The door to GraysonAEs office flew open. Amber leapt back behind the filing cabinet. A heavy-set dark-haired man with graying temples rushed by her. He leveled a vehement look in her direction, them stormed through the door and slammed it behind him.

When she glanced up, Grayson was standing before her.

oYouAEre late,o he snapped in greeting.

oLate!o Amber said incredulously. oI stayed late here last night--just because I couldnAEt stand to leave any loose ends laying around. Because I pitied you for the pathetic situation youAEd allowed your business to get into.o She waved her arm around the now tidy reception area. oThe mess it took you a month to make, I almost cleaned up in one night.o Grayson had the decency to look chastised.

Amber shut the filing cabinet with more force than she intended. oMark my words, counselor, from now on you wonAEt get one second more of my time than IAEm legally obligated to provide.o He eyed her sheepishly. oI canAEt find a thing.o Amber grabbed him by the sleeve of his white s.h.i.+rt. The glare she offered leveled the height difference between them. oCome on, then Einstein, let me show you. ItAEs all very simple, alphabetical order, you know, like we all learned in kindergarten.o He stood uncharacteristically quiet while she went over the files, now neatly arranged in the main filing cabinet. After that, she outlined the system in his own file drawer, the one heAEd presumably invented. But when she went to show him where sheAEd put the files that belonged in BarlowAEs office, the door was locked.

oThereAEs a key in my top desk drawer,o Grayson said, turning back down the hall to his own office. A moment later he returned, hands stuffed boyishly into his pockets. oIAEm sure there was a key in my top drawer at one time.o oI can just imagine what your apartment looks like,o she growled, taking a seat once again behind NicoleAEs desk.

She expected him to storm back down the hall to his own office, but instead he leaned against the filing cabinet.

oOh yeah? So tell me, Amber, private investigator extraordinaire, what does my apartment look like? Did you go out there and peer in my windows?o oOf course not. I have a life. I have a business thatAEs suffering because of your little scheme here.o He waited.

oOkay,o she said, taking the bait. oYou own a condo in a luxury building.o oWrong.o oTownhouse, then. Downtown, close to the office.o oClose enough,o he said obliquely, but there was a hint of mischief in his expression.

oTwo bedrooms, den.o oWrong.o oThree.o oWrong again.o He smiled triumphantly.

Four perhaps? Now why would a single man want a house that big, she wondered. Unless in fact he wasnAEt single. SheAEd just a.s.sumed. Perhaps he lived with someone. AmberAEs eyes narrowed. Still, he just didnAEt have that look of married man. He was too untidy.

Now thatAEs a s.e.xist thought. Her friend Nancy was one of the most untidy people she knew. And sheAEd been married for six years.

Amber shut her eyes like a fortune teller deep in thought. oLet me see, itAEs professionally decorated.o oWrong.o oAll right, you decorated it yourself, in one shopping trip to one of those catalog outlet stores.o oI did not!o Amber smiled. oSo it was two trips.o Grayson crossed his arms. oYouAEre not exactly batting a thousand here, Ms. Shaw, Private Investigator.o oOkay, itAEs ... tastefully, but unremarkably decorated.o oGive me some credit.o Amber continued undaunted. oMost of the rooms arenAEt lived in. A cleaning lady comes in once a week to keep it dusted and to do your laundry. You order your groceries from one of the few stores that delivers every Sat.u.r.day. Except for the den and the master bedroom, you wouldnAEt know anyone actually lived there. The only appliance in the kitchen that gets regular use is the coffee maker.o oWrong,o he snapped. oIAEm a gourmet cook.o That stopped her. oReally?o Now she was going to have to rethink her profile of Grayson Charles, yet again. oBut you havenAEt cooked in a long time. Not since the trouble at the firm.o oThereAEs no trouble at my firm.o He pushed himself away from the filing cabinet and stormed down the hall. oWeAEre just a little short of help right now.o Amber waited until the door closed behind him. After counting to ten, she followed him.

oWhat is it?o he demanded when she knocked softly on his door.

oSpeaking of help.o Amber poked her head into his office. oNow that the secretarial work is under control, is there anything else I can do to be of a.s.sistance?o Seeing as I am a trained professional...o She let the sentence trail off.

For a moment he seemed at a loss, then he shoved a file folder across the desk. oThere are a few facts in here that need checking.o Amber took the file. She glanced at the clock on GraysonAEs desk. oFine, the reference library is open until eight. ThatAEs where IAEll be.o He didnAEt say anything as she left. ****

Grayson scowled at the work piled high on his desk. Why did everyone, from Roger, to Barlow and now the self-a.s.sured Ms. Shaw, think they had him figured out? He sat back in his chair, BarlowAEs words still digging at his subconscious. Was he truly like his father whoAEd never been cut out to be a lawyer?

No, Roger favored Dad far more than he. Roger had been his favorite. His father had had a competent but hardly stellar career. Was Barlow right in his criticism? Jumpy John was merely paranoid, he decided. That kind of control freak would find fault in anything he did.

So why did he feel like such a heel? Why did Amber ShawAEs a.s.sessment of his lifestyle, down to the well-used coffee maker unsettle him? He should have thanked her for her hard work. It was generous of her, considering. He probably would have if Barlow hadnAEt made him so angry.

The phone startled him from his musing.

oKnew IAEd find you there,o Roger said, before heAEd even had a chance to say h.e.l.lo. oDonAEt you know that all work and no play makes Grayson a dull boy?o oRoger--o Even to his own ears, his voice sounded tired and much older than his thirty-one years. oI really am busy. A little sympathy might be nice.o oSympathy? Gray, I think you ought to get off your b.u.t.t here. If Jumpy John isnAEt pulling his own weight, you should get yourself another partner.o oSome help you are, Roger.o oAnd speaking of nice b.u.t.ts--o oRoger!o oHow is the lovely Ms. Shaw?o oSheAEs a great person to have on your side rather than in opposition.o There was a long meaningful pause on the other end of the phone line. Finally Roger said, a little enviously, oAnd here I underestimated you, brother.o oDonAEt be ridiculous, sheAEs just helping out at the firm.o oNow that is a waste of a great opportunity.o oWhat opportunity would that be?o oGray, you are truly hopeless. But one manAEs castoffs are another manAEs treasures. So they say.o oShe wouldnAEt even look at you.o oWhat makes you so sure?o Grayson sighed. oWhat did you want, Roger?o oWanted to know if you could squeeze half an hour from that busy schedule of yours for a drink.o oSorry, not tonight.o oYouAEre getting awfully boring in your old age.o oBye, Roger.o oBye, Gray. Oh, and say h.e.l.lo to Ms. Shaw for me will you?o oIAEm sure sheAEd much rather strangle you, instead.o Laughing, Roger hung up the phone.

Grayson glowered at his empty office. Even having her company for one night was a vast improvement. She was a lively office-mate. And he did enjoy a good argument. He smiled grimly. It was the most attention heAEd had from a woman in months.

Two fact finding tools most people overlooked were the telephone book and the public library. If you asked the right questions, if you knew where to look, if you kept your eyes open, information retrieval was easy. AmberAEs fact finding mission took less than half an hour. Not much got by her. The ability to read people was a skill sheAEd had since childhood.

So why was it so hard to place Grayson Charles? Why did he stubbornly refuse to be the villain she so desperately wanted him to be?

SheAEd heard him tell Barlow what a great help sheAEd been, yet he spared not even a word of thanks for her hard work. And every time she was ready to slap him for his arrogance, he looked at her with those lost dark eyes, and she found herself working overtime as his secretary while her own work suffered.

Amber let herself back into the offices of Barlow & Charles. Dumping the files on NicoleAEs desk, she turned to go down the hall toward his private office.

And found Grayson leaning against the filing cabinet, waiting for her.

She jumped, in spite of herself and bit back a very unladylike word.

oI was waiting for you,o he said softly.

oSo I see.o She waited patiently to hear what heAEd say next.

oIAEm sorry I took off after you earlier.o Amber opened her mouth to offer a othatAEs okayo, but he held up his hand so sheAEd let him continue.

oPlease forgive my bad behavior. IAEve been under a lot of pressure lately, not that thatAEs any excuse,o he said quickly. oBut I wanted to thank you for your hard work. It was generous of you, in view of the circ.u.mstances.o Amber found herself smiling. A nice euphemism. Especially since the court had ordered her. But it was nice to know her help was appreciated. oI couldnAEt resist, you were in such a pathetic mess.o oGee, thanks.o oYouAEre welcome.o They looked at each other, suddenly uncomfortable.

oHereAEs the material you wanted from the library,o she said, picking up the file folder.

Grayson took it from her hands and put it back down on the desk. oI was wondering if youAEd like to have a drink with me. My brother, Roger,o he winced at the sound of RogerAEs name and the significance it had to Amber, but she smiled back and he continued. oMy brother says that too much work makes me boring.o oHeAEs probably right about that,o Amber said. oBut I have to admit IAEm guilty of the same crime. When you love your work so much, sometimes itAEs hard to stop.o oHave you had dinner?o As if on cue, AmberAEs stomach growled. oNo, I came straight from,o she paused, self consciously, owell, the surveillance I was working on.o oDid you get him?o Amber grinned wickedly. oI got him.o oWhy donAEt we call it a night then? I know this place that makes great burgers, a.s.suming that you eat meat--o oRight now I could devour a steak!o oThey make great steaks, too.o He looked so open, so vulnerable, she couldnAEt help but agree. oSounds great, Counselor. LetAEs go.o The unseasonably warm air packed the sidewalks with people enjoying one of the last pleasant nights of the season. They walked the couple of blocks to the tiny restaurant Grayson suggested and sat outside on the patio.

oSo,o Amber said as they finished the last of their coffee. oTell me about John Barlow. That was him who stormed past me earlier, wasnAEt it?o oIn the flesh,o Grayson admitted.

oHeAEs a lot older than I expected somehow.o oLike I said, he was my fatherAEs partner.o oAnd you felt obligated to join the firm.o oWe arenAEt in court, Amber. I donAEt have to answer your questions.o She laughed and dug into the scoop of ice cream sitting in the silver bowl. oSorry, force of habit.o He picked up his own spoon and stole a scoop of her ice cream. oBut IAEll answer your question anyway. Barlow & Charles was my motherAEs only source of support. I couldnAEt let her down. My father died young, before heAEd had a chance to save for a comfortable retirement.o oAnd Roger wasnAEt going to follow in your dadAEs footsteps?o oRoger helps when he can,o Grayson said defensively. oYou shouldnAEt judge him by what Sandy said. HeAEs really not so bad.o oHe dumped her, Grayson. After heAEd led her to believe they were going to get married.o oRoger has a problem with commitment.o oIAEm not surprised.o oThereAEs no law against it.o oThere ought to be.o He swiped the last mouthful of ice cream. oLetAEs stop talking about Roger.o oDeal.o oNow that IAEve answered your questions, youAEre obligated to answer mine.o oLike you said, Counselor, weAEre not in court.o oYouAEre free to take the fifth.o She laughed. oWhat is it that you so badly want to know?o oWhat attracts a nice woman like you to a career getting even with straying men?o Dangerous ground, that, Amber thought. oI take the fifth. And I never said I was nice.o oHave you never had a male client?o That softly spoken question stopped her cold. oNo,o she said laying down her spoon. oI-I guess I havenAEt. Not that I wouldnAEt, you know represent one, itAEs just that no manAEs ever shown up in my office.o oBut they must exist, men whoAEve been dumped.o oThe statistics donAEt speak well for your gender, Mr. Charles.o He frowned. oThere are always anomalies in the statistics.o oIAEm sure there are. But IAEve never met one, in all the cases IAEve handled.o oMaybe because men tend to keep their pain to themselves.o oPerhaps.o Amber took another sip of coffee. oI thought we were trying to forget about work tonight.o oGuilty.o Grayson rose from his seat. oIAEll walk you back to your car.o ****

Even in the dark, Amber could tell there was something wrong with the lopsided way the Honda sat on the pavement.

oOh no.o She rushed forward, confirming her suspicions.

oWhat is it?o oFlat tire.o Amber leaned against the car that was at least five years past its prime. oThatAEs a new tire, too. I must have run over something in the industrial park.o oIsnAEt that always the way?o Grayson offered sympathetically. oMy car always breaks down on a full tank of gas.o oI didnAEt think Mercedes broke down.o The barb came out more nasty than she intended and she winced.

Grayson ignored her sarcasm. oOnce in a while they do. And theyAEre expensive to fix. Can I offer you a lift?o oThanks, but IAEm going to need it first thing in the morning. I better call the motor league.o oGot a spare?o oSure, but itAEs a snow tire.o oIt would get you home.o oIAEm perfectly capable of changing a tire.o oTake less time if there were two of us....o oI didnAEt think lawyers did tires.o oConsider it a job for legal aid.o Amber smiled, even though it was past midnight and they were standing in the middle of a deserted street. Opening the trunk, she took out the jack and wrench. oAll right, Counselor, itAEs all yours.o Positioning the jack, he went to work with the wrench. oGot a flashlight?o oHang on.o Amber opened the pa.s.senger side door and reached into the glove compartment.

Glancing up, she caught a glimpse of a strange pattern stenciled across the windows in the dim glow of the streetlight.

Her gasp brought GraysonAEs head up sharply. oWhat is it?o oLook!o Leaving the tire, he followed her around the front of the car.

Scrawled in the dust on her winds.h.i.+eld were the words: Stay Away.

Chapter FIVE.

oThe worm!o The pet.i.te brunette stared at the black and white photos spread across AmberAEs desk.

oYou know her?o oHer name is Mandy,o her client launched the name across the desk like a flame thrower. oSheAEs his boss, can you believe that?o oActually,o Amber said. oI can. IAEve seen it all.o Jennifer rummaged in her purse, coming up at last with a well-worn check book. oWell, thatAEs it then. Will you take a personal check?o oCheck or credit card, which ever is more convenient,o Amber said congenially. The deluxe package was hers, regardless of GraysonAEs demands on her time.

oI want the deluxe package. The extra-deluxe package if you have one.o oWe can arrange a custom package if you wish.o oI want lights, camera, videotape. A framed sixteen by twenty to hang on my living room wall!o oThe photograph will be extra.o Amber reached for her calculator. oIAEll have to hire a photographer and a videographer.o oNo problem. Just give me the grand total.o Amber named a sum sure to send Jennifer fleeing her office.

Jennifer swallowed, thought about it for a second, then asked quickly, oCan I borrow that calculator?o Amber watched breathlessly as she balanced her checkbook.

oAnd how much would you like as a deposit?o oThirty percent,o Amber said, certain even that much would be beyond JenniferAEs budget.

To her amazement Jennifer scribbled her name on one of her embossed checks and handed it calmly to Amber.

Amber tucked the check in her top drawer. Folding her hands neatly in front of her, she leaned forward.

oNow all we need to discuss is what type of revenge we should exact upon Mister--o oJames. Aidan James.o oMr. James. Please remember in your zeal, Ms. Roberts, the revenge must be physically harmless in nature, that is one of stipulations of my contract.o oI donAEt care if itAEs harmless,o Jennifer growled. oAs long as he never forgets it. As long as he never forgets me.o oOh, I donAEt think heAEll be forgetting either of us by the time IAEm finished,o Amber said with confidence. None of them ever did. That was the point. Separating men from the sheer arrogance that the world was theirs to shape at will.

oHeAEll be difficult to catch by himself,o Jennifer said. oShe sticks to him like glue.o oDonAEt worry, o Amber began. Her words trailed off into silence. She offered Jennifer a feral smile. oGlue, you say?o ****

Two hours later, the photographer and the videographer were booked. All Amber needed now was to arrange time off in the evening from Barlow & Charles to carry out the terms of her contract.

She should have been elated at the sudden improvement in business, but she couldnAEt get the image of the angry words scrawled across her winds.h.i.+eld.

Grayson had insisted it was a prank gone wrong. oStay away from what?o heAEd demanded.

oI donAEt know?o If it was a prank, its purpose eluded her. oFrom Barlow & Charles, maybe.o oYou werenAEt parked any where near the office,o heAEd said, trying to inject some reason into the situation. oWho would have known it was your car?o oI donAEt know--o oIt was probably some wacko who doesnAEt like people parking in front of their house.o oYou could be right,o sheAEd finally agreed. And hoped he was.

Thrusting the episode from her mind, Amber put the Roberts file back into the cabinet and headed for the offices of Barlow & Charles.

oEarth to Amber Shaw.o Amber jumped, sending the ream of paper in her hand into a miniature hurricane. They settled in an unruly mess on the desktop. Angrily she looked up at the culprit whoAEd startled her from her contemplation of glue and its many properties.

oLooked like you were a million miles away.o Grayson winced at her expression. oDonAEt tell me, a case, right?o Amber forced her expression into a more congenial one. oGuilty as charged.o oNot Sandy and Roger--o oNo, Counselor, you can rest easy. I gave Sandy a refund. Your twin is off the hook. For the moment.o oThatAEs a relief.o oTell Roger not to be smug about it. I might consider remedial action.o oIAEll relay the message.o Grayson smiled ruefully. oIf the expression on your face is any indication, I pity the recipient.o oDonAEt pity him, too much,o she barked, then grimaced at her tone. oHeAEs in the process of breaking someoneAEs heart.o oAnd broken hearts are notoriously hard to heal. Too bad there isnAEt a pill you can take.o As though heAEd revealed far more than he intended, Grayson fell suddenly silent.

Had someone broken GraysonAEs heart? Amber filed that piece of information in the growing file in her mind and offered him an easy out.

oThere is a pill, Grayson. And IAEm it.o It sounded mercenary, even to her own ears. Amber laced her fingers together and looked innocently up at him. oSo, what were you trying to tell me while I was ... absent?o He followed the change in their topic of conversation gratefully. oI asked you if you were hungry.o oFamished.o A slow smile crept across GraysonAEs face. oThen allow me to take you away from all this.o oAre you sure? You seem to be ama.s.sing quite an expense account for your free help.o oSheAEs worth it.o Amber pushed the papers aside. Contemplation of the properties of glue and the paperwork could wait until later. oIAEm glad you think so. Where should we go?o oHow about The Terrace Restaurant? After all, itAEs where we met.o She took him up on the challenge. oAll right, Counselor, youAEre on.o ****