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pager number at the bottom of the ad. Without thinking too much about it, Pierce wrote them down in his notebook. He then moved back up to the photo. Robin was attractive but not in the aching sort of way that Lilly was. Robin had sharp lines to her mouth and eyes and a colder look. She was more in line with what Pierce had always thought he would find on one of these sites. Lilly wasn’t.
    Pierce reread the ad and was left wondering what ‘absolutely positive GFE’ meant. He had no clue. He then realized that the ad copy on both pages — Robin’s and Lilly’s — had likely been written by the same person. Repetitive phrases and structure indicated this. He also noticed as he looked at the photo that the same brass bed was in both photos. He pulled down his Internet directory and quickly switched back to Lilly’s web page to confirm.
    The bed was the same. He didn’t know what this meant other than perhaps another confirmation that the two women worked together.
    The main difference he picked up from the copy was that Lilly only entertained clients at her apartment. Robin worked it either way, going to a client or allowing him to come to her. Again, he didn’t know if this meant anything in the world in which they lived and worked.
    He leaned back in his chair, looking at the computer screen and wondering what to do next. He looked at his watch. It was almost eleven.
    Abruptly he leaned forward and picked up the phone. Checking his notes, he called the number from Robin’s page. He lost his nerve and was about to hang up after four rings when a woman answered in a sleepy, smoky voice.
    â€˜Uh, Robin?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜I’m sorry, did I wake you?’
    â€˜No, I’m awake. Who’s this?’
    â€˜Um, my name’s Hank. I, uh, saw your page on L.A. Darlings. Am I calling too late?’
    â€˜No, you’re fine. What’s Amedeo Techno?’
    He realized she had caller ID. A shock of fear went through him. Fear of scandal, of people like Vernon knowing something secret about him.
    â€˜Actually, it’s Amedeo Technologies. Your readout must not show the whole name.’
    â€˜Is that where you work?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Are you Mr. Amedeo?’
    Pierce smiled.
    â€˜No, there is no Mr. Amedeo. Not anymore.’
    â€˜Really? Too bad. What happened to him?’
    â€˜Amedeo was Amedeo Avogadro. He was a chemist who about two hundred years ago was the first to tell the difference between molecules and atoms. It was an important distinction but he wasn’t taken seriously for about fifty years, until after he was dead. He was just a man ahead of his time. The company was named after him.’
    â€˜What do you do there? Play around with atoms and molecules?’
    He heard her yawn.
    â€˜Sort of. I’m a chemist, too. We’re building a computer out of molecules.’
    He yawned.
    â€˜Really? Cool.’
    Pierce smiled again. She sounded neither impressed nor interested.
    â€˜Anyway, the reason I’m calling is that I see that you work with Lilly. The brunette escort?’
    â€˜I did.’
    â€˜You mean not anymore?’
    â€˜No, not anymore.’
    â€˜What happened? I’ve been trying to call her and — ’
    â€˜I’m not talking about Lilly with you. I don’t even know you.’
    Her voice had changed. It had taken on a sharper edge. Pierce instinctively knew he could lose her if he didn’t play it right.
    â€˜Okay, sorry. I was just asking because I liked her.’
    â€˜You’d been with her?’
    â€˜Yeah. A couple times. She seemed like a nice girl and I was wondering where she went. That’s all. She suggested the last time that maybe all three of us could get together next time. Do you think you could get a message to her?’
    â€˜No. She’s long gone and whatever happened to her ... just happened. That’s all.’
    â€˜What do you