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kicking at a stone with his shoe.
    “That’s very sweet.”
    “And true,” he added, addressing the ground. “I wondered if you would…errr…have dinner with me tomorrow night?”
     
    Brodie paced the floor as he waited for Cass to return, his rage building by the second. Not only had Cass broken almost all his rules but she’d committed the cardinal sin, something he thought she’d never do. She was his number two, the one he could always rely on when Ross and Christian cocked up and everyone else in the world pissed him off. Now she’d let him down for the first time ever and he was still reeling from it.
    His fury only grew when he heard her approach the front door of her flat. It took her a couple of goes to get the key into the lock, no doubt because she was so drunk on champagne. He could hear her muttering oaths until there was a click and the door finally swung open. She shut it behind her and tottered in with the nonchalance of someone desperately trying to pretend they weren’t drunk.
    “Hello,” she said with a cheery, lopsided smile.
    That smile undid Brodie and he shot to his feet. “Hello? Is that all you’ve got to say for yourself?”
    “Oh, sorry. How are you?” she added before giggling.
    Brodie’s temper finally exploded. “Don’t you fucking dare laugh. You think this is funny?”
    Cass stared at him in shock. He’d never spoken to her like that before. “Don’t you use that tone with me.”
    “I’ll use whatever tone I like because you fucked up big time tonight. What the hell did you think you were doing? Not only did you get half cut when you know you shouldn’t drink on a job but you agreed to go out to dinner with the mark, who is a possible serial killer. Are you out of your fucking mind?”
    Cass’s look was cold. “First of all, I am not half cut. I had a couple of glasses of champagne.”
    “I counted four and they were only the ones I could hear.”
    She decided to ignore this inconvenient fact. “Secondly, Lucas is not a serial killer. He pays money to take casts from people’s faces, just like I said. That includes homeless people, which explains why Fred’s face is in his exhibition.”
    “That doesn’t prove he’s not a killer.”
    “Yes it does. He’s sweet and gentle and wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
    “It’s not flies I’m worried about, it’s people. How do you know anyway? You only met him tonight. Most serial killers fool people who’ve known them their entire lives. Do you remember Seth and Sarah Creegan?”
    “Because I just know,” she said. “He puts on a front for his fans but underneath he’s adorable.”
    “Adorable?” he snorted. “When it comes to men Cass you really are blind.”
    It was her turn to look outraged. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
    “It means you always pick losers, tosspots or nutters.”
    “I do not.”
    “Yes you do and you only realise it after they’ve done something loony or dickish. I always try to warn you but you never listen. Well I’m going to have one last shot at getting through to you. Lucas Thorne is a dodgy bastard.”
    “He is not. What do you know about it anyway? You’ve never even met him. I don’t know where you’ve got this mad idea about Lucas from but you’re wrong. If Fred disappeared at the same time Lucas came to town then it’s just coincidence.”
    Brodie was stuck for a reply. She was right, he had nothing except his gut instinct but it had never failed him yet so he refused to believe it was wrong now. However the fact that he couldn’t prove anything only made him angrier. “Yeah well…he’s a prick,” he exclaimed in frustration.
    “No he’s not. He’s nice, I like him and I’m having dinner with him tomorrow night.”
    “You are not.”
    “You’re my boss Brodie, you have no say in my personal life.”
    “This isn’t personal, it’s business. You were supposed to be working tonight.”
    “And I did what you asked of me. Lucas was nothing to do