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taking the stairs two at a time. I pushed open the heavy fire door and burst into the hallway, panting. I’d planned to sprint down the hall to my apartment and grab my phone to call Sage, but when I saw the crowd assembled in front of my door I drew up short.
    A frazzled-looking Sage, two small, tanned, and tow-headed beauties with enormous blue eyes, and Detective Drummond all stared at me.
    “Rosemary,” Sage practically shouted, “where have you been?! ” She loped down the hall and half-tackled, half-hugged me.
    I squeezed her back, tightly, and inhaled the gingery scent of whatever shampoo she was using on her bouncy, copper-colored hair. “Sage, you wouldn’t believe the day I’ve had,” I whispered.
    She pulled back and gripped my arms, piercing me with a look. “I heard some of it. Amber Patrick’s been murdered?” she said in a hushed voice.
    “Yeah, and Captain America over there thinks I did it,” I whispered, cutting my eyes toward Detective Drummond, who appeared to be deeply engaged in a rousing game of paddy cake with Skylar, while Dylan looked on, rapt.
    Sage shook her head. “Detective Drummond? No, I don’t think he does. He seems like a good guy. But his boss …” she trailed off and started gnawing on a ragged cuticle with her teeth.
    I slapped her hand lightly and pulled her finger out of her mouth. “Stop that.”
    Detective Drummond raised his head and met my gaze. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
    I could feel Sage eying me curiously. I took a deep breath and exhaled then said, “Felix Patrick isn’t my boyfriend.”
    The police officer raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Really? Someone ought to let him know.”
    “Felix?” Sage murmured beside me. “Have you been holding out on me?”
    I huffed. “No,” I said out of the side of my mouth. Then I turned my attention back to LAPD’s finest. “He’s a friend. Or maybe he’s just a concerned citizen who objects to the way your department seems to be hell-bent on railroading me. Anyway, what are you doing here? Were you hoping to break in and execute an illegal, warrantless search while I wasn’t home?” My voice sounded stiff and angry even to me.
    Great, Rosemary, make him think you have a bad temper. That’ll help your situation.
    Beside me, Sage sort of muttered under her breath. I couldn’t make out the words, but I got the impression that she also may have thought my jab was ill-advised.
    I ignored the anger flashing in Detective Drummond’s eyes and walked over to crouch in front of the kids. “You must be Dylan,” I said to the boy.
    “Yes, ma’am,” he said in a shy voice.
    “And I’m Skylar!” his sister piped up.
    “Hi, Skylar.” I looked from one round little face to the other. “My name’s Rosemary. I’m Sage’s big sister.”
    “We know,” Skylar informed me seriously.
    “Are you a bad guy?” Dylan wanted to know.
    I glared at Detective Drummond as if to say ‘see what you’ve done?’ He matched my gaze with a calm, impassive look. I was surprised to note that his brown eyes were flecked with gold. What he said next was even more surprising.
    He took Dylan’s hands in his own and said, “Now listen up. This is important. In this country, no one is bad guy until a judge and a jury say so. Understand? And your nanny’s sister, I don’t think a judge and jury will ever say she’s a bad guy. I think she might just be mixed up in something she doesn’t quite understand.”
    Dylan nodded solemnly.
    Skylar considered this information then turned to Detective Drummond and asked, “So are you here to help her?”
    “If she’ll let me,” he told her.
    Sage had come over to stand beside me. She arched her brow and gave me a look that suggested she believed him. I bet she’d feel somewhat less charitably toward the good officer if he’d dragged her out of bed and down to the police station for a fun morning of being treated like a criminal. But I held my tongue. And, if I’m being honest,