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irritated her.
    â€œWhat happens if I refuse to hand it over?” she asked.
    He took out a pen, put the checkbook down on the desk, and began writing. “Why would you want to do that?”
    â€œGosh, I don’t know.” She unfolded her arms and spread her hands. “Maybe because I bought it legally. Even got a receipt.”
    â€œThe relic was stolen. You are not the legal owner.”
    â€œMaybe I just don’t like the Guild thinking it has the right to have a private investigator barge into my office and take it away from me without an adequate explanation.”
    He did not look up from writing the check. “This is Guild business, Miss Ingram.”
    â€œI love it,” she said, not bothering to conceal her disgust.
    He glanced up. “You love what?”
    â€œYou thinking that Guild business is an adequate explanation.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “That is so very Guild-like.”
    He straightened, put the pen back in his pocket, tore out the check, and handed it to her. “Maybe this will make up for the lack of a full explanation.”
    She took the check from him and read it carefully. Two thousand dollars was clearly written out in a bold scrawl. She could do a lot with two thousand. Pay her rent, buy some badly needed new clothes, treat herself to some fancy restaurants…
    She tore the check in half very deliberately and then put the halves together and ripped them into fourths.
    He regarded her with polite inquiry.
    â€œNot enough?” he asked.
    â€œThere is no amount of money that I would feel comfortable accepting from the Guild.” She shuddered. “In point of fact, I don’t want anything from the organization.”
    â€œYou’re going to make this difficult?”
    â€œNot at all.” She gave him a tight little smile. “You can have the stupid artifact, because the last thing I want is to become involved in Guild business.”
    â€œYou’re sure you won’t accept the money?”
    â€œPositive.”
    â€œYou do realize that this means that the Cadence Guild now owes you a favor,” Davis said neutrally.
    â€œ No , absolutely not.” She was appalled. “The Guild doesn’t owe me a thing.”
    â€œYou know what they say, the Guild always pays its debts.”
    â€œSounds like a real nightmare scenario to me. Look, I’ll make a deal with you. You can thank me for giving you the artifact by not mentioning my name to your client.”
    He thought about that briefly and then nodded once, his expression somber. “If that’s what you want. I don’t see how keeping quiet about your role in this will violate my professional obligation to my client.”
    â€œTerrific.” She went to the door, opened it abruptly, and held the relic out to him on the palm of her hand. “Good afternoon, Mr. Oakes. I won’t say it’s been a pleasure, but it has been interesting.”
    He picked up his briefcase and walked toward the door, halting directly in front of her. “Are you a good matchmaker, Miss Ingram?”
    â€œThe best.”
    â€œI notice you’re not wearing a wedding ring. I take it that means you haven’t been able to find a match for yourself.”
    She knew she was turning red, but she managed to keep her composure. “Very observant of you.”
    He nodded. “Probably just as well. I got matched by a pro once.”
    â€œI can tell by your tone of voice that it did not work out.”
    â€œNo,” he said. “Luckily for both of us, we found out shortly before the wedding that the match was a bad one.”
    â€œI see,” she said coolly. “I’m sorry you had such an unfortunate experience. All I can tell you is that what happened to you was an anomaly. Statistically speaking, the odds of making a good match are significantly improved when you employ a knowledgeable, reputable marriage