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call name of Sindee, spelled
S-I-N-D-E-E,
which I have to use for anything business-related as a precaution to attracting any wackos who know my real name. And here’s the phone number you need to call.”
    “Sindee it is.” He grinned, accepting the business card she handed him, with the ultimate fantasy emblazoned in bright red, and a prefixed number followed by the appropriate call word
Ultimate.
“As for Roxanne, she seems like someone you can easily befriend. When the time is right and you feel you have an opening, you can mention that you’re a friend of Valerie’s and she’s the reason you applied for the job. You can ask about Valerie, maybe mention Rob’s name and that you haven’t heard from her in a while, to see what Roxanne says. But keep your questions about your cousin casual, to a minimum, and discreet. Let Roxanne dothe talking so she doesn’t feel like you’re interrogating her.”
    She nodded and sighed, the soulful, weary sound affecting him on a basic emotional level. She had a load of concern weighing on her conscience, and he’d even seen flashes of guilt in her eyes today that he didn’t fully comprehend. Steve hated that Liz’s irresponsible cousin had her so upset. He hoped Valerie knew how damned lucky she was to have such a caring family member who was willing to go to such lengths to find her, to ensure her safety.
    He wished he could make Liz promises to ease her worries, wished he had the right to tell her everything was going to be okay, but he wasn’t one to offer false hopes. And no way was he going to bank on his gut instincts with Valerie’s frivolous behavior until he had more evidence to back up his theory.
    Startled by the sudden urge he experienced to reach out and comfort her, he opened the driver’s-side door to dispel the sensation. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car,” he said, and exited the vehicle.
    She followed, and side by side they silently made their way to her silver Celica that was at least ten years old and in need of body work and a paint job. Obviously not a priority for her. Once they were there, she turned to face him, and he caught a barely perceptible flicker of nervousness in her eyes before she blinked it away. “I guess I’m all set for tonight, then.”
    Sensing she was overwhelmed by the true realization of what she was getting herself involved in, he gave in to that impulse to reach out and skim his knuckles down her cheek in a reassuring caress. “I’m sorry that you have to go through all this crap.”
    She visibly relaxed, and a small smile turned up her too-tempting lips. “I would have done it without yourhelp, but I have to admit that I’m grateful that we were able to work something out. It’s nice to know I’m not going into this situation alone.”
    “No, you’re not.” Withdrawing a business card from his wallet and asking her for a pen, he jotted down his home phone beneath his cell and pager numbers. “If you need me for anything, day or night, I’m only a phone call away.”
    Accepting the card, she tucked it into her purse, then adjusted the strap over her shoulder. “Thank you.”
    “No thanks necessary. It’s all part of my services.” He wasn’t about to tell her that he’d never given his home phone number to a client before. “And I’m sure you’ll do just fine to-night.”
    “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” A good amount of her initial worries seemed to have faded away, though some concerns still lingered. “I’m not used to talking about down-and-dirty sex to just anyone, and I have to do better than fine if I want to stay hired on long enough to ask around about Valerie.”
    “Just take it one step at a time and do whatever feels right.” Taking off his sunglasses, he tucked them into the collar of his shirt. “And when it comes to fraternizing with your coworkers, act open to anything. Also, it’s important that you dress and look the part of someone willing to play around.”
    “I