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“You’re right This place is tiny, a point driven ho er, and if it ca the handle every time I use it, that would be a plus”

“I’ree”

He’s glad I agree? Okay That didn’t go as planned He’s not registering what I’ hi o”

Still, he blocks -terled,” he says “It’s not your fancy Hamptons place of old, I’m sure, but it’s a step up from this shit hole Move in with eous brown eyes of yours everyfrom now on”

Yep Officially screwed this up big-ti on me? And Murphy?”

His brow instantly furrows “Murphy’son?”

“I’ to the chair in the corner of the bedroo the satchel I carry to all my crime scenes over my head and chest

“If Murphy’s at the cri over”

“Most likely,” I say, and not about to invite more conversation, I leave it at that and ly, Rich steps in front of me

“Move in withdown on my shoulders “I’m crazy about you”

“I’irl”

“What do you call e’re doing?”

“Sex Friendship” I’ him and I think me, too I should have left out the friendship part, except I do like him Quite a lot actually Frustrated at myself, I add, “I don’t know”

“You just described a perfect relationship, Lilah That’s e all want Sex and friendship in one place”

Note to self: friendship is a really bad ith men “Look Rich I eous and sweet, but—”

“Surfer dude and sweet? Holy fuck” He drops his hands froish, curly blond hair “That’s how you see me?”

I hold up my hands “No God no I’hen my voice to make sure he kno serious I am “You’re an all-American GI Joe badass You would die for just about anyone You are aood forissues That’s why I don’t do commitment” I shove a strand of hair from my face “And I can’t do this now You know I can’t do this now”

His jaw sets hard and he gives runtled, reluctant nod “Go Deal with Murphy”

I don’t argue I step around hi enough to say, “Lock up when you leave Sick fucks love me” I take off for the front door

“What the hell does that make me, Lilah?”

“The exception,” I call out, and he has no idea how true that states

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Thanks to that early-Wednesday- us all out of bed at the crack of dawn, I travel frohborhood to Santa Monica in thirty minutes, which would be unheard of any other tiray Ford Taurus in a lot near the beach is just as easy I step out of the car, slip ust of Septe wind, and head down the sidewalk toward the pier Weavingperpetual carnival of the boardwalk, I make a beeline for the Ferris wheel certain to leadcrowd around the yellow tape on the nearby beachfront does the job just fine

I approach several unifore?” I ask

“Oliver,” one of them tells me

Great, I think,the sidewalk That man hates me I’ve made it all of ten feet across the sidewalk, about to hit the sand, when I hear, “Special Agent Love”

At the sound of Detective Oliver’s voice, I grimace and turn to find the fortyish “Gray Fox,” as the ladies on the force call hi If you like the stereotypical, cigarette-sood cop with a bad attitude

“Detective”

“Are you going to do a better job for o?”

And here we go “It was a professional hit, Detective Oliver,” I say tightly “You don’t just get a read on hiers”

“You didn’t get me a read at all”

“This isn’t a thirtyish perp with two kids and a dog you can track down in the suburbs There are papers written on this shit They don’t fit profiles”

“I don’t give a fuck about papers, college girl And if you and your people are coetthe sidewalk to hit the sand

Irritated, I whirl around and pursue hi up quickly “My services are volunteered as a professional courtesy, not to invade your personal space”

“Funny,” he says dryly “I don’t re when I declined your services” We reach the dock area where various officials have gathered several feet froes motions to hiathered by the dock