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"I don’t think so," she said, flushing slightly He made her uncomfortable on so many levels One, he scared the hell out of her Two, he was terribly attractive, reeking of th Like a man who knew hi, co If she had met him under different circuht through her

"No, I don’t think we should talk," she repeated, looking away unco with a pretty twentyso

"I think I can help you"

Her eyes met Blackhawk’s She felt as if she had heard him say those words in a dreauilt-stricken mind?

"This is a very bad time for us," she murmured

"Yes, I know And I’m sorry"

"Thank you" Her voice remained stiff

"But I… well, I think you need help, and I can help you"

"I’ood friends," she told hi "Look… just have a drink withmuch these days"

"A coffee, then?"

She lifted a hand, indicating Madarin Brought out the charm in his features

So as she afraid of hihosts real?

"I… uht," he said flatly "You saw your friend, Andy, the one as murdered"

Her jaw nearly dropped

She shook her head "No, no… of course not She’s dead Ghosts aren’t real"

He stared at her, sly

"What wouldsick "I mean… how could you know that?"

"Because I saw her, too," he said softly

Chapter 9

Brent’s heart went out to the beautiful young wo like hope were at ith one another in the depths of her eyes She stood stiffly, unyielding, and yet…

"You know," she said, " to think I’m crazy"

"That happens," he told her

"Great So they’ll wind up having h I’"

"I can help you," he assured her "If you’ll let o off with you alone"

Brent studied the man who had been her defender in the fracas in the street and who had accompanied her to the police station Was the ht disturbed him Admittedly, he had felt an attraction to Nikki DuMonde, the sort of attraction he hadn’t known in years It was one thing to look on a wo Youth itself was often beautiful, and Nikki was right at that age, in her mid to upper twenties somewhere, when the sophistication of maturity had coive her an added elegance He was alive after all In the years since Tania’s death he had lived and breathed, gone through all the stages of loss, met and been attracted to several women, made love, and…

Moved on The world was filled with people Those you … and , a feeeks, even a few months

But there hadn’t been… this

Back off, he warned hi personal He and the others involved with Adaency, were often the butts of jokes, due to their focus on the paranormal, but they were still professionals

But there was so about Nikki DuMonde…

It wasn’t just her appearance, it was her…

Soul

The essence of her existence

Her eyes, her passion, herabout her

"Is Julian your fiancé? Your boyfriend?" he asked politely

She s her eyes for a moment "No, he’s my best friend My very best friend for years"

Brent s, does he? He thinks you’ve concocted ghosts in your head because you’re traumatized by Andrea Ciello’s death"

She looked uncoed the situation correctly

"I told you, my friends think I’m crazy"

"So… what do you think?" he demanded

Her eyes narrowed "Just what are you? A cop?" Then she s?"

"I’m not a cop at all"