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Isabel deemed Dix’s dark blue wool suit quite lovely for the occasion His shirt, however, didn’t e Sherlock’s handold cuff links, and Windsor-knotting a red and white Italian silk tie Dix stepped back to study hie airy space about the size of his dining room Then, drawn to the , he looked out toward the beautiful hillside town of Sausalito, and the Marin Headlands With all the rain, Evelyn had told hireen, but that wouldn’t last Just wait until July, and she’d sighed His roolish antiques Christie would have loved--Ruth’s tastes leaned toward the bright and colorful, the whi on alert just inside her front door He stilled, stared at hi Could he do this? Hoould he face this woman who couldn’t be Christie because Christie was dead?

But what if she is Christie?

He realized his hands were sweating, his heart pounding hard in his chest He couldn’t think straight because his brain was leapfrogging around too much This woman, this Charlotte Pallack, no, she wasn’t Christie, but--What’s wrong with you,dead Deal with it His brain turned around again and went a different direction Since this wo-lost sister? Had Chappy had an affair and not known his lover was pregnant? It went around and around as it had throughout the day If he’d had his Beretta, he’d have shot himself

He was terrified of what he wanted, of what he didn’t want, of what he’d find out He adet hiht and he had to be calm and rational and clearheaded He would know, the instant he saw her, he would know, and then it would be over

He shook his head at hirip, just face this: Be the ultimate cool, dude, as Rafe would say He continued to stare at himself and slowly nodded in satisfaction He looked sophisticated, he realized, like a guest should look, a guest polite enough and rich enough to have dinner with society snoots He had poise, he had confidence, he was ready He would not fall apart, norooreed with his assessment She patted his sleeve "If Charlotte isn’t your Christie, she stillto straighten his tie, though it didn’t need it

That gave things a different perspective, Dix thought, staring down at her a ain how very different she was frohter Then she tilted her head to the side and said, "I do love a man in French cuffs" He’d seen Sherlock tilt her head in exactly the same way

"In that case," he said, "I’d rather run aith you" She sighed, her voice low and throaty, quite sexy really "Ah, so hed "Do you know I think I’ve worn French cuffs maybe three times in my life?"

Judge Sherlock, caler Chappy, Dix realized--walked into the living rooeous, and shook hands with Dix He looked hiht a son as bent on i a future boss He nodded "You’ll do just fine, Dix You’ll get through this Now, you want so to drink?"

"No, thank you, sir--"

"Call me Corman"

Dix nodded "I don’t think my stomach can handle it Thank you for the loan of the shirt and tie And the cuff links"

The doorbell chimed and Dix felt his belly fall to his newly polished shoes If he’d been holding a drink he would have dropped it Evelyn patted his arm as she said easily, "I do believe the Pallacks are here Dix, you will be all right You already know everything that’s important to know, and they don’t You’ll see immediately if she’s your Christie and then it will be over If she is Christie, naturally, you’ll both know it"

Dix supposed that advice fit well, but he stopped thinking altogether when he first saw Charlotte Pallack cohting up every corner, her teeth were straight and white, Christie’s teeth Jules Advere was right--it was Christie, down to the pale peach nail polish he liked on her long thin fingers He sed, tried to keep a hold of hiuests, nothing et closer to the woman whose hair was darker than Christie’s, but that didn’t -boned, but thinner--no, that wasn’t important either He had to look her in the eyes, then he’d know They had to see each other close