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"It was only in the paper briefly A reporter got wind of it and ran with the story before we could shut her down We wanted to keep a lid on it, figuring if word got out we’d have a rash of copycats," he said He checked his notes again "Can you give et a local number There wasn’t any need When she called the office, I was here and I picked up the phone After wetown the next ave me a couple of numbers in Malibu She and her husband have a second home down there He has an office in Malibu as well"

As he was about to ask anyway, I reached into h until I found the relevant numbers, which I recited while he made notes

"And she hired you to do what?"

"Nuh-uh My turn What happened to the reward? Did the woman collect?"

"Unfortunately, yes We advised the victim not to pay, but he was ada us record the serial nu came back, and that was the end of it until that bill showed up," he said "What did she hire you to do?"

Another quick debate, but I couldn’t see how the job I’d been hired to do was in any way connected to the painting-for-ransom scheme "She wanted contact inforo The story’s more complicated, but essentially that’s it"

"Whose idea was the cash?"

I thought back to the conversation "Hers, though I’d have suggested it if she hadn’t brought it up herself She said she’d be out of town until June Under the circu a check Please note I just allowed you an extra question"

"You’re sure the bill came from her and not someone else?"

"Positive I stopped at the market on the way home I don’t usually carry hundreds The , and I spent it within the hour While we’re on the subject, I’ve already done the job and put my report in the mail, if it’s relevant You think this sa?"

"Possible," he said He squinted at me in delayed disbelief "You did a job for a hundred bucks?"

"Oh, sorry She offered five, but that was too ested two, and that’s what she ended up paying ain"

"It does, doesn’t it?" I hesitated and then said, "Crap I guess you ht as well have the other hundred You’ll ask for it anyway"

I reached intoand re it by one corner "My prints are on this, but so are hers Run ’eet a hit in case she turns out to be a criminal mastermind"

He smiled "I’ll mention that to the techs Chances are she came by the cash the same way you did, but maybe we can track it back to the source"