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I tried to distract myself with plans for the new line, but of course that just et in the way of people trying to do their jobs, I took the saute pan and went back to my condo

Losing track of her on a Friday wasit especially hard to track Andrea down I texted Steph every couple of hours, no matter how she assuredHotels were extra busy and not returning her calls

Generous to my core, at ten pm, I told Steph she could take a break until Saturday As soon as I rose, I started pestering her again I’m sure she was ready to quit by noon, but I a

I’d just headed out for a jog when Zach called me

"Mr Alexander, I’ton & Klaus Well, I can move it, but the day is the same"

“What are you talking about Zach?”

“I told them that you needed to be in Aruba on Monday and they said that was terrific because Mr Klaus will be there for a poker tournaest that you join him there”

I sighed I don’t have to scrape and bow to a lot of people, but I needed Kerrington & Klaus on board “Fine, set it up Send me the deets”

Before I even got back fro me which casino in Oranjestad, 6:30 pm He had contacted the pilot of the coan National at noon Efficient

It was Sunday evening before I had an answer from Steph

“I found the the Witness Protection Program”

“I guess that’s good, in general, if not for me Where are they?”

“They’re booked into a suite at the Palm Court Palm Beach area Do you know it?”

“Yeah, a good half hour frohed

“Here’s the thing,” said Steph “In the end, I just hired a PI, I figured it wasevery hotel on the island three times a day”

“Good thinking”

“I’ve got hiet there Can I give him your number or would you rather he contact me and I’ll contact you?”

“No, no, just give it to hio down until tomorrow afternoon Zach booked the plane for noon Say, I’ Klaus tomorrow at a poker tournament at the the Dolphin Casino Can you find out about it and let me knohat to expect?”

By the tiht, I knew I needed to wear a tux, it was a high-stakes game financially, but not an especially important one to serious players I had the car lined up to take me from the airport to the casino and then on to wherever Andrea hen I got free It’s good to have an assistant I recommend it

Just as I was about to leave on Monday, I grabbed the pan Who knows, ined ot this” Romantic comedies will mess you up

What I’d forgotten, when I grabbed it in a roh-stakes poker tournah, doing weird shit at a poker match can psych out your opponents and I walked aithwhat a lousy player I usually am

Mr Klaus was a gracious loser, and i ell, he illing to support our new efforts to his stakeholders And best of all, thewith the PI, getting a location to catch Andrea

She’s having dinner at the Pal Their res is for 8:30 His text made me feel a bit sick in the pit of my stoetting married, it’s to be expected that she’d move on I’d just hoped it wouldn’t be so soon Butshop Chef stuff

The Palressive driver would take nearly an hour to get there in the traffic the tournaenerated I wanted to interrupt this date before it started, if I could

I went out to where et to The Palm Pier in thirty minutes Can you do it?”

He looked at his phone for the time and shook his head “Sorry boss, even if I lay on my horn it’ll take at least 45 Only way around this mess is helicopter or boat”

Boat Of course “Do you know anyone on this side of the city with a boat I can use?”

“No sir, I can h”

“No tio” I sprinted to the back of the casino where yachts were , too unwieldy to pull up to the pier I jogged down the wooden path along the shore until I ca boat It wasn’t fancy, under 20 feet, just a couple of seats and a motor But it would do