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The question of danger was a real one Lucky the Fox had always had his antennae out for those whohim, whether sent by his enemies or his boss

But this erous individual at all No cop, or agent of The Right Man, would have stared so obviously at me Another assassin would have neverthe incident served to h I still had soht Man

I forgot about it, found a quiet place on a patio outside, where the sun was pleasantly warm and the breeze cool, and I called Liona

The sound of her voice alht tears to my eyes And only as we chatted did I realize it had been five days since she and Toby had flown home

“Believe me,” I said, “I wanted to call you before now I’ve been thinking about you both since you left I want to see you again and soon”

She wanted that too, she said All I had to do was name the time and place She explained she’d been to her laith all the legal docuiven her Her father was pleased that I’d taken responsibility for my son in this way

“But Toby, there’s so me,” she explained “Do your cousins down here know you’re alive?”

“No, they don’t,” I admitted “And if I come back there, well, I feel I have to see them”

“There’s so I didn’t tell you before, but I think you should know About three years ago, when you were declared …”

“Legally dead?” I offered

“Yes, well, your cousin Matt took all your old things out of storage, and he caave us some of your old books Toby, he knew, at least I had told him that Toby was your son”

“That’s good, Liona, I’ I can’t bla him”

“Well, there’s more to it than that You know my father, you know he’s a doctor first and foremost”

“Yes?”

“He asked Matt for permission to run some DNA tests on the evidence taken from your mom’s apartment Dad said he wanted it for medical reasons, to know if there were any ht …”

“I understand” I went cold all over I struggled to keep my voice steady “That’s fine That’s completely reasonable,” I lied “Matt said yes, and your father tested my family’s DNA and Little Toby’s DNA” Which means there is a record of DNA close to that of Lucky the Fox in a file My heart was skipping a beat or two “You’re not trying to tell enital problem—”

“No I just wanted you to know We thought you were dead, Toby”

“Liona, don’t worry It’s all fine And I’lad you did it Your father knows for sure that Little Toby is mine”

“Well, that was part of it, too,” she confessed “He has proof of affinity, as they call it, and that will have to do”

“Listen, my love,” I said “I have some work to do I have to talk to my employer And when I find out what ht away Now I’m on a prepaid cell here and you have this number Call me whenever you want”