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Chapter One

BJ Saator extraordinaire

Al with pride, she climbed out of her rental car and approached the Missouri far, wide driveway Actually farmhouse did not do the structure justice This was practically apool and detached pool house Landscaping that looked like a photograph froazine There was even a private airstrip behind the house

Having come from a childhood of poverty and homelessness, Daniel Castillo—non as Daniel Andreas—had apparently done quite well for himself

He had not, however, been an easyto track hiht her to this spreading east Missouri farm an hour's drive frootten the information And she couldn't wait to boast about it to her three uncles ned the private investigation agency that employed her

Her confident steps slowed as she approached the front door She had the oddest feeling that she was being watched She glanced around and saw no one, not even in the hly polished s at the front of the house

Maybe it was just an attack of nerves After all, she didn't usually do fieldwork Computer searches were her specialty The only reason she had been sent on this trip was because it was a low-priority assignet her into any trouble

Maybe it was the place itself that was getting to her Her hand wasn't quite steady when she reached for the doorbell Was it any wonder? The only ularly in herwas her wealthy aunt Michelle's Yet with Tony and Michelle's four children and assort estate had alwa

ys been ho

She glanced down at her olive-green camp shirt and khaki pants Perhaps she should have dressed more professionally But it was too late for that now The front door opened, and a very large, very bald ray jacket, a pale blue shirt and sharply creased jeans growled, “Yes?”

He didn't look like a butler Nor a farmer, for that matter He looked more like a bouncer in a low-rent strip joint Not that she'd ever actually been in a place like that Drawing herself to her full five feet three inches—still a foot shorter than thisfor Daniel Andreas Is he here?”

The man's heavy eyebrows rose toward his shaved pate “Daniel Andreas?”

Never known as a particularly patient woh “That's what I said”

Coht in his dull brown eyes “Oh! You made it I'm sure he'll be pleased Come in”

She didn't have a clue what he was talking about “I don't—”