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Loose gravel coursing through the gutter slid and crackled beneath Ryder Fitzgerald’s shoes as he slammed shut his car door

Through the darkness of late night his narrowed eyes flickered over the uneven footpath, the barred s of the abandoned ground-floor shopfronts, past big red doors in need of a lick of paint, up a mass of mottled red brick, over deadened s of the second floor The soft golden light in the row of big arched s on the third floor was the only sign of life on the otherwise desolate street

He glanced back at his car, its vintage curves glea coly as it cooled Since the closest street lalass pooled around its base, evidence that was no accident—only linted off the black paint

And he silently cursed his sister

Glowering, Ryder pressed the relanced at the pink notepaper upon which Saave up a business na wrong But no

This run-down structure in one of the backstreets of Richmond housed the Amelia Brandt Dance Academy Inside he would find the wo party to dance And considering in twoher away, apparently that included him

A wedding, he thought, the concept lodging itself uncomfortably in the back of his throat When he’d pointed out to Sahterly duty in attending their own father’s es, she’d just shoved the address into his palm

“The instructor is aweso the price of the lessons he was bankrolling “You’ll love her! If anyone can get you to dance like Patrick Swayze it’s her!”

Ryder, who’d had no idea who Sa as that sounds, there’s no way I can guarantee my attendance every Thursday at seven for the foreseeable future so you’ll have to have your dance lessons without me”

Lucky for hireed to private lessons, any time that suited him Of course she had Sah to lash out on a six-month cruise