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‘Is that what he told you?’ His grin widened and she studied hireen eyes

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

He shrugged ‘It’s your life—you figure it out’

And, with that irritating observation, he crouched down to open the oven and stir so inside

Vivian was about to dee in the front pocket of the jacket hanging against the door She reainst the side of her knee with a vaguely fa His keys! She had searched all over the lighthouse, but there was one place she hadn’t been able to look

She darted silently over and boldly plunged her hand into the pocket Fisting the key-ring, she just had time to nip back to the other side of the room before Frank closed the oven and turned around

‘Uh, I think I’d better go and change for dinner,’ Vivian said unco out of the door

Her heart was in her hthouse was still incoe bathroom and probably had his fresh clothes with hio back to his room before dinner Even if he did, the locked roo, and she would have plenty of time to hear him on the stairs and whip up to the next level to fossick innocently in her suitcase

The locked door hid exactly what she had suspected: an office A businessman with Nicholas Thorne’s autocratic reputation would never trust anyone enough to relinquish control of his b

usiness, even temporarily She pulled the door softly to, and switched on the light

There was a computer work-station and various unidentifiable pieces of electronic equip desk streith papers

Vivian ignored the wall of shelves lined with jars and tubes of dubious-looking speciht of the heavy steel combination-safe on the floor

She went over to the desk Only the top draas locked and she rifled quickly through the others, finding mostly stationery and files of scientific papers and journals Nothing that raphs of his wife or son No photos of any other kind either…

Adrenalin spurted through her veins and her sweaty hands shook as she unlocked the top drawer and sat down on the big swivel chair behind the desk to reach inside

The first thing she touched was a shtened around the alass as she picked it up and read the typed label: chloral hydrate Her soft htened and she pushed the half-full bottle into her trouser pocket, intending to dump the contents at the first opportunity