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He stared at her.

After a moment, he said, “Can we not get into this right now? It’s been one helluva day, and Jim and I could use a drink. Or three.”

He looked at the table. All that was there was the usual centerpiece. It held salt and pepper shakers and a container with packets of sugar and sugar substitute. But there was no drink, not even water.

“You’re not drinking, Amy?”

“We haven’t ordered. We just got here.”

We? Matt thought.

She glanced toward the back of the bar, where the steps led to the second-floor dining area and, beyond the steps, the men’s and ladies’ rooms.

Matt’s eyes followed hers back there-and he thought he was going to have a heart attack.

Coming out from the very back, by the restrooms, was an absolutely gorgeous blonde who was running the fingers of her right hand through her thick, luxurious hair.

Good God! Amanda Law!

In Liberties!

Be still, my heart!

VIII

ONE

705 North Second Street, Philadelphia Wednesday, September 9, 6:05 P.M.

Sergeant Matt Payne watched the gorgeous Dr. Amanda Law as she walked across the well-worn wooden floor of Liberties. He saw that she no longer had her doctor’s lab coat. Now she wore jeans that fit her toned body remarkably snugly, gold metallic leather flat-soled espadrilles, and a clingy white linen top that was cut to reveal just a suggestion of cleavage.

He had a hard time believing that this goddess was in one of his favorite bars.

Look at that stride, he thought. She just seems to float across the room.

Matt turned to his sister.

“You know Dr. Law?” he said.

“Yeah,” Dr. Amelia Payne replied. “So do you.”

“I do? I just met her this morning, at the hospital.”

Amy stared at her brother.

After a moment, she said, “You really don’t remember?”

Matt broke the stare, then glanced at Jim Byrth.

Byrth smiled and said, “Don’t look at me, Marshal. I just rode into town.”

Amy then said, “Her father was a cop, Matt. In Northeast Detectives.”

Matt shook his head. “Sorry. Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“He had twenty years in when he got shot on duty. Took a bullet to the hip. So they gave him disability and he retired. And Amanda and I were suitemates our freshman year at UP.”

“Suitemates?”