of my system. Right now, it’s a game, and I’m ahead on points and on cash. Once I start losing, it’ll be time to quit and find a job.”
Kate raised one perfectly arched eyebrow. “Well, that’s one view I haven’t heard in a while. As long as you can give it up once you start losing, you should be all right.”
Emily nodded. “I figure my luck will probably change in the next few days, so I’m going to make as much money as I can while it lasts.”
“You go, girl,” Meg chimed in. She polished off her second glass of wine and then stood as a clock chimed. “Ugh, time for me to go,” she complained. “I’ll be glad when we get this new show over with. These long hours are killing my feet.” She waved to Emily as she walked to the door. “Nice to meet you, Emily. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”
Emily raised a hand in farewell. “Thanks. Have a good night.”
Kate refilled Emily’s glass, then set the bottle on the table.
“Did you decorate the apartment yourself?” Emily asked as she sipped her wine.
“No. I hired an interior decorator. I just told him what I liked, and he did the rest.”
“Well, he certainly did a good job.” Emily studied Kate’s elegant pose for a moment, then made a pretense of adjusting the couch pillow. “What do you do, Kate?”
There was a tiny pause, so brief that Emily almost missed it. Then Kate shrugged nonchalantly. “Oh, this and that. I dabble in the stock market and have a small import/export business. Nothing too interesting.”
“I see.” Taking the subtle hint, Emily tried a different tact. “Have you lived here long?”
Before Kate could reply, the phone rang. After picking up the portable phone, she excused herself and disappeared into the bedroom.
Emily amused herself by looking at the sculptures scattered throughout the living room, and jumped when she heard a sharp rap at the door. When the knock sounded again, she peered through the peephole. A large, well-dressed man waited outside.
“Just a minute.” She moved toward the bedroom and knocked twice.
“Come in.”
“Sorry to bother you,” Emily said, “but there’s a man standing outside your front door. He’s tall, well dressed, and has black hair. Should I let him in?” Her gaze remained on Kate, but from the corners of her eyes, she noted that the bedroom was done in the same decorating style as the living room. A four-poster bed, draped in sheer fabric, filled the room. Instead of finely carved wood, the bed sported Greek columns at each end. A sudden movement brought her attention back to Kate.
Kate strolled to the window and lifted the drape. “Go ahead and let him in. Thanks.” She turned her back to Emily and continued her conversation.
Emily opened the door and gazed at the visitor. “Can I help you?”
“Where’s Kate?” he demanded in a low voice.
“She’s on the phone.” Emily stepped aside, but he surprised her by shouldering his way into the living room.
Unsure of what to do next, Emily opted for introducing herself. “Emily Sane,” she said, extending a hand.
There was an awkward silence, and then the man grudgingly extended his. “Stu.”
The first thing Emily noticed, other than the fact that the skin on the back of the man’s hand was unusually smooth, was that his nails were expertly manicured. As he gripped her fingers in a handshake, she noticed the cufflink at the side of his wrist. The initials SB were inlaid with sapphires and diamonds. She took in the cut of his suit and guessed that it was Armani. Evidently not only did Kate dress elegantly, so did her guests.
Kate entered the living room and faltered as she glimpsed her other guest. Emily noted the slight hesitation. Obviously, Kate thought her guest would be someone other than Stu. She watched quietly as Kate’s smile disappeared for a moment, then reappeared.
“Hello, Stu,” Kate said after a moment. “What can I do for you?”
Stu’s glance slid to Emily, then
Kate raised one perfectly arched eyebrow. “Well, that’s one view I haven’t heard in a while. As long as you can give it up once you start losing, you should be all right.”
Emily nodded. “I figure my luck will probably change in the next few days, so I’m going to make as much money as I can while it lasts.”
“You go, girl,” Meg chimed in. She polished off her second glass of wine and then stood as a clock chimed. “Ugh, time for me to go,” she complained. “I’ll be glad when we get this new show over with. These long hours are killing my feet.” She waved to Emily as she walked to the door. “Nice to meet you, Emily. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”
Emily raised a hand in farewell. “Thanks. Have a good night.”
Kate refilled Emily’s glass, then set the bottle on the table.
“Did you decorate the apartment yourself?” Emily asked as she sipped her wine.
“No. I hired an interior decorator. I just told him what I liked, and he did the rest.”
“Well, he certainly did a good job.” Emily studied Kate’s elegant pose for a moment, then made a pretense of adjusting the couch pillow. “What do you do, Kate?”
There was a tiny pause, so brief that Emily almost missed it. Then Kate shrugged nonchalantly. “Oh, this and that. I dabble in the stock market and have a small import/export business. Nothing too interesting.”
“I see.” Taking the subtle hint, Emily tried a different tact. “Have you lived here long?”
Before Kate could reply, the phone rang. After picking up the portable phone, she excused herself and disappeared into the bedroom.
Emily amused herself by looking at the sculptures scattered throughout the living room, and jumped when she heard a sharp rap at the door. When the knock sounded again, she peered through the peephole. A large, well-dressed man waited outside.
“Just a minute.” She moved toward the bedroom and knocked twice.
“Come in.”
“Sorry to bother you,” Emily said, “but there’s a man standing outside your front door. He’s tall, well dressed, and has black hair. Should I let him in?” Her gaze remained on Kate, but from the corners of her eyes, she noted that the bedroom was done in the same decorating style as the living room. A four-poster bed, draped in sheer fabric, filled the room. Instead of finely carved wood, the bed sported Greek columns at each end. A sudden movement brought her attention back to Kate.
Kate strolled to the window and lifted the drape. “Go ahead and let him in. Thanks.” She turned her back to Emily and continued her conversation.
Emily opened the door and gazed at the visitor. “Can I help you?”
“Where’s Kate?” he demanded in a low voice.
“She’s on the phone.” Emily stepped aside, but he surprised her by shouldering his way into the living room.
Unsure of what to do next, Emily opted for introducing herself. “Emily Sane,” she said, extending a hand.
There was an awkward silence, and then the man grudgingly extended his. “Stu.”
The first thing Emily noticed, other than the fact that the skin on the back of the man’s hand was unusually smooth, was that his nails were expertly manicured. As he gripped her fingers in a handshake, she noticed the cufflink at the side of his wrist. The initials SB were inlaid with sapphires and diamonds. She took in the cut of his suit and guessed that it was Armani. Evidently not only did Kate dress elegantly, so did her guests.
Kate entered the living room and faltered as she glimpsed her other guest. Emily noted the slight hesitation. Obviously, Kate thought her guest would be someone other than Stu. She watched quietly as Kate’s smile disappeared for a moment, then reappeared.
“Hello, Stu,” Kate said after a moment. “What can I do for you?”
Stu’s glance slid to Emily, then
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