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She’d probably laughed because the strange turn of events was so unexpected. Jennifer had confidence in her. She wasn’t like Chet or any of the others who overlooked Cassie as another pretty but not-so-bright blonde.
    â€œYesterday Bask showed up at the bar.”
    â€œGreat. Did he pass the test, or what?”
    â€œMore like, or what. The Feds are after him.”
    â€œAs in FBI?”
    â€œI ran into a federal investigator who’s been following Bask. He was afraid I’d blow his investigation so he…” Cassie touched the corner of her mouth. Dalton’s kiss still burned on her lips. Stupid. Absolutely crazy to give it a second thought. The man was impossible.
    â€œCassie, are you there?”
    â€œYeah.” She cleared her throat. “He ended up sabotaging my sting.”
    â€œOkay, let’s back up. Why is he after Bask?”
    â€œFor fraud, basically, except they haven’t been able to prove anything yet.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter as far as we’re concerned. I know Marianne. That he’s under suspicion will be enough for her to cut him loose. Her attorney can take it from here. Congratulations! I believe you’ve just successfully closed your first case.”
    â€œWait, I—” Words failed her. Her thoughts were in a sudden jumble stewed with panic and disappointment. “It’s not that simple. I can’t tell Marianne what I know and blow Dalton’s case.”
    â€œDalton? He’s the investigator.”
    â€œFrankly, he’s a pain in the ass, but I wouldn’t feel right messing up his assignment.”
    There was a long pause, and then Jennifer said, “You wouldn’t have to. Marianne and her attorney can be discrete while divorce papers are filed and this guy wraps up his case.”
    Cassie walked with the remote phone to the kitchen for something to drink. Her mouth was suddenly drier than the Sahara. “Except without me, there won’t be a case.”
    â€œFor goodness sakes, why not?”
    â€œSee…this is confidential, okay? No telling Marianne.”
    â€œOf course not.” Jen sounded annoyed.
    In the background, the baby started to cry.
    â€œOops!” Jen cooed something to her daughter. “Cassie, could you hold on a minute?”
    â€œSure.” Gladly. Saved by little Annie. She needed a minute to organize her thoughts.
    She poured herself a glass of water but eyed the bottle of chardonnay she’d had in the fridge for God knew how long. Her nerves were shot and she hadn’t even officially started her role as Mrs. Dalton Styles yet.
    Why wasn’t she dancing a jig at the thought of getting out of this assignment? Thrilled at the thought of being able to tell that pompous ass to find some other patsy to play his wife?
    Oh, heck, there were a lot of reasons. How much more anticlimactic could her first case be? However, if she were to help Dalton, wouldn’t that be good for the agency? Once Bask was arrested, the local news would surely pick up the story.
    Due to her pregnancy, Jennifer had had to turn down business. One of the cases had to do with following and baiting a suspected philanderer. The wife who’d tried to hire the agency had been most unhappy that her case was denied. She’d accused Jen of all sorts of things from being a reverse sexist to an elitist who thought infidelity cases were beneath her.
    News of the agency’s success would absolve them. And then of course, there was Chet. He’d see that Cassie had done a bang-up job all by herself. When he came crawling to her to work for him again, she’d tell him to kiss off.
    â€œI’m back. Sorry.” Jennifer laughed softly.
    Cassie smiled wistfully. Jen loved being a mom and that job always came first. All her detectives knew and respected that about their boss. Cassie wondered if her turn would ever come. Would she have a baby in her arms to coo to and kiss and